I Cover the Waterfront

San Diego's seasoned waterfront reporter H. Joseph Miller has spent five years chasing crime by the docks and is weary of the grind. He longs for an Eastward newspaper job and a chance to marry his Vermont sweetheart. His dissatisfaction sets the stage for a higher-stakes assignment to come.

The editor pressures Miller to pursue a fresh lead: a report of a girl swimming naked at the beach. He heads out with skepticism, hoping for progress that his current case lacks. The assignment signals a potential break from routine.

On the beach, Miller encounters Julie Kirk, cheerful and intrigued by the reporter’s presence. She is the daughter of the man Miller has been sniffing out, Eli Kirk. The meeting births a charged dynamic that will pull both into a dangerous confrontation with crime.

Eli Kirk’s smuggling run returns to port as the Coast Guard closes in. To avoid evidence, he orders his men to chain the legs of a captive and cast him overboard. The Coast Guard and Miller search the vessel but find nothing, while a scavenger later drags up a body that will push Miller closer to the truth.

With skepticism lingering from the missing leads, Miller resolves to get close to Julie to uncover concrete evidence of her father’s smuggling. He shares his strategy with his editor, aiming to win Julie’s trust without tipping his hand. The plan marks the next phase of his pursuit, blending romance with investigation.

Kirk returns from a night of drinking, and Miller lends a hand to help Julie carry him back to his boarding house. The moment deepens their acquaintance and lets Julie see Miller’s humane side. The seeds of romance begin to sprout amid the shadow of crime.

On a playful date aboard an old square-rigged ship masquerading as a torture vessel, Miller shackles Julie in a standing rack and kisses her. The staged danger fuels real passion, and Julie’s affection for Miller grows as she sees the beauty of the waterfront through his eyes. Their relationship shifts from wary intrigue to genuine love.

Miller and Julie share a romantic evening on the beach, and she reveals that they may sail away soon with her father. He urges courage and asks her to stay; the moment binds them, while he prepares to alert the Coast Guard if needed. She decides to stay; the lovers hope for a future together.

Back on the smuggling vessel, the Coast Guard searches again and finds nothing—until Miller reveals a Chinese man hidden inside a large shark. Kirk’s panic erupts as he attempts to flee, and he sustains injuries in the pursuit. The discovery finally ties the crime to Kirk’s operation.

The following morning, Miller’s exposé hits the front page nationwide, thrusting the case into the spotlight. A wounded Kirk staggers home, and Julie learns that Miller tipped off the Coast Guard. The tension between truth, loyalty, and love peaks as consequences unfold.

Miller goes to Julie’s side, apologizing for the hurt his actions caused and declaring his love. Julie, furious at feeling used, sends him away, torn between her trust in him and her loyalty to her father. The moment marks a painful rift in their fragile romance.

Later that night, Kirk tracks down Miller and shoots him in the arm. Julie arrives, determined not to abandon Miller, and helps him flee with her father. Kirk dies after aiding Julie’s escape, ending his criminal enterprise.

From his hospital bed, Miller writes in a column that Julie saved his life and deserves the happiness he’s found with her. The act cements the public record of their love and valor, even as danger lingers in the memory. His article becomes a testament to the couple’s bond.

Sometime later, Miller returns to his apartment to find Julie waiting, having cleaned and transformed the place into a cozy home. He reveals he finally finished the ending to his novel, declaring that he marries the girl. The finale ties together love, work, and a new home in a hopeful ending.