Christine Radcliffe (Bette Davis) thought her lover, cellist Karel Novak (Paul Henreid), was killed in the war. But when he unexpectedly strolls back into her life, she's forced to hide the fact that she's been having an affair with prominent composer Alexander Hollenius (Claude Rains). Christine's efforts to conceal her actions are hampered by Hollenius's insistence on sabotaging Novak's career, which prompts her to take drastic measures.