One on Top of the Other

George Dumurrier is a wealthy and self-centered doctor in San Francisco who runs a clinic with his brother Henry. He leaves his wife Susan, who suffers from asthma, in the care of her sister Marta and a nurse, indicating his focus on his work and personal affairs. George is also involved in a romantic relationship with Jane, his personal assistant, showing his complicated personal life.

George and Jane travel out of town to Reno for a romantic interlude, escaping their daily routines. Their trip is suddenly disrupted when George receives a phone call from Henry, informing him of Susan's tragic death during a severe asthma attack. The news marks a turning point in the story.

George and Henry return home where they are consoled by Henry but face hostility from Marta, Susan's sister who disapproved of George marrying Susan. Susan’s death leaves George with a lucrative life insurance policy, which he considers using for his business expansion. This creates underlying tension and suspicion.

An insurance agent discovers George’s affair with Jane and reports suspicions to Inspector Wald. Meanwhile, George and Jane visit The Roaring Twenties, a strip club, where they see Monica, a stripper resembling Susan. George’s morbid fascination with her sets the stage for future complications.

Monica reveals she was paid to impersonate Susan by a woman calling herself Betty. She is linked to high-class prostitution, and her client Benjamin Wormser shows concern upon her arrest. George's interest in Monica grows, hinting at a deeper connection to Susan’s death.

A police search uncovers money in Monica’s apartment and George’s fingerprints on an envelope, leading to his arrest for Susan’s murder. Monica’s disappearance complicates the case, and George is charged with killing his wife for the insurance money.

George goes on trial, is found guilty, and sentenced to death. The evidence against him seems overwhelming, and his guilt appears assured. Henry visits George in prison, revealing a shocking twist about the conspiracy involving Susan, Monica, and himself.

Henry confesses that he and Susan planned the entire scheme to get the insurance money, and Monica was actually Susan in disguise. They faked Susan’s death to manipulate George and secure the inheritance, exposing a complex web of deception.

George attempts to clear his name by informing his lawyer of Henry’s confession. Despite last-minute investigations by Inspector Wald, George’s appeal fails. Jane continues to believe in his innocence, but her influence is subdued by Larry.

Just as George is about to be executed, a last-minute phone call halts the process. A telex from the FBI reveals that Susan and Henry have been shot dead in Paris by Benjamin Wormser, the jealous client, in a tragic twist that exonerates George. This shocking turn ends his wrongful conviction.