Lonely diplomat's wife Holly (Turner) has a fling with playboy Phil (Montalban) who dies in her presence. Her nasty mother-in-law (Bennett in her last role) advises her to skedaddle or ruin hubby Clay's (Forsythe) career. She leaves her young son and eventually winds up a prostitute in Mexico where she falls in with slimy crook Sullivan (Meredith). Holly winds up killing him and goes on trial as Madame X. Oft-filmed melodrama works because of Turner's heartfelt and affecting performance.