Harry Brock (Broderick Crawford), a millionaire junk dealer, has amassed a fortune by devious means and consequently has everything in the name of his fiancee of eight years, Billie Dawn (Judy Holliday). Afraid that her ignorance will somehow ruin his wheeling and dealing, he hires an honest newsman to educate her. As she becomes increasingly aware of things such as democratic principles and good citizenship, she begins to question the use of her name as a silent partner.