In this serious comedy or featherbrained political film, a leftist factory worker is accused of carrying out a deadly arson attack. Upon his escape from prison, in the small town even those who are trying to avoid politics become involved. He hides in the house of an old highschool classmate, and together with her new lodger, a law professor, they form platonic ménage à trois, in which they are binded by their ideological contrasts. Confronted with the vigilantism and the bigotry of the mob, their reflections on the abstract ideas of law and justice must be turned into action.

George Stevens (1904-1975), born in California, was an important director of the Golden Age of Hollywood. He began as a cinematographer in the films of Laurel and Hardy. His first films are comedies and romantic dramas, which have nevertheless humanist dimensions. During World War II he shot war footage; nevertheless in his post-war dramatic films there exist deeper humanist concerns. Many of his films were nominated for and won Oscars. He won the Best Director Oscar twice for A place in the Sun (1951) and The giant (1956).