Liar, thief, and adulterer Greatrex devises a scheme to forge bank notes in 1866 with the help of the Grimshaw brothers, but detective McCall is on their trail in an adventure of love and greed that spans three continents before embroiling the president of the United States.

SYNOPSIS:

Nineteen-year-old convict John Greatrex arrives in Port Phillip, Australia in 1845 and is sent to work in the Queen’s Theatre as an all-round dogsbody. On his first day, he steals a one-pound note. In time, he becomes and actor and opens a shop, but having passed a dud cheque for goods, he is visited during the night by two men. A violent fight ensues and he is convicted to work on the roads in the chain gang.

From there, he forges documents to have him released early and, on meeting Jessie, he returns to England. By the time of his return, Jessie has given birth to the first of their three children. Soon, he has set up a photographic studio but it is not long before he is racking up debts and philandering. With his family, he escapes to Glasgow where another studio is opened. Here, he hires Jane Weir and an affair begins.

Meanwhile, he meets the Grimshaw brothers who work in the linen trade as an engraver and printer, while during the same period a bank clerk, for the Union Bank of Scotland, produces a new one-pound note inquiring if the signature could be forged. This meeting sows the seeds of an idea for Greatrex to forge the notes and with the help of the Grimshaws they eventually produce £1500 in fake notes.

With the relationship with his wife deteriorating and the affair deepening while continuing to rack up debts, Greatrex plans to escape. With the fake notes split amongst the three perpetrators, the brothers begin spending the money but are captured in Dalkeith, while Greatrex heads for Aberdeen where he has arranged to meet Jane where two travel bags have been despatched. On his arrival, the bags have not been delivered but Greatrex has other problems as he discovers the arrest of the brothers and now the police are on his tail in the form of Superintendent Alexander McCall, a rising officer in the force.

Greatrex and Jane head to London, requesting the undelivered bags be despatched to the hotel where they are staying. After spending a couple of days in London, and the bags still not delivered, the fugitive buys tickets for New York. It is arranged that he will leave first and Jane will follow two days later on the chance the bags will be delivered.

By now, McCall is in Aberdeen and with the knowledge that London was their destination. By the time McCall and his assistant arrive in London, the police just miss Jane by minutes as she sails to meet her lover.

But the bags are still in London and due to be sent in the coming days.

The police make arrangements to sail with the bags and, on their arrival, McCall is required to meet President Andrew Johnson to have the warrant signed for the arrest of Greatrex while a sting is concocted to draw out the perpetrator by placing adverts in the papers for a photographer and a photographer’s assistant.

Sure enough, Jane responds to one of the adverts and the police stake out their location.

As a large crowd watches a brass band, the couple are spotted watching the band from a window and the police force their way into the flat. A struggle ensues and Greatrex escapes, chased by McCall through the streets where he is eventually captured.

McCall returns to Glasgow and is celebrated as a victorious figure in crime fighting.

GREATREX