Convicted 1950 Joe Hufford gets involved in a nightclub brawl, kills a man in self defense, and is sent to prison for manslaughter, to the dismay of district attorney George Knowland who realizes Joe had an incompetent lawyer who should have gotten him off by proving self defense Later, Knowland becomes warden of the prison Joe is in, and makes him a Trusty and his chauffeur Joe and the wardens daughter, Kay, fall in love but Joe gets involved in a prison escape