After theater usher Dan Quigley (James Cagney) is conned by a band of clever criminals led by Spade Maddock (Douglass Dumbrille), he decides he's in the wrong business. He joins the gang and rises in the ranks, showing a natural flair for crime. But, after the police get smart to his capers, Quigley heads for Los Angeles. There, a Hollywood executive sees star potential in the usher-turned-criminal, and Quigley flourishes in movies -- until the old hoods get wind of his whereabouts.