Although publishing a newspaper has made him a success, Sam Winston is so unhappy in his home life that when he meets Johnny April, a criminal just out of jail, he asks Johnny to kill him and offers $25,000. Sam tells a confused Johnny that he doesn't have the nerve to commit suicide, so he will pay Johnny to do the job.
Taking a few days to get to know his victim, Johnny discovers the reasons for Sam's unhappiness. His spoiled daughter Gloria is trifling with a stockbroker boyfriend's affections. His son Jerry is a jobless drunkard. His wife is cold to Sam and is having a fling with his doctor.
The more they're together, the more Johnny likes Sam and doesn't care to kill him. But when the doctor is found dead, Johnny becomes a suspect. He leaves town and takes Sam along, hiding him at a farm. Family members suddenly miss Sam being around and begin leading better lives. Sam finds a reason to go on living, and Johnny is also a changed man.
