Two Much

Art Dodge runs a struggling art gallery and can't keep up with mounting bills. He reads obituaries and claims the deceased bought a painting before dying to reel in widows, a scheme that seems like easy money but is morally dubious. The plan barely holds the gallery afloat, illustrating his desperation.

Art's latest target is mobster Gene, whose father has just died. Gene's henchmen try to rough him up, but Art escapes by hiding in Betty Kerner's Rolls-Royce. Betty, intrigued by the handsome stranger, offers help and becomes entwined in the scheme.

Betty is eager to help and the romance quickly grows; they end up making love. She wants to marry Art within two weeks, and the tabloids smell a sensational story. The pressure of a fast engagement drives the early subplot.

One morning, Art is surprised in the shower by Liz, Betty's sister, and realizes he is attracted to her. He decides to invent a fake twin brother, Bart, a painter who just returned from Italy. The scheme begins to complicate his life as two separate loves hinge on the lie.

Bart and Liz instantly hit it off, and Liz is drawn to the persona he presents as Bart. He keeps up the ruse at Manny's studio, inviting her there, and later gives her a painting that is actually Art's work. The union deepens the deception without fully exposing it.

To keep the ruse alive, Art must juggle two simultaneous dates, leading to constant running around and half-truths. He enlists Gloria's reluctant help to cover his tracks. The fragile lie depends on keeping both sisters apart and unaware of each other.

At a restaurant with Betty, Art drugs her wine to shorten the date and escapes to be with Liz. The next morning finds him rushing between Betty's and Liz's bedrooms, trying to maintain the illusion for both sisters. The strain of the double life begins to take a toll.

Art spots Gene's henchmen near his house and, with his father's help, escapes. He plans to leave town, but Gene insists he go through with the wedding and threatens Betty's happiness. He ends up back at Manny's studio where the henchmen beat him.

Liz arrives at the studio thinking Bart has been beaten; Bart reveals that he is Art and that he fell in love with Liz when he saw her in the shower. She misreads the confession as Art flirting with her, deepening the confusion. TheTruth remains tangled between affection and deception.

On the wedding day, Liz tells Bart that the wedding should be called off. Bart confronts Art in a study while Gene and Liz listen outside, and Betty watches via phone. The tense confrontation threatens to unravel the entire scheme and the impending ceremony.

During the confusion, Betty elopes with Gene. Liz notices her dog wants to play with Art and realizes that Art and Bart are the same person. Bart attempts to downplay the revelation with a canned Italy excuse.

Months later, Art's gallery becomes very successful, with Gloria now owning and running it. The personal web of lies has begun to fade as Art settles into his role as the artist of his own work.

At the inauguration of his latest work, Liz notices Art again and admits her lingering feelings. He convinces her that he is the one she cared for, and they walk hand in hand down the street toward a hopeful future.