The Jackpot

Bill Lawrence answers a phone call on a radio quiz program and names the Mystery Husband Harry James, winning $24,000 worth of merchandise. The prize haul is a bizarre mix of useful and ridiculous items, from a side of beef and 7,500 cans of soup to a Palomino pony, a portable swimming pool, a diamond ring, a French maid, an interior decorator, and portrait painter Hilda Jones. He is stunned by the windfall and the potential complications it could bring.

Bill learns he must pay an income tax of $7,000 on his windfall. To raise the money, he tries to liquidate the prizes at his department store job, hoping to convert the haul into cash. The plan falters and his boss fires him, leaving him with mounting debt and humiliation.

Desperation drives him to fence the diamond ring in Chicago, but he is arrested for the act. The arrest compounds his financial and personal troubles, drawing police into his already fragile situation. The legal trouble creates a new obstacle for his family and career.

Bill's wife grows suspicious of an affair with Hilda Jones, the portrait painter who appeared in the prize lineup. The emotional strain threatens to crack their marriage as rumors spread. The tension adds to Bill's sense of being trapped by the windfall and its consequences.

Reporter Harry Summers helps verify Bill's identity with the police, establishing that he is who he claims to be. Summers drives him home and becomes a quiet ally in navigating the mess. Their collaboration offers a ray of practical hope amid the chaos.

Bill returns home to find his house redecorated, as if celebrating the windfall. He laments the prizes and the trouble they have caused his life and finances. The scene marks a turning point in his emotional state as he contemplates his future.

He packs his clothes and leaves his home, seeking escape from the pressure. Harry Summers offers him a place to sleep, providing a temporary sanctuary. The arrangement allows Bill to regroup away from the immediate chaos.

Hilda Jones drops off a portrait of Amy, telling Bill it is a surprise from him. The gesture deepens the romantic and artistic subplots that complicate Bill's relationships. The moment keeps the suspense alive about who truly benefits from the windfall.

A lawyer arrives and delivers $5,000 cash for the diamond ring on behalf of the man who took it prior to the arrest. The payment alleviates one of Bill's immediate money problems and shifts the dynamic of the case. It also clears a path for possible reconciliation with his employers.

Mr. Woodruff arrives to offer Bill a job as vice-president of the store, but Bill impulsively hits him and they both pass out. The confrontation disrupts both men and risks derailing any chance of return to normal life. The incident triggers a pivotal moment in Bill's career arc.

Bill is eventually rehired and his life seems to settle back toward normal. The store restores its former status quo, and Bill resumes his routine with his family and colleagues. The windfall's shadow recedes as he gains stability at work.

The phone rings again as Harry has set up a second prize attempt as a joke. Bill responds with colorful language, telling the caller he is not interested. The exchange underscores his weariness with the endless prize gimmicks and publicity.

Bandleader Harry James appears in a cameo as a radio announcer, fitting the show's musical motif and bookending the prize plot. The moment serves as a light, final touch to the film's radio-centered premise. Viewers catch a familiar celebrity moment as the credits roll.