故事发生在1945年，抗日战争刚刚结束，全世界都洋溢着重回和平的喜悦。茜斯特护士（帕德里夏·妮尔 Patricia Neal 饰）的病房里转来了一个名叫麦克劳拉（理查德·托德 Richard Todd 饰）的特殊病人，他被弹片击中的肾脏，时日无多，而茜斯特护士的工作并不是使他回复健康，而是希望他能够在快乐和温暖之中离开人世。 麦克劳拉从小就失去了父母沦为孤儿，爱在他颠沛流离的生命中极为稀缺。麦克劳拉不懂得如何去爱，也不懂得如何接受别人对他的爱，因此，对于茜斯特护士的关怀，麦克劳拉总是拒之于千里之外。随着时间的推移，锲而不舍的茜斯特护士终于融化了麦克劳拉内心里的坚冰。

Up and coming young lawyer Anthony Lawrence faces several ethical and emotional dilemmas as he climbs the Philadelphia social ladder. His personal and professional skills are tested as he tries to balance the needs of his fiance Joan, the expectations of his colleagues and his own obligation to defend his friend Chester on a murder count.