Young Italian flower vendor Tony Gillardi ( Richard Barthelmess ), makes a poor living when compared by his mother with her favorite, his brother Carlo. Only his little Irish sweetheart, Mollie O'Connor ( Dorothy Gish ) believes in him. Carlo's source of income, however, is not within the law, for he is dominated by gangster Nick Di Silva, who operates a Chinese theater as a front. Rather than hurt his mother's feelings, Tony takes the blame for a robbery Nick and Carlo committed. After serving a term "up the river," Tony finds out that Carlo is still under Nick's domination and sets out to get him. In a fight between Nick and Tony, Nick accidentally shoots Mamma Gillardi. Nick falls to his death while escaping, the mother recovers, and Tony and Mollie marry. While making a trip around the Battery to Coney Island with Mollie, Tony comes to see, once again, the beauty of his city.