In an unnamed American city, three Mafia families control all illicit activity. The consigliere (Charles Cioffi) of one mob honcho decides it's in his interest to start a war between the other two families, and sets up rival mob boss Don Angelo (Anthony Quinn) with Ruby Dunne (Angel Tompkins), the ex-girlfriend of a mobster from the third family, Frank (Robert Forster). When Frank finds out about it, it's not long before a full-scale gang war breaks out.