Lighthouse

Believing that his assistant, Sam Wells, is suffering from a toothache, lighthouse keeper Hank Armitage allows him to take a boat to the nearest port. There Sam, who was merely faking the ache, goes to see his girl friend Connie, who has just been fired from her cannery job for resisting her boss's sexual demands. Distressed about her future, Connie begs Sam to marry her immediately, but he convinces her that they should wait until he has secured a better job. After not seeing Sam for two weeks, however, Connie decides to visit him at the lighthouse. While claiming to be a stranded boater, Connie learns from the unsuspecing Hank that not only is Sam not Hank's boss, as he has bragged, but is away visiting his troublesome wife. Enraged by Sam's deception, Connie later announces to her best friend, Jo-Jo, that she is going to marry the older Hank. At the same time, Hank tells Sam, who is unaware of Connie's visit, that he is going to marry the "girl who came by." Hank and Connie do marry and return to live at the lighthouse with Sam. When a stunned Sam finally gets Connie alone, he apologizes for his lies, but maintains that he is about to divorce his wife. Convinced that Sam still loves her, Connie shares a passionate kiss with him. Her continuing attraction to Sam causes Connie to become moody and distracted, however, and a worried Hank suggests that she take a vacation in town. There, Connie confides to Jo-Jo that she is still in love with Sam and feels guilty that she doubted him. When Jo-Jo reveals that Sam has been dating Connie's replacement at the cannery, however, Connie returns to the lighthouse, determined to make her marriage work. Although Connie admits to Sam that she married Hank out of spite, she rejects his advances and refuses to believe his excuses. His ego bruised, Sam brings Jo-Jo to the lighthouse for a housewarming party and, after she becomes intoxicated, encourages her to talk in front of Hank about Connie's past romances. Despite Jo-Jo's stories, Hank assures Connie that he loves her, and moved by her husband's devotion, Connie finally proclaims her love for him, a declaration overheard by Sam. Later, after Sam has made threatening remarks to Connie about Hank, Hank slips off the unexpectedly slippery ledge of the lighthouse while taking a nighttime stroll. Hank breaks his leg in the fall and, after recuperating in the town's hospital, is questioned by an insurance investigator named Quimby. When Quimby insinuates that the much younger Connie might have conspired with Sam to kill him, Hank becomes enraged and throws Quimby out. Later, however, a depressed Hank notices that the lighthouse beacon has gone out and, while he is fixing it, sees Connie coming out of Sam's room. Unaware that Connie, who is sure that Sam tried to kill Hank, has ordered him to leave and has repulsed his advances, Hank confronts her about the visit, and she confesses all to him. Convinced of Connie's love, Hank tells Sam to find another job, and the two men begin to fight. Fearing for her husband's life, Connie rushes to get Hank's gun and threatens to shoot Sam. Thus cornered, Sam finally admits defeat and prepares to leave the lighthouse for good. Alone at last, Hank and Connie pledge their love, and embrace.