Calcutta

Three American pilots, Neale Gordon, Bill Cunningham, and Pedro Blake, fly a route from Chungking to Calcutta. When their aircraft is forced down in a rugged mountain area, Bill comes to their rescue and secures their survival. The perilous landing sets the stage for the subsequent voyage.

The survivors reach Calcutta and take up residence at the Hotel Imperial. The city becomes the hub where their postwar assignment and personal entanglements unfold. Life at the hotel introduces the characters to new tensions.

At an engagement party, Virginia Moore tells Neale and Pedro that Bill has been strangled. The revelation injects suspicion and unsettles the trio, hinting at a deeper conspiracy. The party becomes a flashpoint for conflicting loyalties.

Nightclub singer Marina Tanev reveals that Eric Lasser, the nightclub owner, canceled the engagement party the night Bill was killed. The claim points to Lasser's possible involvement and a concealed motive. Marina's remark adds another layer to the mystery.

Neale tearfully exposes a diamond necklace from Virginia's neck, pushing her to admit she was not in love with Bill. The confrontation exposes emotional and criminal subtexts within their circle. The necklace becomes a tangible symbol of trust broken.

During a flight to Chungking, Pedro meets Indian merchant Mul Raj Malik, who invites him to visit his import-export shop. The encounter plants the seed of Malik's involvement in the smuggling network. The meeting foreshadows the later pursuit of the jewel-smuggling plot.

Back in Calcutta, Mrs. Smith reveals that Bill had bought Virginia's necklace and deposited a $7,000 check before his death. The financial trail suggests a more complex motive behind the murder. Neale's skepticism grows as the case thickens.

Neale discovers a bag of jewels hidden in a floorboard of one of their aircraft and hands them to Pedro for safekeeping. Malik confronts Neale as he leaves the room and is shot, creating a crucial turning point in the investigation. The confrontation links Malik to the deadly scheme.

Neale shows Marina a jewelled brooch, and she warns that Virginia knows more about the night Bill died. The warning deepens the intrigue and raises the stakes for Neale's pursuit of the truth. Marina's stance marks her as a potential ally in the labyrinth of lies.

Neale returns to Virginia's room to find it ransacked and Virginia missing. The hotel desk clerk contradicts Virginia's story, and Neale deduces that Virginia was part of a smuggling ring, with her gun to Bill's temple before Lasser strangled him. The web of deceit tightens around the trio.

British police officers led by Inspector Hendricks arrest Neale for Malik's murder, but Pedro claims the gun used was his, leading to Neale's release. The arrest underscores the precariousness of truth in a haze of suspicion. The investigation pivots as new testimony shifts focus.

Lasser bursts in; Virginia tries to shoot him but is disarmed as Neale kills Lasser during the struggle for the gun. Hendricks then arrests Virginia. Marina offers a final perspective at the airport; Neale and Marina kiss and set off on his next flight, continuing his journey. The film closes on a note of unresolved danger and tentative romance.