An English bookkeeper (Nigel Patrick) who works for a jeweler steals a priceless jewel, and kills a man in the process. He flees to the continent and embarks on the life of his dreams; spending lavishly and pursuing women (including Anita Ekberg). A detective (Jack Palance) tracking him soon discovers that he's not the only one looking for him and begins to suspect there's more to the case than just an ordinary jewel theft.