Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connelly are best friends and small-time thieves in New York. After a robbery, Jerry narrowly escapes, but Rocky is arrested and sent to a juvenile reform school, where he learns how to be a first-class criminal. As adults, Rocky continues his criminal career while Jerry becomes a priest. Although they follow opposite paths in life, Rocky and Jerry are still friends. When Jerry decides to fight against the corruption, Rocky is put against the wall between his friendship with the priest and his criminal partners.