Angels Over Broadway

Bill O'Brien, a New York con man, spots Charles Engle—the guilt-ridden man on the brink of suicide—in a fancy nightclub. He recognizes Charles's desperation as a potential score and begins to map out a scam. The club's glow and the chance for easy money push Bill to act.

Bill enlists Nina Barona, a showgirl, to help lure Charles into a high-stakes poker setup. Nina agrees, swayed by Bill's charm and the prospect of a big payday. The plan hinges on convincing Charles that he can win back his losses at the table.

The poker game is arranged by gangster Dutch Enright, turning the plan into a dangerous test of nerves. Bill uses the club's dim lighting and crowded tables to coax Charles into the game. The stakes feel corrosive as the clock ticks toward the early morning deadline.

Playwright Gene Gibbons discovers Charles's predicament when he finds a suicide note in Charles's coat. He wants to give Charles a happier ending and starts writing the idea of a story in his head. This discovery leads him to a sideline plan to help Charles outside the poker room.

Gene tries to procure a valuable brooch from his ex-girlfriend to give Charles as leverage, hoping it will grease the wheels of the scam. The attempt fails because the brooch turns out to be a cheap copy. Undeterred, he overhears Bill describing the scam and decides to intervene.

Gene convinces Bill to alter the plan so Charles wins early and can escape the game. The new deal is that Bill takes whatever Charles wins over the $3,000 he needs. They adjust their strategy while the 6 AM deadline still looms over everyone's heads.

Before the game can start, Gene passes out and later wakes up not remembering the deal. He returns home to his wife, unaware of his own collaboration. The shift of memory strands the scheme in uncertainty.

Bill discovers Gene is missing, and Dutch learns about Charles's escape plan and moves to stop it. Dutch sends men to block Charles's chance to slip away with the money. The tension escalates as the clock nears the deadline and the plan hinges on a fragile alliance.

Nina steps in and persuades Bill to act honorably and defend Charles from Dutch’s men. This moment deepens their connection, as Nina's trust helps coax Bill toward a real conscience. Bill's resolve hardens: protect Charles, protect the money, and protect the possibility of a future with Nina.

Bill experiences a genuine transformation, realizing that honorable behavior can have a positive effect on him. The change is underscored by his growing affection for Nina, who returns his feelings. The nightclub's lights reflect this shift from con man to a man capable of care.

Bill and Nina fend off Dutch's men as Charles wins the necessary money and escapes the game ahead of the 6 AM deadline. The victory validates the new code of honor that Bill has embraced. The trio's risky night ends with Charles free and the relationship between Bill and Nina strengthened.

With the debt resolved and a new bond formed between Bill and Nina, Bill's outlook on life changes forever. He moves from greed toward redemption, hoping for a real future with Nina. The story closes on a note of cautious optimism for what comes next.