A Touch of Larceny

Max Easton, a celebrated WWII naval hero, spends much of his time at his private club. It is there that he meets Sir Charles Holland and Virginia Killain, who is engaged to Charles and regards Max a rake.

Max persists after Virginia's rebuke and secures a lunch with her. The encounter deepens their tricky dynamic, as she remains wary of his charm and motives.

They sail on Easton's sailboat, and Virginia is impressed by Holland's old-world wealth. Max challenges her by claiming money is easy to obtain, setting the stage for his plan.

During the voyage, Max describes an unscrupulous scheme: disappear, plant clues that he stole top-secret documents, defect to the Soviet Union, then return and sue the press for libel. He imagines a sensational scandal that would generate massive settlements.

Virginia rejects Max's proposal and says she won't see him again. Undeterred, Max sails to the Skerries off the Scottish coast, sinks his boat, and camps there to implement the plan.

The press brands him a traitor as the hoax unfolds, and public opinion erupts in scandal. Virginia is amused at first but grows annoyed when she realizes he has gone through with the ruse.

Virginia informs Sir Charles, who is outraged by the situation and insists that something must be done. He contemplates countermeasures to protect reputation and people involved.

As Max prepares to raise the alarm and secure rescue, the scheme backfires and he ends up marooned on the remote coast. Time runs out as survival becomes the immediate concern.

Max is rescued after a 'message in a bottle' leads to discovery of his whereabouts. Sir Charles reveals to the authorities everything Virginia had told him about the hoax, threatening to undermine Max's innocence.

Confronted with the new information, Max's quick thinking helps him avoid suspicion and he is cleared of any treason. The truth remains controlled, preventing public conviction.

After his rescue, Max visits Virginia and declares his plan to sell the true story of his survival to the very press that libeled him. He intends to profit from the narrative rather than pursue legal action.

Sir Charles berates Max for risking everything and losing Virginia, who ultimately agrees to marry Max. The triangle resolves with a marriage that confirms the new social balance.