After Johnny Eager (Robert Taylor) is released from jail, the unreformed gangster fools his parole officer (Henry O'Neill) into believing his ways are changed. In actuality, Eager wants to return to racketeering by opening a dog-racing track, but the man who put him behind bars (Edward Arnold) is in the way. When that man's stepdaughter (Lana Turner) falls for Eager, the crook uses her as leverage to get what he wants. In this world of deceit, Jeff Hartnett (Van Heflin) is Eager's only friend.