Among the other contestants competing for a prize of $1,500 in silver dollars are retired sailor Harry Kline; Alice, an emotionally-fragile aspiring actress from London, and her partner Joel, also an aspiring actor; and impoverished farm worker James and his pregnant wife Ruby. Early in the marathon the weaker pairs are eliminated quickly, while Rocky observes the vulnerabilities of the stronger contestants and exploits them for the audience's amusement. Frayed nerves are exacerbated by the theft of one of Alice's dresses and Gloria's displeasure at the attention Alice receives from Robert. In retaliation, she takes Joel as her partner, but when he receives a job offer and departs, she aligns herself with Harry.