Adapted from Tennessee Williams' play 'Orpheus Descending', this US drama stars Marlon Brando as drifter Val Xavier. Arriving in a small town Val gets a job working for miserable shopkeeper Lady Torrance (Anna Magnani) and later begins an affair with her while her cruel husband Jabe (Victor Jory) is dying of cancer. Discovering that Lady is pregnant, Val decides to stay in town even when he is threatened by Jabe's friend, Sheriff Talbott (R.G. Armstrong), but this only angers Jabe and results in tragedy.