Plot

The story concerns a man

Man

The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...

 with amnesia

Amnesia

Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...

, named Frank Townsend. He cannot remember anything from the previous three years of his life. As it turns out, he is a convicted murderer. He struggles to find a loophole

Loophole

A loophole is a weakness that allows a system to be circumvented.Loophole may also refer to:*Arrowslit, a slit in a castle wall*Loophole , a short science fiction story by Arthur C...

 in the overwhelming evidence

Evidence

Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...

.

Film and broadcast adaptations

There has been one cinematic adaptation of the novel, one on radio, and one much later done for television

• Street of Chance, directed by Sol C. Siegel, released by Paramount Pictures
  Paramount Pictures
  Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
  
   on October 3, 1942
• Suspense, dramatic adaptation written by William Spier
  William Spier
  William Spier was an American writer, producer and director for television and radio. He is best known for his radio work, notably Suspense and The Adventures of Sam Spade....
  
   and featuring screen legend Cary Grant
  Cary Grant
  Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
  
   as the amnesiac (CBS Radio
  CBS Radio
  CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
  
  , 3 December 1943)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
  
  - ¨The Black Curtain¨, directed by Sydney Pollack
  Sydney Pollack
  Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
  
  , broadcast November 15, 1962