Sir Arthur Blake has inherited title and lands from his brother. He also has his orphaned nephew Benjamin working for him as a bonded servant. While he believes the lad was born out of wedlock and so cannot claim the inheritance, he is taking no chances. Benjamin eventually rebels against his uncle and sets sail to try and make his fortune. This may enable him to return to prove his claim to being the rightful heir to the estate.
Tyrone Power makes for quite a stylish hero in this tale of a young boy "Ben" (initially played by a young Roddy McDowell) who is dispossessed of his rightful inheritance by his avaricious uncle "Sir Arthur" (George Sanders). His childhood just one long grind under his uncle's unkindly boot, he stows away on a ship to the South Seas where, with his shipmate "Caleb" (John Carradine) they amass a fortune in pearls before a passing Dutch frigate takes him home again, this time wealthy enough to challenge his previous persecutor and claim his title, estate and his girl - the daughter of his unscrupulous uncle - "Isobel" (Frances Farmer). It's a bit sluggish at times, this - but a few fun cameos from Elsa Lanchester and Dudley Digges as the wily "Benjamin Pratt" lead us nicely to quite a lively bit of fisticuffs and an ending that is really quite fitting.