Duncan Craig (Alan Ladd) and Judie Nordhall (Joan Tetzel) meet on a plane heading out to the Antarctic and win each other over during the flight. He has come to settle a score, she has come to disprove claims that her father died by suicide – she believes it was murder and intends to prove it. Once his business is concluded, Duncan signs up with Judie's ship as first mate to help her in her quest. The ship in question is owned by John Bland (Basil Sydney) – a hard man but nothing compared to his scheming son Erik (Stanley Baker), whom Duncan hears has had a hand in the death of Judie's father.