In the pre, World War II innocence of small-town America, a dapper
off-Islander impresses the locals. Drawn to the prettiest girl, he is
upset when an elderly woman tries to break off their romance. In a
drunken stupor he murders the troublesome woman. Through an amazing
confluence of circumstances, he avoids prosecution. The reclusive,
paranoid teacher of the victim attracts the attention of a distracted
district attorney who is eager for a sensational trial to promote
himself in an impending election. The teacher is arrested and charged
with the murder. The looming shadows of war on the international stage
capture the people of Martha's Vineyard, and the local murder fades into
the murky memoirs of history.