The film centers on “Hank,” a stoker whose hard labor maintains the ship's engines, but also leads to awkwardness when he encounters "Mildred" (Susan Hayward), a wealthy passenger who finds his working conditions appalling. We’re introduced to Mildred as someone privileged and condescending, completely unaware of how lucky she is to be on this aging freighter transporting her from Europe, which has been affected by w…