To make an honest woman of his pregnant sister, Rosalie (Anne Bancroft), callous New York mobster Phil Regal (Anthony Quinn) intimidates witnesses and bribes a store clerk to get Rosalie's condemned boyfriend, Nicky Bradna (Farley Granger), out of prison. But Regal's meddling deeds soon backfire. Tragedy strikes, and Nicky's return to prison prompts a jailhouse confession to reporter Joe McFarland (Peter Graves) that sends police after Regal.