In The Fifth Mask, Philip Marlowe, the iconic private detective created by Raymond Chandler, finds himself embroiled in a tense situation when he is contacted by Vivian Barr. She is frantic, claiming that her life is in danger from a man named Fred Sears, someone she knows from her past. Marlowe, portrayed by Gerald Moore, is skeptical of the situation and refuses to take the case without more information. He senses that there is more to Vivian's story and that working without all the facts could lead to dangerous consequences.