 In New York, after celebrating his twenty-fifth years as a cashier of a company and receiving a golden watch in a dinner party, the middle-aged amateurish painter Christopher Cross protects a young woman, Katharine March, from an assault on the street by a young man, Johnny Prince, without knowing that he is her lover. Chris invites Kitty to drink a coffee in a bar, and presents himself as a successful and wealthy painter. The small time crook and caftan Johnny sees the chance to raise easy money and convinces the manipulative Kitty to take as much money as possible from Chris. He embezzles his company and steals his wife, and Kitty moves to a huge studio. Chris brings his paintings to the new address, and Johnny takes them for evaluation and they are considered masterpieces by an arts critic and by the owner of a gallery. Kitty pretends to be the painter, becomes famous, leading them to a tragic conclusion.