City Without Men

The film opens in July 1941, establishing wartime tensions. Tom Adams orders two Japanese men onto his speedboat after seeing them ascend from an English ship. When the Coast Guard confronts him, they doubt his story and he is charged with aiding the enemy.

Tom is found guilty by the authorities and sentenced to five years in prison. The verdict shocks him and his girlfriend Nancy, who vows to clear his name. The conviction begins the central struggle for Tom's freedom.

Nancy resolves to exonerate Tom and learns that Michael Malloy, whose brother heads the parole board, could help. She asks Michael to present Tom's case to his brother. This marks the beginning of behind-the-scenes efforts to win him release.

Nancy secures work at a local laundry and moves into Maria Barton's boarding house. There she befriends other residents, including the wives of inmates: Gwen Winnie and Billie LaRue. Her daily routine now intertwines with the prisoners’ circle.

On visiting day, Tom, embittered by his imprisonment, refuses to see Nancy. He maintains his distance as he contends with the injustice of his conviction. The distance foreshadows the toll prison life takes on their relationship.

News of Pearl Harbor stirs Tom into asking for a chance to defend his country, petitioning to be paroled for military service. Other prisoners join the call for release, hoping to serve as a declaration against injustice. The plea highlights the national context pressing personal freedom.

The parole board denies the petition, leaving Tom still imprisoned. The delay deepens the community’s frustration and the sense that justice is stalled. Nancy and Michael press on, seeking other avenues to win his release.

Winnie secures a prison blueprint and the group plans to hide convicts in bales to be loaded onto a boat. They intend to orchestrate a Friday night escape from within the facility, showing a dangerous escalation. The wives shield their plan from Nancy as they prepare to act.

On Friday morning, Maria Barton learns her husband, also imprisoned, has been stabbed for threatening to inform the warden about the planned break. He urges Maria to warn the warden, highlighting the danger surrounding the escape plot. The hospital visit adds a personal, urgent dimension to the inmates’ world.

Nancy finds a newspaper headline that substantiates Tom's story, giving momentum to her push for his freedom. She brings the article to Michael, triggering a renewed push on Tom’s behalf. The public narrative shifts as evidence emerges.

Michael bursts into his brother’s office and delivers an impassioned plea about the injustice done to Tom. His speech helps to mobilize official intervention. His brother agrees to phone the warden on Tom’s behalf, a crucial breakthrough.

As the day progresses, the wives waiting at the shore hear the prison sirens, realizing the planned break has failed. The disruption exposes the inmates’ attempt, and the community braces for consequences. The escape plot collapses while Tom’s fate hangs in the balance.

After mounting pressure and new evidence, Tom is freed from prison. He returns to Nancy and the couple reconciles, choosing to face the future together. The ordeal strengthens their bond as he leaves prison behind.