英国著名的海滨旅游胜地布莱顿，两个黑帮团伙发生火并，十七岁的平基在首领遇害后上位，并杀死一名告密的记者以树立威信。不料记者生前的恋人开始追查凶手，再加上帮派内斗争日趋激烈，平基渐渐无法应付巨大的压力。影片改编自格雷厄姆·格林的犯罪小说，是英国40年代黑帮片杰作。Pinkie Brown is a small-town hoodlum whose gang runs a protection racket based at Brighton race course. When Pinkie orders the murder of a rival, Fred, the police believe it to be suicide. This doesn't convince Ida Arnold, who was with Fred just before he died, and she sets out to find the truth. She comes across naive waitress Rose, who can prove that Fred was murdered. In an attempt to keep Rose quiet Pinkie marries her. But with his gang beginning to doubt his ability, and his rivals taking over his business, Pinkie starts to become more desperate and violent.