Plot

British officer is assigned to duty in Ireland and gets embroiled in Anglo-Irish battles and old girl friend who is now married to an Irishman. Powell learns more than he wanted to know about "the Irish Problem."

The movie opens in Dublin, Ireland in 1920 where the British have imposed an Order of Martial Law due to political unrest. The order imposed a curfew between 12 midnight and 6 AM. British troops are seen clearing the street and emptying the pubs after midnight. Peadar Conlan, a Sinn Fein member, the Commandant of the Tenth Dublin Brigade, is wanted for sedition and is hosting a meeting in the basement of a building. The meeting is about to be interrupted by British Intelligence and soldiers. One intelligence office is shot by a rooftop sniper while preparing to enter the basement stairwell. The British break in and the lights are turned off and Conlan is convinced to escape out a back door. One of the Sinn Fein fires a pistol at the British invaders. British intelligence officer Captain Andrew (Andy) Kerr returns fire and hits a different man. The Irishmen are rounded up and removed and upon investigation Kerr discovers the body of the dead man he shot is named Kirby, a friend of his. Kerr returns home to his anxious waiting wife Norah. Andy is upset and reveals that he has killed their Irish friend Kirby who turned out to be a Sinn Fein member. Andy's mother was Irish but he is committed to doing his duty as a British officer. Norah suggests they take a break from Dublin and go to Branscombe. While Norah is playing the piano Andy states that he believes she is thinking of someone else but affirms that that he still thinks their relationship is a good bargain. British officer Captain William (Bill) Tennant, a Canadian who came over during the war, and has served in Egypt and Africa arrives in Dublin at army headquarters on a horse drawn cart. The wise-cracking officer and his attendant dismount. Before entering headquarters Bill purchases a bouquet of flowers from a young girl. The captain is greeted by other officers and he answers questions about a incidents with a woman in Cairo and another with a Russian dancer in the Balkans. General Furlong requests the captain start the next morning at 9 AM. General Furlong's aide, Lt. Merriman is impressed by Tennant's reputation. Tennant requests Merriman arrange quarters for him and he is assigned a billet in a flat on Echo Street. On the way out, Bill arranges to meet the flower selling girl to buy another bouquet the next morning at 9 AM. Tennant and his aide Homer travel by horse cart to 49 Echo Street. Tennant is unimpressed by the flat and furnishings and is about to leave when he hears a woman singing and playing the piano upstairs. Bill informs Homer they are going to stay and he starts clapping and cheering bravo when the song ends. Andy is home with Norah and he goes out on the landing to see who is making the fuss. Andy looks down and recognizes Tennant with whom he has served. Andy hasn't seen Bill since Cairo, when Bill was in a jam over a married woman. Bill notices Andy is wearing a suit and Andy explains he is now in British Intelligence and is married. Bill asks if he knows the wife and Andy says he doubts it and that he met his wife in Devonshire in Branscombe three years ago. Bill states that he spent a month there once. Andy invites Bill up for tea. When Bill enters their flat he and Norah obviously recognize each other. When Andy leaves the room to get the tea Bill and Norah have a brief conversation. Norah prepares the first cup of tea with two lumps of sugar and passes it to Andy who states he doesn't take sugar. Bill offers to take the cup as that is the way he likes it. Bill leaves and prepares to go out to sample Dublin nightlife and his aide gives him an overcoat to cover up his uniform. Bill goes to the Rivoli bar and music hall where there is juggling and dancers. The waitress notices Bill's uniform under his coat and asks if he is British. She then informs a table of three Irishmen that Bill is a British officer. Bill subsequently corrects the waitress and says he is Scotch. One of the men, O'Duffy approaches and joins him for a drink. O'Duffy states that whispers are for sale and gives Bill the password, Kathleen O'Houlihan, if he needs money. Bill states he'd rather meet the Irish dancer Pauline O'Connor who is on stage performing. The next morning Tennant shows up an hour late and stops to buy a bouquet of flowers from the girl. Bill explains to Merriman that he didn't get a message from the general because he'd been out all night and didn't get back to his flat until 9 AM. Bill apologizes to the general for being late. Tennant is assigned is to search a district where the general believes Peadar Conlan is hiding. As the captain and troops arrive they come under fire from a sniper in a window. The truck driver and another soldier are shot before Tennant gives the order to return fire. When Tennant reports back, the general decides to send more troops that night under British Intelligence and Kerr assigned as leader. Bill offers to deliver the orders to Kerr as he is going home. Norah and Andy are having dinner. Norah tries to convince Andy to eat by candlelight but Andy resists and Norah turns the lights back on. Andy explains to Norah that Bill is an irresponsible daredevil in action and is also a ladies man. Bill shows up with Andy's orders. Norah is frightened and begs Andy not to go and suggests he trade off the assignment, perhaps with Bill. Andy dismisses her objections and leaves. Bill stays behind and him and Norah discuss their relationship and feelings. There is flashback to when Bill and Norah were together in Branscombe. Kerr and his troops begin a house by house search for Conlan. Kerr goes through a window into a dwelling alone and goes down the stairs to the basement. He is shot at and after a shoot out kills a Sinn Feiner. Conlan is in an adjacent room and fires at Kerr. Kerr is out of bullets and retrieves his dead assailant's pistol. He shoots Conlan in the arm and captures him. When Kerr returns home he finds Norah is still up. Andy is excited and tells Norah that there is a 1,000 pound reward that can pay for their vacation. Tennant comes out of a room and joins the couple. Andy is confused and request Norah tell him what is going on. Norah sends Bill away. Norah reminds Andy that he has always known that there had been someone else and that someone was Bill Tennant. Kerr is upset and states that if he goes out and is killed that might solve both their problems and leaves the flat and goes to a pub. Norah goes to follow him and runs into Bill who convinces her to stay home and promises to go out and find Andy. At a British military hearing, Conlan is sentenced to hang. Protestors outside have Free Conlan signs and are moved away by British soldiers. Kerr is wandering the streets and is spotted by two Sinn Feiners and followed to a pub. The bartender is enlisted by the two men to send Kerr out to the back alley where he is ambushed and taken away in a truck. When Tennant arrives at the headquarters the next morning he finds Norah waiting there for news of Andy. Bill expresses his love but Norah explains that her love for Bill was just a romantic dream and that she loves Andy. When the general arrives Norah tells him that Andy has disappeared. O'Duffy then arrives to meet with the general and Bill recommends that the general speak to him. O'Duffy tells the general that Kerr is in the hands of those who are not friends of his and offers Captain Andrew Kerr in exchange for Peader Conlan. The general states the hangman left England last night and that Conlan will be hanged the next morning at 6 AM. Norah is asked to identify the wallet O'Duffy has brought and begs the general to save Andy. The general states he can do nothing more and refuses to release Conlan. The general is certain his troops will be able to find and release Kerr and O'Duffy leaves. Bill goes to the Rivoli bar and uses the password Kathleen O'Houlihan to meet O'Duffy. Bill proposes paying for Kerr's release but O'Duffy states they will only accept Conlan's release. Bill returns to headquarters and goes into the general's office stating he has misplaced his suspects list and wants to copy the general's list. The Sergeant Major on duty contacts Lt. Merriman about Bill going into the general's office and Merriman advises he is on his way. Bill breaks into the general's desk and forges a prisoner's release for Conlan. Bill runs into Merriman and bluffs his way out. There is a crowd of people praying outside the prison when Bill arrives. Kerr is walked into a street by three armed men and set free after being told Conlan was released. There is a crowd outside headquarters cheering in the street celebrating Conlan's release. The general issues orders to block all exits from Dublin to attempt to recapture Conlan. Lt. Merriman advises the general that Captain Tennant had been in his office and his desk was broken into. Kerr arrives at headquarters and the general advises him that Tennant secured his release by forging Conlan's release papers and has thereby ruined his career. Outside headquarters, Andy meets Bill who tell him that Norah is really in love with Andy. After Bill heads into headquarters Norah arrives in a car and runs to embrace Andy. Tennant turns himself in to the general and admits what he's done and states that he expects to serve at least three years in jail. Bill's explanation to the general for his actions is that it is a personal matter. Norah and Andy watch from a window as Tennant is driven away in a truck. The flower girl approaches the truck and Bill buys another bouquet and tells her he won't be gone so long and will pop up again some spring morning.