A killer returns to his childhood home to plot his escape from the law.
The East Side tenements of New York have gradually given way to exclusive dwellings of the rich, with the result that many of the poor live next to opulent apartments they can never afford. "Baby Face" Martin, a notorious killer, returns to one such dead end street, his home as a boy, hoping to see his mother, and Francey, an old girl friend. Dave Connell, an unemployed architect, also lives on the street, but dreams that one day he and Kay, the girl friend of a wealthy man, can have a better life. His friend Drina Gordon, who has loved Dave for years, struggles through a strike, hoping to earn enough money to keep her kid brother Tommy from turning into a criminal along with his friends on the street. Martin finds his mother and Francey, but becomes despondent when his mother slaps and rejects him and he learns that Francey is a prostitute. Martin yearns to stay in one place, but, despite plastic surgery on his face, his finger prints cannot be changed and he is trapped by his past crimes. That same afternoon, the street kids beat up Philip, the son of one of the wealthy apartment owners, and take his watch. Although Tommy gives the watch back, the boy's father, Mr. Griswold, the brother of a famous judge, wants to press charges when Tommy wounds him slightly with a knife. Tommy wants to run away, but Drina begs to go with him. When Spit, the leader of Tommy's gang, informs, Tommy hides while Drina talks to the police. Meanwhile, Martin is killed by Dave, who stops Martin's plan to kidnap Philip. Because Dave will now earn a large reward, he thinks that he and Kay can start a new life, but lets her go when he realizes that she is only interested in a year of high living with him. He and Drina convince Tommy to give himself up and, although Mr. Griswold refuses to drop charges, Dave offers to use his reward money to hire a good lawyer to keep the boy out of reform school. As the inhabitants of the street go back to their respective homes, Dave and Drina walk together with Tommy to the police station.
