East of the River

Mama Teresa runs a small New York cafe and keeps her son Joe Lorenzo out of reform school. She also adopts Nick, a hopeless, homeless friend, hoping they'll stay out of trouble. Together they form a makeshift family in the city.

Joe lives a double life by funding Nick's education through crime. He pretends to be out West running a ranch, but he is actually serving time in San Quentin. The lie explains his later return to Nick years after.

Joe is released from prison and returns to New York with Laurie Romayne, a convicted forger. They come to see Nick graduate from college, rekindling old ties. The reunion deepens the tangled loyalties around Nick and Laurie.

Laurie is drawn to Mama Teresa's wholesome life and also falls for Nick. Their growing attachments blur lines between crime, love, and loyalty. The relationships set the stage for the dangerous plans to come.

Joe comes to New York City seeking trouble and finds Scarfi and Turner, insisting they framed him into San Quentin. He re-enters the crime world and fuels old vendettas. The men seem willing to join him for a big score.

Joe convinces Scarfi and Turner to give him a $15,000 advance for a daring safe-cracking job. He secretly tips the police, turning the operation into a trap for themselves. The double-cross propels the plan toward disaster.

On the night of the job, Joe makes his escape in the dark. Scarfi panics and kills a police officer, an act that leads to his electrocution later. The chaos signals the collapse of Joe's carefully laid schemes.

Hearing that Turner has escaped, Joe realizes he's in immediate danger and leaves New York City. He avoids direct confrontation and searches for cover as the net closes in. The episode marks the unraveling of his criminal web.

Joe hides out in Tijuana, Mexico, and learns that Laurie and Nick are preparing to marry. The revelation pulls him back toward New York and the tangled web of relationships. The wedding becomes a focal point for the final showdown.

Back in New York, Joe attends a lavish pre-wedding party and tries to seem like a good sport. Alone with Laurie, he threatens to reveal her prison record to Nick unless she calls off the wedding and returns to him. The confrontation tests everyone's loyalties.

Mama Lorenzo confronts Joe with a blistering denunciation, declaring that she always knew he was in penitentiary and a bad seed. Her moral outrage shames him and exposes the depth of his transgressions. The moment ties Mama's values to the story's moral center.

Shamed, Joe goes to Laurie's room to apologize—only to find her being held captive by Turner and his men. He offers to sacrifice himself and be taken for Laurie's safety if they drop her at the church. Turner agrees to the swap.

The wedding party arrives at the crowded church, where Joe fights his captors and makes a break for freedom. He escapes long enough to assault a police officer, forcing Turner to retreat. The church becomes the stage for Joe's final confrontation.

Joe is taken away to jail, ending the wedding and the immediate danger. He waves goodbye to the wedding party from the car, a bittersweet moment of victory in a compromised life. The film closes with the cost of his choices.