William Essex (Brian Aherne) wants his son Oliver (Louis Hayward) to have the advantages he didn't have growing up -- and perhaps that's part of the problem. Instead of being grateful for his resources, Oliver squanders them, committing petty crime, deceiving others and doing whatever he can to torment his indulgent father. But William reaches the limit of his parental benevolence when Oliver makes a play for Livia Vaynol (Madeleine Carroll), the woman William himself loves.