Tommy Catanos is angry with the world - with the LAPD who treat him like a criminal, with the racist white boys who treat him like a second class citizen, with his girl who complains that he's always broke and with the city of Los Angeles who won't give a Mexican immigrant a chance. Tired of the abuse, his rage overflows one night in a bloody street fight, sending Tommy on the run from police. Fortunately, he is discovered by Pete Ganusa, a boxing scout who sees promise in the young man's fists and recruits him for his gym. Tommy quickly makes a name for himself, but he soon discovers that there's no escaping prejudice, and his status won't make it any easier to eat in Beverly Hills. As he climbs the ranks, Tommy is thrown into the bout of his life, forcing him to learn the real fight is to choose which battles are truly worth dying for.
Kurt Neumann's dramatic, poignant and fast-paced tale was filmed entirely on location in Los Angeles. The German-born director of The Fly (1958) does an excellent job portraying the racism encountered by Mexican immigrants in California. His gritty, emotional storytelling is grounded by the stellar performances of Rita Moreno (West Side Story) and Gerald Mohr.