In 1934 New York, Christopher "Chris" Cross, a middle-aged cashier, reaches 25 years at his clothing store job. After a celebratory dinner, Chris longs for the young love he sees his boss enjoying. Walking home, he rescues a beautiful woman, Kitty, from a mugging.
Believing Chris to be wealthy, Kitty plays along with his fantasies. Meanwhile, Kitty's shady boyfriend, Johnny, sees a chance to exploit Chris's naivete. Kitty charms Chris with stories of art and love, while Johnny hatches a scheme to sell Chris's (secretly amazing) paintings under Kitty's name.
Chris, blinded by love, steals money to support Kitty's luxurious lifestyle and his supposed art studio. Their scheme takes off – an art critic loves the paintings, believing Kitty to be the genius.
Chris's wife discovers the "stolen" work and accuses him, but Chris lets Kitty take the credit for his art, even though it brings him no financial reward. Disaster strikes when Kitty's past catches up - her "dead" first husba...
In 1934 New York, Christopher "Chris" Cross, a middle-aged cashier, reaches 25 years at his clothing store job. After a celebratory dinner, Chris longs for the young love he sees his boss enjoying. Walking home, he rescues a beautiful woman, Kitty, from a mugging.
Believing Chris to be wealthy, Kitty plays along with his fantasies. Meanwhile, Kitty's shady boyfriend, Johnny, sees a chance to exploit Chris's naivete. Kitty charms Chris with stories of art and love, while Johnny hatches a scheme to sell Chris's (secretly amazing) paintings under Kitty's name.
Chris, blinded by love, steals money to support Kitty's luxurious lifestyle and his supposed art studio. Their scheme takes off – an art critic loves the paintings, believing Kitty to be the genius.
Chris's wife discovers the "stolen" work and accuses him, but Chris lets Kitty take the credit for his art, even though it brings him no financial reward. Disaster strikes when Kitty's past catches up - her "dead" first husband reappears, forcing Chris to steal more money. He even plots with his wife to expose the husband's lies.
Devastated and desperate, Chris confronts Kitty, only to be rejected for being old and poor. In a fit of rage, he murders her with an ice pick. The police close in after Chris's embezzlement is discovered. Johnny, with his criminal history, is framed for the murder.
Chris denies creating the paintings, letting Johnny take the fall. Shattered and depressed he attempts suicide but fails at it. Five years later, homeless and broken, Chris watches his painting sell for a fortune, a constant reminder of his lost love, stolen talent, and the price of his crimes.
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