 When his son Andy (Bobby Clark) is kidnapped and held for ransom, David Stannard (Glenn Ford) liquidates his assets to meet the half-million dollar demand. A casual remark by newspaper reporter Charlie Telfer (Leslie Nielsen) makes him change his mind. Despite the pleas from his wife Edith (Donna Reed) and brother Al (Ainslie Pryor), and the resultant condemnation of the press and public, Stannard goes on a nation-wide television program, displays the money and warns the kidnapper that not one cent will be paid for ransom; instead the money will be used to track down the kidnapper if Andy isn t returned unharmed. The police then find the boy s blood-stained shirt.