In Florida, boxing promoter Nick Donati (Edward G. Robinson) gets doublecrossed by his boxer, who throws a fight for a $25,000 bribe from gangster Turkey Morgan (Humphrey Bogart). Nick and his girlfriend "Fluff" (Bette Davis) decide to throw a wild, days-long party with the money they have left, before looking for a new boxing prospect. Nick orders naive young farmer turned hotel bellhop Ward Guisenberry (Wayne Morris (American actor)) to mix some drinks, but he does not know how, as he does not drink. Fluff kindly helps him out. When Morgan, underling Buzz Barret (Ben Welden), and Chuck McGraw (William Haade), his fighter and new heavyweight champion, arrive uninvited, Ward does not like it when the somewhat drunk McGraw pushes Fluff, so he punches him, knocking him to the ground. Nick is impressed, and persuades him to try boxing.