****SPOILERS**** It's when local bookie Ed Novak, Perry Lopez, got busted for taking illegal bets the support he was to get from the mob, by fixing the case and paying off the judge, became non-existent with the book being thrown at him. With his wife Frances, Beverly Garland, expecting or being in the family way Novak will spend his time behind bars not being able to see if first born when he or she's delivered in the hospital maternity ward. While in the state pen Novak meets his boss, convicted of racketeering, Big Sttve Madden,Ted De Corsice, who's planning a break out with Novak, if he goes along with it, being the point-man to pull it off. Seeing just how stupid Madden's plan is Novak refrains from going along with it.
It's later when jail guard Kadinski, Frank Grestle, was killed by a convict hitting him in the head with an empty, after he drank it, whiskey bottle It's Novak who was on the scene of the incident and is being forced to identify or rat Kadinski's killer out who in fact was non other then Steve Madden. Refusing to talk and with Warden Keller, Walter Abled, giving Novak a soft job in the prison library it was rumored that Novak has ratted on Madden and his boys making him the #1 marked man in prison. It's the kindly and understanding prison psychiatrist Dr. Lewy, Kenneth Tobey, who tries to get Novak to realize that Madden & Co. including his #1 goon Lupo, Leo Gordon, are out to kill him no matter when he did or didn't do just for the fun of it. Or better yet to keep the other convicts in line in seeing what happens to a stoolie who opens his mouth on them.
****SPOILERS**** Not wanting to be a snitch and at the same time getting the living sh*t beat out of him by Madden and his boys, in them suspecting him of being one, Novak as a life insurance policy write out all the details behind guard Kadinski's murder in a letter to Dr. Lewy in case he himself is murdered. This leads Madden to pull off a escape plan with only Novak as the pasty set to be shot and killed by crooked jail guard Weaver played by future "Plan Nine from Outher Space" all-American hero Gregory Walcott. With Novak now realizing that he's being set up by Madden he makes a run for it and is shot by Weaver who in return is shot by a running from the law Madden as well. That's when Weaver who with Novak badly wounded, but not dead, chickens out and refuses against Madden's orders to finish him off! When all the dust and smoke is cleared Madden and his gang end up getting everything that they have coming to them and Novak, in listening to his good friend Dr Lewy, ends up getting a full pardon. Now a free man Novak is able to be at the hospital to see his wife Frances give birth to their first child a boy. Whom Novak, now a bit older and a lot wiser, vowing that he'll to it that he'll never follow in his footsteps by working as a bookie for mobsters like Steve Madden.