Summary
Reggie Dillingham is a man defined by his excesses until the well runs dry. After squandering nearly a million dollars on a life of leisure, he is confronted by his attorney with a stark reality: he has only $70,000 left and a reputation for being useless. A wager is struck—if Reggie can survive six months on his own merit, the lawyer will manage his remaining funds. Reggie’s initial forays into the workforce are disastrous, highlighting his disconnect from the common man. However, a chance encounter leads him to photograph the powerful political boss Clint Taggart in a compromising position. Leveraging this evidence, Reggie blackmails his way into the role of managing editor at Taggart's newspaper. What begins as a cynical grab for survival transforms into a genuine awakening. Reggie falls for Mary Ryan, the boss’s secretary, and discovers that Taggart’s influence is built on a foundation of illegal bootlegging. The former socialite must then decide between his comfortable silence and a dangerous crusade to expose the very man who signs his checks. It is a transition from a pampered boy to a man of conviction, punctuated by newsroom sieges and a high-stakes battle for the truth.
Synopsis
Reggie Dillingham, a socialite who has squandered all but $70,000 of his million-dollar inheritance, is upbraided by his attorney, who bets the young man that he cannot support himself for six months. The attorney invests the remaining funds while Reggie sets out to find a job. He fails at his first few attempts, but when he photographs newspaper publisher and political boss Clint Taggart in a compromising situation, Reggie is hired as managing editor to maintain his silence. Immediately after taking charge, Reggie liberalizes the paper's editorial policy and falls in love with Clint's secretary, Mary Ryan. With Mary's help, Reggie discovers that their boss is involved in a bootlegging operation and uses Clint's own paper to expose him. Despite threats from his employer, Reggie refuses to resign, and employs the help of his loyal staff in resisting the bootlegger's thugs. Following Clint's arrest, Reggie is informed by his lawyer that his money has been doubled through a fortunate investment.
