Alan Ladd delivers one of his earliest credited performances in this gripping tale of personal tragedy and political corruption. Years of hard-knock suffering for Rita Adams (Joan Woodbury) are capped off by her selflessly taking the rap for her boyfriend's drunk-driving, hit-and-run charge. After being released from prison, the scorned Rita turns to a life of crime, starting with numerous petty holdups and graduating to the head of a ruthless syndicate that's run by crooked city officials. Alan Ladd plays Jimmy Kelly, who has infiltrated the government-controlled rackets by pretending to be a notorious gangster.