Walter Burns is the chief reporter for a newspaper. His wife, fellow-reporter Hildy, divorced him and went away for four months. While away, she met Bruce, an insurance salesman from Albany. She goes to see Walter to tell him that she’s quitting her job and getting married the next day. Walter still loves her, so he determines to distract her. He takes her and Bruce out to lunch and makes a deal — Hildy will do one last story, an interview with a man sentenced to death. In return, Walter will buy a life insurance policy from Bruce.

Walter has no intention of going along with the deal. He buys the insurance but sends a pick-pocket friend after Bruce to steal his check. The pickpocket plants a stolen watch on Bruce and gets him thrown in jail. Meanwhile, Hildy gets the interview and gets excited about reporting again. There a big tangle, with Bruce getting in and out of jail several times, thanks to Walter’s shenanigans. The prisoner Hildy interviews escapes with the sheriff’s gun. Hildy finds him and hides him in a desk and calls Walter. The sheriff shows up and finds the criminal and arrests Walter and Hildy. Bruce gives up and heads back to Albany. A man shows up who tells Walter that he delivered a reprieve for the criminal to the sheriff and mayor several hours ago. Walter and Hildy realize the mayor squashed the reprieve so he could put the man to death and get more votes. Hildy realizes that the story will make her name. She also realizes Walter loves her and agrees to marry him again and go back to the chaotic life of journalism.

• Walter Burns (Cary Grant) refers to some horrible fate suffered by the last person who crossed him: Archie Leach. Grant's real name is Archie Leach. See also Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

• Burns tries to describe a character played by Ralph Bellamy. He ends up saying that he "looks like that film actor, Ralph Bellamy". See also Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

• This is supposedly the first movie where the actors talked over the top of each other instead of speaking in turn.

It was fun, although the plot was more slapstick than realistic. Grant was good as the sharp-as-a-tack, never-to-be-trusted chief reporter. Russell played Hildy perfectly. Bellamy was good as the naïve milksop. But somehow it was all just a bit too silly.