Joey Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) and Caesar Enrico Bandello (Edward G. Robinson) are criminals who want to live in a bigger city; Enrico wants to be a mobster but Joey wants to be a dancer. Enrico gets to join a gang and must be handled carefully due to his temper. Then Diamond Pete Montana (Ralph Ince) arrives who is a big gang boss. Enrico kills a city commissioner, then wants to get rid of other people who are in his way. Another boss, Big Boy (Sidney Blackmer), is impressed with Enrico and offers him the chance to rule a part of the city. Meanwhile, Joey is in love with a woman (Glenda Farrell) and this causes a break in the friendship between him and his old pal Enrico.