Young, promising violinist Joe Bonaparte (Holden) is in financial difficulties and is faced with the question of whether he should earn money as a boxer, but risk hand injuries, or do without the big money. His father, Mr. Bonaparte senior (Lee J. Cobb), wishes his son to continue training his musical talent and buys him an expensive violin, but Joe Bonaparte persuades the almost bankrupt manager Tom Moody (Menjou) to let him try his hand at boxing and rises quickly here. When he decides otherwise, Lorna (Stanwyck), Moody's girl, keeps him busy on Moody's behalf for a while. But after gangster Eddie Fuseli (Joseph Calleia) has expressed a desire to participate in the win or "buy a piece of Joe," and after Joe has fatally injured an opponent in the ring, both his and Lorna's attitudes change. He retires from boxing and returns to his father and the music.