Dangerous to Know

Stephen Recka is a gangster and former bootlegger who has become a powerful figure in city politics and business. He uses his influence to secure favors and protect his status as he pursues a higher social position. The mayor and local bank are reportedly in his pocket, underscoring his far reaching control.

Recka's birthday party, organized by his hostess Madame Lan Ying, brings attendees who want a share of his power. Margaret van Case arrives, an impoverished member of the town's first family, and Recka charms her, much to Lan Ying's displeasure. The event reveals the factions circling Recka and the social climbing he pursues.

Recka meets with councillor John Rance at his apartment. Rance is forced to write a suicide note, and then falls to his death from the window. The death disrupts the political balance and eliminates a potential obstacle for Recka.

Inspector Brandon, an honest and unbribeable cop, begins pursuing Recka for eight murders. He has no solid evidence yet, but his determination creates ongoing pressure. The chase defines the ethical core of the film and foreshadows a clash between crime and law.

Recka manipulates the city's development plans to avoid Margaret's district as part of ingratiating himself with her. He learns that Margaret's boyfriend, bond salesman Phil Easton, is a source of wealth and he starts buying bonds from him, gradually expanding their business to win Phil's trust. This sets the foundation for later schemes.

Recka continues his pursuit of Margaret, attempting to secure her social entry. Lan Ying warns him that his ambitions are overreaching and crossing certain lines could end badly. The tension shows the personal costs of Recka's ascent.

Recka brings two out-of-town hoods to see Phil, and they steal $218,000 in bonds from his bank and kidnap him to make it look like he stole them. The police are tipped off and find Phil apparently drunk with the bonds missing. The staged crime escalates Recka's scheme and creates a crisis.

Recka offers Margaret a deal: he will get Phil cleared if she marries him and helps him enter respectable society. Margaret agrees, but with lasting contempt for him. Phil is freed on bail as part of the attempted cover up.

The two outsiders double-cross Recka and run off with the bonds, but are pulled over for speeding by the police. Recka realizes Phil could identify them, so he plans to silence Phil. He also moves to send Margaret away with him using plane tickets.

The bonds have been swapped for newspaper, and Recka realizes Inspector Brandon must have them. He recognizes that the case against him is tightening and that the crucial evidence lies with the inspector.

Lan Ying understands Recka's deadly plan and warns that she will not wait for him if he returns. She gives him an emotional farewell, playing a record of Thanks for the Memory. In despair, she takes her own life with a knife.

Brandon arrests Recka, intending to convict him for Lan Ying's murder and to expose his other crimes. Recka realizes too late that Lan Ying was the one thing he truly needed. Margaret and Phil finally flee on the plane tickets, beginning their honeymoon away from the city.