Wally, an aspiring young Broadway composer, becomes involved in the lives of Kitty, Martha, and Virginia, three women who successively occupy an apartment in the New York City brownstone where he lives. Kitty, a widow, is beset by nightmares in which she is sexually assaulted by her deceased husband. Wally encourages her to undergo psychiatric treatment, but before the arrangements can be made, Kitty is arrested for murdering her husband. Wally attempts to help Martha, a dancer who has lived and worked hard in the city for 5 years while attempting to break into the Broadway big time with her dancing partner, Tod, whom she loves. Martha becomes discouraged by failure, and she returns to her hometown when Tod appears reluctant to marry her. Six months later, she returns to the city and discovers that Tod has had a homosexual affair with a producer. Martha then realizes that her relationship with Tod has been that of an affectionate mother for her son. The third neighbor Wally befriends is Virginia, a shy young woman who is obsessed with finding her father, a rapid-sketch artist who deserted her mother when Virginia was 7. A stranger who poses as Virginia's father attempts to rape her, but she is rescued by her boyfriend, Marty.