I. Life is gooda. Peter Appleton is a successful screenwriter in 1950's Hollywood
b. His girlfriend is an actress that starred in one one his movies "Sand Pirates of the Sahara"
c. Everything is going well in his life
II. Communist Shenanigans
a. However, everything quickly comes crashing down as he's called before the commie-hunting House Un-American Activities Committee
b. He admits that he did go to a communist meeting once but insists that it was only to impress a girl
c. The script for his new movie and almost all of his possessions are taken to be used as evidence
d. Depressed and drunk, Peter drives along the California coast, before crashing his car off a bridge
III. You look familiar...
a. The next day you see Peter washed up on a beach because him and his car fell into a river which washed into the ocean
b. He hit his head on the concrete foundation of the bridge and seems very disoriented and confused suffering from amnesia
c. An elderly man and his dog find him washed up and brings him into the town of Lawson
d. He is then mistaken by the townspeople to be missing WWII veteran Luke Trimble, who was missing in the war for 9 years
e. The resemblance is so uncanny that even Luke's father, Harry, mistakes Peter for being Luke
IV. The Majestic
a. "Luke" (really Peter) is reunited with his father who lives in an apartment above the movie theater "The Majestic" which they used to run together
b. But since Luke disappeared in the war, the theater has fallen into a state of disrepair and is deserted
c. Now that Harry thinks that his son is back he plans to reopen it to the public and restore it to its former glory
d. "Luke" also gets back together with his girlfriend before he left for the war, Adele, who's father is the town doctor
e. Peter has amnesia so he truly believes he is Luke
V. Welcome Home
a. The people of Lawson organize a welcome home party for "Luke"
b. He tries to play a song on the piano, and just when it looks like he's about to give up, he breaks out into a great jazz song
c. However, the real Luke never could play jazz, only classical music, but no one really notices
VI. I Remember
a. With help from the townspeople, The Majestic is repaired and open with "Luke" and Harry running it
b. One of the movies that they are showing is "Sand Pirates of the Sahara" and suddenly "Luke" starts repeating lines from the movie like he already knows it
c. He then realizes who he truly is, Peter Appleton, and not Luke Trimble
d. As soon as this happens, Harry collapses from a heart attack
e. With Harry on his death bed so sure that his son is by his side, Peter decides not to tell him that he is not actually Luke as Harry dies
VIII. The Constitution
a. After Harry's funeral, Pete decides to tell Adele that he is not really Luke and he remembers who he is
b. She tells him that she always somehow know that it couldn't be him
c. Just then the cops pull into town and arrest Pete for evading the government when he was due in court
d. The people of Lawson are stunned and outraged as they believed that he faked being Luke, when instead he couldn't remember
e. Before he leaves he sees Adele in the graveyard and she reminds him of the constitution and his rights as he prepares to go to court
IX. I Am Not Communist
a. Peter tells the court that he was only involved once in communist actions and it was only to impress a girl
b. He said that the America that Luke and other veterans fought and died for was not the same America today
c. He gives a powerful and uplifting speech and finally walks out without being dismissed
d. The court tells him that he is free to go because he in fact gave them the name of the girl he wanted to impress
X. Welcome Home Peter
A. Peter takes the train back to Lawson after the trial and is welcomed as a hero
b. All of the townspeople watched and heard his trial and immediately regained their senses and felt bad about ever doubting him
c. Adele forgives Peter and they kiss
d. The movie closes with photos of Adele and Peter together with their kids and rests on the last photo with Harry and Peter standing in front of The Majestic