Boyhood friends and comrades in the Army, Ted Peters (Richard Attenborough) and Dave Robinson (Bill Owen (actor)) are back in civvies. Ted becomes a taxi driver and hopes to marry Joy Goodall (Sheila Sim), a pretty chorus girl. Dave, seeking easy money, joins a gang which has its headquarters in a suburban palais-de-danse. The gang is headed by a man called Gregory (Barry Jones (actor)), and includes Paul Baker (Barry K. Barnes), and petty crooks Sniffy and Pogson. Ted refuses to join them.