New York, 1930s. Sonny is a former ice cream man who fell on hard luck. While working as a cleaner in a gym, he meets Charlie Smith, a wrestler. The two become fast friends, although they have very different characters, Charlie being blunt and aloof, and Sonny being narcissistic and too prone to womanizing. One day they get hired by a mobster, Angelo, to hit a gambler but they erroneously beat up a US Senator instead, who in turns declares a war towards the underworld. To save them from the heat, Angelo sends Charlie and Sonny to little Italy to work as debt collectors. Here, however, they befriend the Geraces, a poor family, and decide to help them by beating up two other collectors sent by a rival of Angelo, Mr. Colosimo. The event triggers a bitter conflict between Angelo and Colosimo. Eventually the police, led by Captain Mackintosh, intervenes to stop the bloodshed. Mackintosh is initially determined to jail Charlie and Sonny for their involvement. However, when Charlie and Sonny discovers that Mackintosh is somehow implicated with Angelo and Colosimo in their business, he is forced to let them go. Following their acquittal, Charlie returns to wrestling, and Sonny agrees on being his trainer.