At a lonely military outpost on American Samoa| sticky heat alternates with torrential rain. A ship quarantine strands here Sadie Thompson| a "breezy dame" who sets the Marines afire... and self-righteous Mr. Davidson| powerful head of the Mission Board| who suspects Sadie is a fugitive from the notorious Emerald Club of Honolulu. Meanwhile| Sadie is courted by crude but good-hearted Marine Sgt. Phil O'Hara.