Hildy Johnson (Rasalind Russell) is retiring from the sordid ink-stained profession of newspaper reporting to marry Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). Her editor, Walter Burns (Cary Grant) doesn't want her to leave the paper. Burn's motivation (whether they were sexual, professional or just plain argumentative) are not clear. In any case, he does not want Hildy to quit and he'll do just about anything to get in the way. Burn's has one more assignment for Hildy. She must interview a convicted muderer right before his enthronment in the electric chair. The convict escapes to the prison press room and hilarity (and many fast talking phone calls) insues. Will Hildy leave quit, marry and or get one more scoop are somewhat secondary to the snappy repartee and world weary gimlet eyed view of the world.