Black Angel

Marty Blair tries to see his ex-wife, Mavis Marlowe, on their anniversary, but the doorman blocks his entry. He notices a rival visitor being admitted, fueling his jealousy and anger. He sulks on the sidewalk and heads to his corner bar to drown his sorrows.

Kirk Bennett arrives to visit Mavis and is admitted by the doorman, but soon discovers she is murdered and a prowler has escaped. The newly pinned brooch on Mavis's dress disappears, deepening the mystery. The night spirals into a web of suspicion.

Captain Flood arrives and Kirk is accused of murdering Mavis and blackmailing her with their affair. With no conclusive proof of another culprit, Kirk is convicted and sentenced to death. The case moves quickly toward a fatal outcome.

Kirk's wife Catherine vows to prove his innocence and launches an independent investigation. She questions witnesses and follows leads that challenge the police narrative. Her determination grows as she digs deeper.

A mothering friend who looks after Marty during his benders clears him by confirming his whereabouts the night of the murder. The police also corroborate that he was locked in his room at the time. Marty is thus removed from suspicion.

Hearing rumors and seeing the gaps in the case, Catherine and Marty team up to pursue the truth. Marty volunteers to help, and together they begin sharing information and pursuing leads. Their uneasy alliance marks the start of a joint investigation.

A chance clue leads them to a nightclub and its owner, Mr. Marko. Marty identifies Marko as the mysterious man connected to Mavis's case. The two theorize that Marko hides a dark secret tied to the murder.

To get close to Marko, Catherine and Marty audition for a spot in his club. While there, Catherine is caught while investigating, and Captain Flood arrives to referee. Marko admits he was being blackmailed by Mavis over his ex-con past, but the missing brooch is not in his safe.

Marko explains the blackmail scheme, but the safe brooch sheathed as evidence is not found there. He is cleared as a suspect, while the mystery of the brooch continues to haunt the investigation. Catherine and Marty press on with their partnership.

Their detective work and performances lead to growing celebrity and a more stable partnership. Marty even manages to stay sober for a time, enjoying the glamour of their nightclub acts and their evolving collaboration.

On the night before Kirk's execution, Marty confesses his love for Catherine. She Reveals that Kirk has always been the right man for her, and their closeness tests their loyalty. The revelation strains their bond as the situation grows more desperate.

Devastated, Marty goes on a drinking spree and encounters a dame wearing the missing brooch. A flash of memory returns: he had pinned the brooch on her the night of the murder. The possibility of his guilt returns with a vengeance.

Marty tries to contact Captain Flood to confess, but Flood is tied up with another case. He leaves a message at Catherine's home and waits, but his drunken turmoil complicates the attempt to come clean.

At dawn, Catherine returns from visiting Kirk and wakes Marty, who begins to confess. Flood arrives, hears the confession, and pursues a stay of execution. The governor grants the stay, Kirk is saved, and Catherine returns to her unfaithful partner, ending the immediate crisis with a somber reconciliation.