Trama

Alcoholic playboy Kyle Hadley marries the woman secretly loved by his poor but hard-working best friend, who in turn is pursued by Kyle's sister.

On 24 October 1955, the hard-working geologist of the Hadley Oil Company Mitch Wayne meets the executive secretary Lucy Moore in the office of her boss Bill Ryan in New York and invites her to go to a conference with the alcoholic playboy and son of a tycoon Kyle Hadley. On the way of the meeting, he confesses that they had traveled from Houston to New York to satisfy the wish of the reckless Kyle, who is his best friend since their childhood, of eating a sandwich from club 21 and the meeting was just a pretext to Kyle's father Jasper Hadley. Mitch and Kyle immediately fall in love for Lucy, and Kyle unsuccessfully uses his money to impress Lucy; then he opens his heart and proposes Lucy. They get married and travel to Acapulco and the insecure Kyle stops drinking. Meanwhile, Kyle's sister Marylee is an easy woman and has a non-corresponded crush on Mitch who sees her as a sister. One year later, Kyle discovers that he has a problem and might be sterile and starts drinking again. The jealous Marylee poisons Kyle telling that his wife and Mitch are having a love affair. When Lucy finds that she is pregnant, Kyle believes that the baby belongs to Mitch and his mistrust leads to a tragedy.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mitch Wayne and Kyle Hadley, the playboy son of an oil tycoon, have been best friends since childhood. Kyle's wild sister, Marylee, hopes to marry Mitch, but he thinks of her as a sister. Marylee says that Mitch finishes everything Kyle starts. Mitch and Kyle both fall in love with Lucy, but she marries Kyle before Mitch can express his feelings. For a year after his marriage, Kyle stops drinking and behaves more responsibly, until he discovers that he may be sterile. Slyly, a jealous Marylee suggests to Kyle that Lucy and Mitch are lovers, and when Lucy finds that she is pregnant, a drunken Kyle accuses Mitch of being the father.—Will Gilbert

When two friends fall for the same woman, there's bound to be trouble. Kyle Hadley and Mitch Wayne grew up together and have been best friends all of their lives. Kyle hasn't accomplished a great deal with his life however. He is the son of a millionaire oilman and has spent most of his time carousing in his private airplane and especially drinking. Mitch on the other comes from a poor family but has worked hard and now works as a geologist for Hadley Oil. When they meet Lucy Moore it is Kyle who sweeps her off her feet. For a year or so he stops drinking and all is well but when his doctor tells him he may never father children, he again begins to drink heavily. Mitch is also in love with Lucy but hides his true feelings and throughout these difficult times is pursued by Kyle's free-spirited and wild younger sister Marylee. When Lucy becomes pregnant Kyle is convinced that she has been having an affair with Mitch and sets out to get his revenge.—garykmcd

Insecure, alcoholic playboy Kyle and his self-destructive sister Marylee are the children of Texas oil baron Jasper Hadley. Spoiled by their familial wealth and crippled by their personal demons, neither is able to sustain a personal relationship. Marylee has long been in love with Kyle's childhood friend Mitch Wayne, who is now a geologist for the Hadley Oil Company, but he sees her as a sister. She responds to his repeated rejections by pursuing brief physical relationships with various local men. Kyle continually seeks the approval of his father, who instead has long admired Mitch's humbleness and work ethic over that of his own children.

Kyle and Mitch take a business trip to New York City, where they meet Lucy Moore, an aloof secretary who works at the Hadley Company's Manhattan offices. While Lucy initially expresses interest in Mitch, it is Kyle who begins to court her. Lucy's cool demeanor fails to deter Kyle, and he invites her to accompany him on his private plane to Miami, which she accepts. After the trip, Kyle impulsively asks Lucy to marry him, and she agrees. The two return to Texas after a whirlwind honeymoon, and Lucy proves to be a stabilizing influence on his life throughout the first year of their marriage. Meanwhile, Marylee attempts to forge a romantic relationship with Mitch, whom she vows to marry, though Mitch secretly longs to be with Lucy.

Shortly after Kyle and Lucy's first wedding anniversary, Kyle learns from his doctor that he has a low sperm count and could be infertile. This news sends him into a deep depression, and he begins drinking heavily, at one point becoming severely intoxicated at the local country club and embarrassing Lucy. At the Hadley estate, Jasper confides in Mitch about his disappointment in his children, who he feels are reckless and irresponsible. Moments later, Marylee arrives at the house, escorted by police following a lovers' quarrel. That night, a defeated Jasper loses his grip on the railing and tumbles down the long front hall staircase. Mitch turns him over: He is dead. Jasper's death further destabilizes Kyle, and Lucy unsuccessfully attempts to help him overcome his self-loathing.

Mitch informs Lucy that he plans to quit his job at the Hadley Oil Company and relocate to Iran. Mitch drives Lucy to a doctor's appointment, where she learns that she is pregnant; the doctor also informs her about his prior diagnosis of Kyle's infertility. That night, during a dinner with Mitch and Marylee, Lucy reveals her pregnancy to Kyle. Assuming Mitch is the father and that he and Lucy are having an affair, Kyle enters a drunken rage and assaults Lucy, but is stopped by Mitch, who forces him out of the house. The attack results in Lucy suffering a miscarriage that night. Meanwhile, an emasculated, inebriated Kyle visits the local tavern before returning to the house brandishing a pistol, intent on murdering Mitch. Marylee attempts to stop him, and, during the struggle over the gun, the weapon discharges, killing Kyle.

Resentful of Mitch's love for Lucy, Marylee attempts to coerce Mitch into marrying her by threatening to tell police he murdered Kyle. Mitch denies her, and, at the inquest, she first testifies that Mitch shot Kyle, but then tearfully changes her story and describes events as they really occurred. Mitch and Lucy leave the Hadley home together. Marylee is left to mourn the death of her brother and run the company alone.