The Woman on the Beach

Scott, a mounted Coast Guard officer, experiences recurring nightmares about a maritime tragedy. He finds himself in an eerie underwater landscape, walking over skeletons with a looming shipwreck, while a ghostly blonde woman beckons him from afar. The dreams leave him unsettled and wondering if he is losing his mind.

Scott proposes to Eve Geddes, a young woman who works at a local shipyard servicing the Coast Guard. She accepts the proposal, setting the course for their impending marriage. Eve's striking resemblance to the dream woman adds an uncanny layer to Scott's escalating unease.

During a seaside ride, Scott meets Peggy, the enigmatic wife of Tod who was a painter before going blind, near a shipwreck protruding from the sand. They discover shared metaphysical anxieties, and a tentative bond begins to form between them. Tod's ambivalent attitude toward Scott tests the budding connection.

Peggy's husband Tod is a former painter who has lost his sight and can no longer paint. He probes Peggy and Scott to see how far they could go in their relationships and maintains a wary, controlling presence. The dynamic hints at deep insecurity and a willingness to push people away.

Tod explains to Scott that works by dead painters often appreciate in value, and he believes his own paintings will rise in value now that he is effectively dead as a painter. This belief reveals his desperation to reclaim significance through art, despite his blindness.

Scott grows suspicious of Tod's motives and becomes attracted to Peggy. He arranges an outing to test Tod by guiding him toward the edge of a cliff, hoping the danger will force Tod to recognize reality.

During the outing, Tod is lured toward the cliff and falls, though he survives and later recovers. The stunt backfires and reveals the fragility of the situation.

Tod becomes abusive toward Peggy upon discovering that she has hidden his nude portrait, and Scott steps in to protect Peggy from further harm.

Eve grows distant due to Scott's infatuation with Peggy and asks to delay their marriage. The relationship strain deepens as the drama unfolds.

During a fishing trip, Scott attempts to drown both Tod and himself; Peggy alerts the authorities and the Coast Guard rescues them. The act underscores Scott's desperation and Tod's grip on Peggy.

Tod burns all his paintings along with the house they live in. Peggy tries to stop him but fails, and Scott forces Peggy out of the collapsing home.

After they have moved away, Tod explains that the paintings were symbolic of his obsession with his former sighted life. He asks Peggy to take him to New York City, and tells her that afterward she may do as she pleases. Peggy embraces Tod, and Scott leaves them to their fate.