After Singapore surrendered to the Japanese in 1942, the Allied POWs were incarcerated in Changi prison. There weren't any walls or fences for the very simple reason that there wasn't any place for the prisoners. Contained one of the offenders could be the American Cpl. King, a wheeler dealer who's managed to set a pretty great life for himself in the camp. While the majority have uniforms that come in tatters and of the offenders are near starvation, King eats well and also contains clean clothes to wear daily. King soon forms a friendship with Lt. Peter Marlowean upperclass British officer who's interested with King's élan approach to lifetime.