The film begins with Humphrey Bogart providing narration as he tells his story about "Dawes," a struggling Hollywood writer/director who encounters a tavern dancer in Madrid. "Maria Vargas" (Ava Gardner) possesses captivating beauty and a detached demeanor that Dawes immediately believes holds the potential for stardom. Fortunately, his wealthy patron, "Edwards" (Warren Stevens), consents to a screen test for her, bu…