The Luck of Ginger Coffey

After being released from the Army, James Francis Coffey, known as Ginger, moves with his wife Vera and their daughter Paulie to Montreal. Ginger remains unfulfilled in every job he tries, and the family hopes for a fresh start. The move marks the start of a long struggle to find his place in a new country.

In Canada, Ginger continues to be unemployed while Vera discovers he has exhausted their funds and ticket money. She becomes increasingly upset as their precarious finances deteriorate. The failure to secure steady work strains their marriage.

Joe McGlade helps Ginger secure a position as a proofreader at the newspaper where McGlade works as a sports reporter. Ginger remains skeptical about the opportunity, insisting that things will improve, even as the job offers a new glimmer of stability. The prospect of steady work provides a small beacon in a difficult period.

Vera leaves Ginger for McGlade and takes Paulie, along with most of Ginger's money and belongings. Ginger is left to cope with financial and emotional turmoil on his own. This abandonment marks a turning point in his outlook on life.

Ginger moves into a small room at the YMCA and reluctantly accepts a diaper-delivery driver job that he finds degrading. He endures long hours and physical strain as he clings to the hope of rebuilding his life. The work is a far cry from the status he once envisioned.

He becomes obsessed with Vera and with earning a promotion to reporter, hoping to prove his selflessness and win her back. The pursuit consumes him and erodes his health as sleep and meals fall by the wayside. He believes a higher position will demonstrate that he is finally worth loving.

Paulie and Vera eventually secure a flat of their own, creating a semblance of stability for the two of them. Ginger remains on the outside, continuing his solitary struggle while watching their new life unfold. The separation deepens the emotional rift but clarifies their separate paths.

Ginger discovers that the reporter job he believed he was offered never existed and was only vaguely promised to prevent his quitting. The revelation shatters his hopes for advancement and fuels his sense of being used as a stopgap. The newsroom environment grows increasingly hostile to him.

Enraged, Ginger engages in a scuffle in the editor's office and is escorted from the premises. The incident underscores his desperation and marks a dramatic fall from any remaining professional status. He is effectively fired from the newspaper.

After drinks with former colleagues, Ginger relieves himself in an alley beside a hotel and is arrested for indecent exposure. The charges are later dropped by a sympathetic judge after a short, humiliating trial witnessed by Vera. The episode exposes the fragility of Ginger's pride and social standing.

Ginger and Vera meet outside the courthouse as she prepares to depart on a skiing trip with Joe McGlade. In sympathy, Vera accepts Ginger's invitation for a cup of coffee and he confesses his shortcomings. Vera's mood softens, offering a glimmer of cautious optimism.

As they walk, Vera reassures Ginger that his promotion at the diaper service may still be available. They reach Vera's flat, and she leaves the door open as an invitation for Ginger to come inside. The scene ends with Ginger entering the flat as the closing credits roll, leaving their future unresolved.