Egotistical criminal Tommy Gordan believes that he is both above the law, and entitled special privilege in any situation just because of who he is. This view is supported in that his unethical lawyer, Ed Crowley, has been able to get him off time and time again no matter what the charge. Tommy's criminal activity does not sit well with his straight-laced girlfriend, Kay Manners, who loves him regardless. Even when he is caught, charged, and convicted of robbery, and subsequently sentenced to five to thirty years to be served at Sing Sing, Tommy expects that Crowley will not only get him out immediately, but that he will arrange for him to get those special privileges for his short stint inside, including not needing to do anything he doesn't want to do, and being able to continue to wear his expensive clothes to look the part of being important. Tommy is in for a shock to his lifestyle when Crowley is not able to arrange for either with Warden Walter Long, whose primary goal with any inmate is true rehabilitation. Over the early course of his sentence, Tommy, stemming partly from his superstition and partly from seeing the fate of other "smart" inmates who tried to skirt the system, does begin to be rehabilitated in Warden Long's estimation. So when he learns that Kay has been critically injured in an accident, Warden Long, as he has done successfully with other inmates previously, allows Tommy unescorted day leave to visit Kay on the promise that he returns to prison after the visit. While Tommy has every intention to return as instructed, he may have other thoughts when he learns that Kay's predicament was in an altercation with Crowley, Kay and his own well-being which would take a back seat to revenge if given the opportunity.