In this earlier screen version of The Maltese Falcon, Bette Davis starts as a young woman embroiled in the mystery surrounding an ancient, gem-filled horn. Upon her arrival in town, Valerie (Davis) enlists a private investigator and his associate Ted Shayne (Warren William) to help her locate the missing boyfriend she was supposed to meet. Unbeknownst to them, the man they are looking for is also being sought by an assortment of crooks and goons in search of the ram's horn he possesses. When their investigation leads to Ames' murder, Shayne pits the thugs against each other to find out who killed his partner, and to solve the mystery at hand.