How low can you go? Writer Helen Grant (Reed) is a broke single mom working in New York, who is lured to la-la land by ruthless Harold Fallan (Lancaster), the publisher of a celebrity scandal rag. Helen learns her employment isn't random; Fallan wants her write a nasty piece on the attempted comeback of fresh-out-of-alcohol-rehab actor Ben Rowan (Urich) since she was the college roomie of his wife, actress Meg (Hutton). Helen tries to take the high road but Fallan puts the pressure on and Helen is soon down in the muck with the rest of the scavengers.