Guilty by Suspicion

David Merrill, a successful director, returns from a film-location scouting trip abroad in the early 1950s. He arrives back in Hollywood to find the film industry shaken by McCarthyism and the Red Scare, which has begun to threaten his colleagues and friends.

Larry Nolan, a close friend of David, is pressured by the FBI to name individuals in Hollywood suspected of communist affiliations. In a moment of desperation, he names several colleagues, including David, as potential collaborators with the Communist Party.

Hollywood executives, including mogul Darryl Zanuck, face immense pressure to protect their studios. They urge directors and staff to publicly disavow communism and to cooperate with congressional hearings or risk losing their careers entirely.

Under duress, David is confronted by Felix Graff, a Hollywood legal consultant, who insists he provide names of supposed communists to the FBI. David's refusal leads to his immediate blacklisting from Hollywood, resulting in financial ruin as he loses his assets.

Trying to rebuild his life, David moves to New York City in hopes of finding work and support among old colleagues. Despite initial goodwill, he soon realizes that former allies, influenced by the FBI pressure, abandon him once again.

Struggling to make ends meet and facing isolation, David retreats back to Los Angeles. He rekindles his relationship with his ex-wife Ruth, who has started a new teaching career, and begins to play a more active role in his son's life.

Meanwhile, Dorothy Nolan, Larry's estranged wife, faces severe emotional distress due to her refusal to cooperate with the FBI. Losing custody of her son exacerbates her condition, leading her to a tragic decision to end her life by driving off a cliff.

David gets a glimmer of hope when a B-movie director reaches out, seeking his expertise to save a failing Western film. He begins to make creative improvements until the studio finds an excuse to have him removed from the project.

Bunny Baxter, a screenwriter and childhood friend of David, faces a perilous situation as his past involvement in communist rallies comes to light. He pleads with David to sacrifice his name to protect himself from perjury charges but is ultimately rejected by Ruth.

In a moment of desperation, David contacts Graff again at Zanuck's behest to discuss potentially naming other Hollywood figures involved with communism. Facing mounting pressure, David appears to concede to the congressional demands in hopes of reviving his career.

During the tense congressional hearing, David shocks the committee by refusing to name anyone but himself, despite intense opposition from the members. This act of defiance leads to a contempt citation against him and legal repercussions for other Hollywood associates.

As David leaves the witness stand following his confrontation, Bunny Baxter takes his place at the committee hearing. In a continuation of defiance, Bunny refuses to cooperate and name his colleagues, echoing David's earlier stance.