In 1949 Santa Rosa, California, Ed Crane is trapped in a disheartening life married to Doris, a bookkeeper battling a drinking problem. He spends his days working in a barbershop owned by his brother-in-law, Frank. One day, a customer named Creighton Tolliver approaches Ed with an intriguing investment opportunity, seeking $10,000 for a new venture in dry cleaning. Motivated by a desire to change his circumstances, Ed decides to anonymously blackmail Doris's employer, the shady "Big Dave" Brewster, whom he suspects is having an affair with Doris. Brewster, desperate to hide his transgressions, illegally siphons money from his department store to meet the demands of the blackmail.
However, Brewster soon realizes what is happening and confronts Tolliver, leading to a brutal altercation where Tolliver is ultimately murdered. Facing danger himself, Ed finds himself involved in a deadly struggle when Brewster threatens him at the department store. In a moment of self-defense, Ed fatally stabs Brewster with a cigar knife.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities discover discrepancies in the store's finances, leading to Doris's arrest under the belief that she embezzled funds and murdered Brewster. To navigate the legal turmoil, Ed hires Freddy Riedenschneider, a flashy defense attorney from Sacramento known for his extravagant lifestyle, which is funded by a significant portion of Doris's defense contributions, financed through a mortgage on the barbershop by Frank. Tragically, on the eve of her trial, Doris takes her own life in her jail cell, revealing she had been pregnant and desperate, despite having not been intimate with Ed for years.
Meanwhile, Frank spirals deeper into debt and alcoholism. Ed, seeking solace in companionship, visits a friend's young daughter, Rachel "Birdy" Abundas, to listen to her play the piano, nurturing a fantasy of managing her burgeoning music career. This dream, however, is shattered by a music teacher's harsh assessment that Birdy lacks talent. The situation escalates dramatically when Birdy makes a bold advance on Ed, causing him to crash his car in shock.
Ed awakens in a hospital, only to be arrested for the murder of Tolliver, who was found beaten to death alongside Ed's investment papers. The police theorize that Ed manipulated Doris into embezzling funds and killed Tolliver when he discovered the truth. In a desperate bid for defense, Ed mortgages his home to retain Riedenschneider. On the first day of the trial, chaos erupts as Frank lashes out at Ed, resulting in a mistrial. Left with no defense strategy, Ed appeals to the court's mercy, yet his plea falls on deaf ears, leading to a death sentence.
Amidst the bleak wait on death row, Ed pours his life story into a manuscript aimed at pulp magazines. As his execution looms closer, a strange sighting of a UFO outside the prison cell grips his attention. In his final moments before the electric chair, Ed reflects on his choices, revealing a peculiar sense of peace; he harbors no regrets, anticipating a reunion with Doris in the afterlife, liberated from the flaws of their earthly lives.
