When a pair of juvenile delinquents hassle his girl (Carolyn Mitchell), troubled teen Jimmy Wallace (Jack Nicholson) goes after them in this film that marks the screen debut for Nicholson (only 21 at the time). The fight quickly turns nasty, however, and in the scuffle that ensues, a gun goes off and Jimmy thinks he's killed the punks. Things go from bad to worse as Jimmy finds himself in the midst of a hostage situation and a media circus.