Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful politician, leading a happy life with his wife Gertrude. Gertrude loves him because of his honesty and she despises all men who did horrible things in the past and have to do other immoral deeds to cover up what they're ashamed of. One day a certain Mrs. Laura Evely barges in on a party Robert is attending. She disappeared from the London society six years ago, but is now back with a vengeance. Mrs. Evely has invested in a project that Robert already has denounced as swindle and in fact he wants to start a special commission investigating the matter. But Laura has some important information that will harm Roberts career and his relationship with his wife severely. Laura wants him to publicly support the project or else she will disclose the proof that Robert once sold secret information from the government to a speculator. Chiltern calls in the help of his good friend lord Arthur Goring.