Gorilla at Large
Cyrus Miller's circus has come to the fairgrounds, where barker Joey Matthews invites the crowd to come see the great gorilla, Goliath.
Trapeze artist Laverne Miller flies over the gorilla's cage. She tells husband Cyrus that she wants a few changes made, demanding that the animal's handler, Kovacs, be fired, and that Joey join the act. Inside a gorilla costume, Joey would be waiting to catch Laverne when she drops from the trapeze, the crowd shrieking as it believes him to be Goliath.
Cyrus refuses to dismiss Kovacs, who is the only one able to control the gorilla. Going through with her new act, however, Laverne and Joey practice, incorporating some judo moves in their routine. Joey tells fiancee Audrey Baxter that the additional money he makes will help them raise enough money to be married and leave the circus life for good.
A concessionaire, Morse, is accused by Cyrus of robbing from the receipts. Morse is found dead near Goliath's cage with a broken neck and a gin bottle nearby. Detective Garrison of the police speculates that the victim got drunk and ventured too close to the dangerous gorilla. Cyrus' right-hand man, Owens, argues that Morse never drank alcohol due to an ulcer.
Joey becomes a suspect, having once threatened Morse for bothering Audrey. But it is Joey's hunch that Cyrus is behind this. He could be out to frame Joey, who has been the object of Laverne's flirtations. Or the killer could be Kovacs, who once was married to Laverne before an accident led to the death of Kewpie, her partner on the trapeze.
While cop on duty Shaughnessy falls asleep, Goliath is set free by someone in a gorilla suit. Audrey begins screaming. Cyrus and others rush to rescue her in the hall of mirrors. Owens says he knows who the killer is, but then he is found dead. Kovacs leads the gorilla away.
To the surprise of the police, Cyrus confesses to both murders. He says both men were involved in Kewpie's death. Joey is not convinced. He still feels Kovacs is the killer, believing Cyrus's lame arm made him incapable of breaking anyone's neck.
Laverne is about to do her drop from the trapeze, but expecting Joey in the costume, she falls to the real gorilla. It turns out Laverne is the killer. Using her own judo skills, she overpowered Morse, who was blackmailing her over Kewpie's death, then Owens, who had deduced her guilt.
Goliath carries a screaming Laverne to the top of the roller coaster. The gorilla dies in a hail of bullets, and the murderer is placed under arrest.
revenge, mystery