Told in flashback form, the film traces the rise and fall of a tough, ambitious Hollywood producer, Jonathan Shields, as seen through the eyes of various acquaintances, including a writer, James Lee Bartlow; a star, Georgia Lorrison; and a director, Fred Amiel. He is a hard-driving, ambitious man who ruthlessly uses everyone on the way to becoming one of Hollywood's top movie makers.

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Lana Turner
• Kirk Douglas
• Walter Pidgeon
• Dick Powell
• Barry Sullivan
• Gloria Grahame
• Leo G. Carroll
• Gilbert Roland