Plot

Social worker tries to befriend local slum gang.

On a city's mean streets, the boys join gangs at 15. Frankie leads the Hornets: he's 18, seething, coiled. When a neighbor goes to the cops after seeing one of the Hornets with a zip gun, Frankie vows to kill the old guy, hatching a plan using Lou, who smiles and smokes, and "Baby," the 15-year-old son of an immigrant shopkeeper. Ben Wagner, the social worker at a neighborhood settlement house, gets wind of the plan and tries to break through to Frankie. Frankie's brother Richie, who's about 12, worships and fears Frankie; he also figures out what his brother is up to. Is Frankie doomed to crash and burn at 18?—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

The Hornets are a youth gang led by eighteen year old Frankie Dane, they who rule their inner city slum neighborhood with iron fists. Frankie is angry at the world for dealing him the cards he has in life, including living in a run down one room apartment with what's left of his family, and his father deserting him and his mother over a decade ago. Frankie's angry emotional issues are largely manifested by not letting anyone touch him for any reason. The gang rumbles to show their territory, and will retaliate against any other gang or person for going against them. Most adults in the neighborhood don't like the fact of the gang, but deal with their presence in different ways. If Mr. McAllister had his way, they would all be thrown in jail. Soda shop owner Mr. Gioia, whose fifteen year old son Angelo - who everyone calls Baby - is a member of the gang, yells at and overly disciplines his son to make him not get involved in gang activities. Mrs. Dane, who is constantly working as a waitress, feels tired and thus helpless to do anything, while she prays that her younger son, Frankie's half brother Richie, doesn't turn to the gang when he gets older. But social worker Ben Wagner wants to be a sympathetic adult ear to help show the boys that there is a better world out there for them, much like an adult did for him when he was an at risk youth himself. After Mr. McAllister reports Lenny, one of the gang members, to the police for carrying a concealed gun which results in an incident with Frankie, Frankie decides that, with Baby and another gang member named Lou's help, he is going to kill Mr. McAllister, murder which is further than anything the gang has ever done. Mr. Wagner gets wind that Frankie is contemplating killing someone, not knowing the who, where or when, so has to try to get through to Frankie quickly without divulging to Frankie what he knows. Mr. Wagner has to do so before Frankie throws his, and by association his family, Mr. McAllister, Baby and Lou's lives away.—Huggo

After a rumble between New York City street gangs, the Hornets and Dukes, a youth is taken captive and threatened with a zip gun by Lenny Daniels (Jimmy Ogg), one of the Hornets. The act is witnessed by a neighbor, McAllister (Malcolm Atterbury), who tells the cops. Lenny is arrested and sentenced to a year in jail. Hornets leader Frankie Dane (John Cassavetes) decides to get even. Seemingly incorrigible, 18-year-old Frankie resists all efforts to get through to him by social worker Ben Wagner James Whitmore) or his worried mother (Virginia Gregg), who was abandoned by Frankie's father when he was eight. Frankie threatens McAllister, who isn't afraid of Frankie. McAllister even slaps him, then walks away. An angry Frankie then enlists friends Lou Macklin (Mark Rydell) and Angelo "Baby" Gioia (Sal Mineo) to assist in killing McAllister, which frightens Frankie's 10-year-old brother Richie (Peter J. Votrian), who overhears the plotting. Baby is slapped by his father who orders, then pleads, with him to stop hanging out with the no-good Frankie. An effort is made by Wagner to understand the boys rather than be angry with them, and Richie tells him of Frankie's plans to commit a murder. Wagner talks to Frankie, seemingly to no avail. The three conspirators go to bed, to later use as their alibi, and wait until the agreed upon time to act. McAllister is trapped in an alley at 1:30 in the morning by the three. Richie stops his brother just-in-time, but ends up with a knife held to his throat by angry Frankie, while McAllister and other two run off, as the intended victim yells for help. Wagner appears due to the commotion, and watches as Frankie finally comes to his senses and lets his brother go. He is then accompanied by Wagner to the approaching police.

The New York City Hornets and Dukes youth gangs confront each other in the port-side warehouse district for a rumble. The Dukes flee after a brutal beating, and the Hornets take the one remaining Dukes member to an alley in their own neighborhood. The boy is beaten further until Lenny Daniels (Jimmy Ogg), one of the gang members, threatens him with a zip gun before letting him go. Later, the Hornets' leader, Frankie Dane (John Cassavetes), vows revenge against his neighbor, McAllister (Malcolm Atterbury), who witnessed the fight and informed a policeman, resulting in Lenny's arrest. Already hardened at 18 years old, Frankie rejects his mother's affection and social worker Ben Wagner's (James Whitmore) earnest attempts to reform him. The next morning, Frankie confronts McAllister on the stoop and when McAllister insults him, Frankie threateningly grabs McAllister by the collar. McAllister slaps him and walks away, leaving Frankie infuriated. That night on the fire escape outside his apartment, Frankie informs his most trusted comrades, Lou Macklin (Mark Rydell) and Angelo "Baby" Gioia (Sal Mineo), a 15-year-old boy whose father runs the local soda fountain, that he plans to murder McAllister. Although Baby hesitates to expand their criminal activities to murder, he goes along with the plan. Frankie's ten-year-old brother Richie (Peter J. Votrian), who innocently reveres Frankie, opens the window and overhears their plot to commit murder. After the boys leave, Mrs. Dane (Virginia Gregg) comes home from her job as a waitress, and complains because Frankie refuses to work to help support the family. However, Frankie resents his mother, who was abandoned by Frankie's abusive father. Before leaving the apartment, Frankie threatens to hit Richie if he ever again eavesdrops. When Frankie announces his murder plans to the rest of the gang later that night, they refuse to go along with him, and only Lou and Baby remain loyal. Frankie is further disturbed by the news that Lenny has been sentenced to one year in prison, and when he tries to talk to Baby in the soda shop, Mr. Gioia (Will Kuluva) throws him out. Gioia then slaps his son and warns him to stay away from Frankie. Ben, who saw the exchange, admonishes Gioia for striking Baby, and suggests that the angry teenagers require patience and understanding rather than further violence. Later, Baby's sister Maria (Denise Alexander), who has a crush on Frankie, apologizes to him for her father's behavior, but Frankie is uninterested in her. Despite Lou's protests, Frankie decides to kill McAllister the following night in the alley between his apartment building and the soda shop. The next night, Ben encounters Richie, who anxiously reveals Frankie's intent to commit murder. Ben visits Frankie in the apartment for a heart-to-heart talk, but fails to convince Frankie that his life could improve. Before Baby leaves the soda shop that night, his father beseeches him to drop out of the gang and have compassion for his mother, who is sick with worry. However, Baby resists his father's entreaties and meets with Frankie and Lou in the alley. They finalize their plan to sneak out of their homes and meet there at 1:30 in the morning, when McAllister will pass by on his way home from bowling. They are about to leave when a drunk comes down the street, and Frankie insists on a trial run. As part of the plan, Baby lies on the edge of the alley and pretends to sob to attract attention. When the drunk comes over to investigate, Lou grabs and holds the man, while Frankie draws his switchblade. Frankie lets the terrified man go without harm, but Richie witnesses the scene. Frankie grabs his brother and threatens to cut him if Richie tells anyone. Disturbed by the violence, Baby tells Frankie he is having second thoughts. However, Frankie assures him that rather than kill McAllister, he now plans only to wound him. Later, Mrs. Dane passes Ben's window at the settlement house and he tries to talk to her about Frankie, but she is too exhausted. Upon returning home, Mrs. Dane finds Richie sobbing and terrified of Frankie. When she confronts Frankie, he shouts at her, and she responds by slapping him. Frankie, who hates to be touched, retreats to the fire escape, which he considers to be his sole refuge. Soon after, Ben climbs up to talk to him one more time. Ben explains that he understands Frankie's anger comes from years of abuse and neglect, but tells the young man he is not alone, and urges him to use his energy for good, rather than cultivating hatred. Frankie refuses to acknowledge Ben, and wordlessly goes back inside. At 1:30 in the morning, Frankie, Lou and Baby meet at the alley and capture McAllister as planned. However, Richie appears unexpectedly and shoves his knife-wielding brother aside. Enraged, Frankie holds the knife to Richie's throat, and insists that everyone leave, including McAllister. Frankie is left alone with Richie, who tells his brother he loves him. Ben arrives in time to see Frankie withdraw the knife and embrace his brother. After Frankie sends Richie home, Ben accompanies Frankie out of the alley. Down the street, they see McAllister talking to a policeman. Frankie almost flees, but instead accepts Ben's arm around his shoulders. Together, they walk toward the policeman.