A fast-talking American officer, a wily Japanese holdout and a lot of nurses add up to fun and romance for The Horizontal Lieutenant. Honolulu, 1944. With World War II coming to a close, the American military in Hawaii plays softball and chases nurses. But intelligence officer Lt. Merle Wye (Jim Hutton) is tasked with capturing the infamous "Bottletop," a Japanese officer who has evaded capture. Bottletop continues to elude Wyle, until the American officer stages a musical show featuring Japanese prisoners of war, and the holdout cannot pass on the chance to show off his talent.