Ship stoker Hank Smith (William Bendix) is a mountain of a man, but he is still very sensitive. So when the beautiful spoiled socialite Mildred Douglas (Susan Hayward) insults him with the slur "hairy ape," her words cut deep. At first the beastly Smith wants revenge for the insult, but after he thinks about it, he's more confused than anything else. After his ship docks, he departs into the city to track down the rich woman and find out the meaning behind her harsh words.
