Mild-mannered teen James “Jimmy” Wilson [Robert Lowell] appears before a judge on charges of manslaughter. When asked to speak in his own defense, he pauses, and says the line:
> I accuse my parents
The film then flashes back to a day in high school, when Jim was given an award for an essay describing the ideal home he supposedly has. The moment underscores his longing for a stable family life, a desire that soon collides with a troubling reality. Eager to tell his parents, he goes home to a house full of empty liquor bottles, and parents distracted by arguing with each other. His mother, Mrs. Wilson, [Vivienne Osborne] shows up drunk to the graduation planning committee, and later his father, Dan Wilson, [John Miljan] gives him money instead of celebrating his birthday with him.
Jim lands a job selling shoes after school and meets Kitty Reed, [Mary Beth Hughes], a torch-singer who works at the nightclub. He delivers a pair of shoes to her house and then reunites with her at the venue where she performs. The two begin dating, Jim unaware that Kitty is also the moll of gangster Charles Blake, [George Meeker], who specializes in fencing stolen jewellery. Blake identifies Jimmy as sufficiently gullible and recruits him to deliver packages and messages after school and work. Jim’s duties pay well enough that he never questions what exactly he is delivering.
Charles forces Kitty to break up with Jimmy after he realizes their relationship is growing serious. Shortly afterward, Jim drives two of Charlie’s henchmen to a late-night “errand,” which turns out to be a robbery in which a night watchman is shot. Realizing what he’s involved in, Jimmy turns to his father, who rebuffs him. Jimmy confronts Blake himself, but Blake threatens to kill him if he does not continue working for him. After the police identify Jimmy as the driver of the getaway car, Blake sends men to kill him, but the execution is interrupted when two passersby stumble upon the scene, causing the assailants to flee and leaving a badly beaten Jimmy behind.
Fearing for his life, Jimmy packs a suitcase and spends an indeterminate amount of time hitchhiking and train-hopping. He ends up in a small town where he attempts to rob a diner, but the kindly owner, Al Frazier, [George Lloyd], recognizes Jimmy as a good boy in a bad situation and offers him safe harbor and a job, as long as he agrees to give up crime and start going to church. After a period of living and working for Al, Jimmy’s life straightens up and he confesses to his crimes. Al agrees to accompany Jimmy back home to turn himself in.
Back in Jimmy’s hometown, Al takes him to confront Kitty, who confesses that she was forced to break up with him. Jimmy then goes to confront Blake one more time, in the hopes that Blake will also turn himself in to help clear Jimmy’s name. Blake refuses and instead pulls a gun on Jimmy; Jimmy attempts to wrestle the gun away, accidentally shooting and killing Blake in the process. The police, alerted by Al, storm Blake’s hideout and arrest his men, along with Jimmy.
Back in the present, the judge—understanding why Jimmy accuses his parents—acquits Jimmy of manslaughter. However, the judge also finds him guilty of possession of stolen property, imposes a five-year suspended sentence and two years’ probation, and remands him to the custody of his parents until he is twenty-one. The judge then addresses Jimmy’s parents (and the camera), warning that any young man could suffer the same fate as Jimmy if left to neglectful parenting.
The film closes with a title card stating that the production company is paying all costs to send the film overseas to entertain troops during World War II.
