Denny, Barry Wyatt is a struggling stage actor in Los Angeles who performs in an experimental theater group. Elliot, Jake Henry is a wealthy gay attorney who is deeply enamored with Denny, letting him rent a room in his house and showering him with lavish gifts, including an expensive car that Denny declines to take. After Denny and his girlfriend, Cathy, Debra Robinson, have sex in the theater, a cloaked figure in a black wig strangles her to death.
Denny is arrested and booked in the local jail for Cathy's murder, forcing Joanne, Valerie Swift, to recast Denny's role in their forthcoming play, giving the part to the ambitious but drug-addicted Richard, John Stevens. Meanwhile, Elliot agrees to represent Denny as his defense attorney and posts his bail. A recess is ordered for Denny's trial as the prosecution tries to gather further evidence.
During the recess, Denny has dreams in which Elliot makes sexual advances toward him, attempting to perform oral sex on Denny in the shower. Later, Joanne finds Denny alone in the theater, donning a black wig, in a catatonic state. The two have sex, after which Joanne is strangled to death in the same manner as Cathy.
Joanne's murder is again attributed to Denny, who is incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital. In therapy sessions, Denny experiences flashbacks to being sexually abused by his stepfather, and the subsequent unresolved strangling death of his mother. A psychiatrist treating Denny testifies on his behalf in court, while Richard testifies for the prosecution, accusing Denny of hating women. The psychiatrist's testimony results in Denny being allowed bail during the trial, which is again paid by Elliot.
Julie, one of Denny's friends and fellow actors who moonlights as an escort, expresses empathy for him, which is observed in a local bar by Detective McGill. Later that night, Richard breaks into Julie's home and threatens her. On a critical day of the trial, Denny runs late to the courthouse and is struck by a car, which Julie witnesses. Julie tends to Denny in the hospital, and forms a romantic bond with him.
After convalescing, Denny attempts to unravel the identity of the killer, believing he has been framed. He subsequently learns that the car accident was set up by McGill, which Julie reluctantly helped orchestrate, as McGill was blackmailing her for her escorting. Richard attacks Julie at the local bar, but Denny comes to her aid. A fight breaks out between Richard and Denny, but Elliot arrives and stops Denny. Denny flees the scene with Julie, and the two hide out in the theater. There, Julie is attacked by the disguised assailant, but Denny stops the perpetrator, who is revealed to be Elliot, who has been murdering Denny's female sexual partners out of his lust for him. Elliot is arrested for the crimes, and sits idly in a jail cell.
