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While the Duchess of Beltravers travels to Bombay, India,
jewel thief Gerald Meldrick has a perfect fake made of her famed "Star
of Asia" pendant. Gerald then goes to India, posing as a Lloyd's
of London detective looking after clients' jewels. Registering at
the same hotel is Baroness von Duren, to whom Gerald is immediately
attracted. Unknown to Gerald, the baroness is actually Anya von
Duren, a thief who also has designs on the pendant. Gerald soon
becomes suspicious of the well-rehearsed Anya, especially when she
playfully asks him how someone might steal the pendant.
That evening, Anya arranges to dine next to the duchess
and, pretending to be a friend of her relatives, Anya accompanies her to
her suite. After the inebriated duchess falls asleep, Anya steals
the necklace, after which Gerald sneaks into the duchess' room and
replaces the real pendant with his fake. He then goes to Anya,
takes the pendant from her and convinces her that he is letting her off
to rehabilitate her. Anya's gratefulness soon ends when she
discovers that he has switched the necklaces, and the next day she
confronts him. Gerald suggests that they become partners and they
narrowly escape arrest when police Inspector Cressney discovers the
theft.
Forced to flee on a tramp steamer, they encounter the
greedy Captain Chang, who soon receives a wireless offering a £10,000
reward for them. Gerald and Anya soon fall in love, then jump ship
together after discovering that Chang plans to turn them in.
In Hong Kong, Gerald and Anya are happy, despite their
enforced poverty, and Anya dreams of a normal life. Gerald,
however, insists that they would hate settling down. One day,
Gerald, who was once a British officer, poses as "Captain Huston" in a
scheme to confiscate money from a Chinese merchant accused of stealing
from the army. Gerald commandeers some unsuspecting soldiers to
help him; he's so convincing that he is ordered to report to the Hong
Kong Garrison for emergency duty. Because the Japanese army is
advancing, all Europeans and friendly Chinese must leave nearby Chang-lin,
and Gerald is ordered to lead a regiment there. He cannot leave
the barracks, but arranges for Anya to meet him at Chang-lin.
She is there when he arrives and the evacuation proceeds
until Japanese troops march in and refuse to allow any Chinese to leave.
Gerald confronts the Japanese colonel, then leads his men and the
civilians through their ranks. Additional Japanese forces confront
them on the road and a battle ensues. Gerald heroically risks his
own life to destroy Japanese machine guns and is seriously wounded
before the battle is won.
Several weeks later, as Gerald is released from the army
hospital, he plans his and Anya's escape, unaware that he is to be
awarded the Victoria Cross. Realizing that the army must now know
that he is a fake, he wants to leave before the ceremony but cannot get
away. After Gerald receives the medal, Inspector Cressney arrives
from Bombay to arrest him, and Anya admits that she sent for Cressney
after the army uncovered Gerald's subterfuge, but begged them to delay
arresting him until after the ceremony. Gerald arranges for some
soldiers to arrest Cressney and escapes. Cressney is furious until
Gerald returns, admitting that he just wanted to talk with Anya before
returning the pendant. He then asks his colonel to keep the medal
until he can come back and enlist. |
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