Percy Brand (Michael Redgrave) will do anything to keep his crooked past -- and present -- a secret from his son, Colin (Jeremy Burnham). So, abandoning the truth altogether, Percy tells Colin he does missionary work around the globe. When an older, retired Percy is offered to pull off one last job with his mates, he winds up getting the law on his tail. Unwilling to reveal his actual job to Colin, Percy instead devises a plan to frame the judge that employs Colin for his own crime.