Mean Frank and Crazy Tony

A newspaper reveals that Frankie 'Dio' Diomede has returned to Genoa to confront a rival gang. Tony Breda, who idolizes him, sees in this the doorway to a life he craves. The article sets Tony's obsession in motion and pulls him toward danger.

Tony tails Frank from his hotel to a villa where a party is underway, hoping for an introduction. Frank exposes illegal gambling at the party by calling the police and securing his own arrest. Tony, convinced he will be made for life by rescuing him, pushes through the departing guests.

Police arrive and Tony and Frank are taken into custody as the event unfolds. Tony remains hopeful that attachment to Frank will happen through the arrest, but the reality of prison looms. The duo are swept into the harsh consequences of their budding bond.

Inside the prison, Frank uses a paid guard to slip out at night and murder a rival. The act demonstrates Frank's ruthless efficiency and sets a violent tone for Tony's emerging loyalty. Tony watches the events unfold, recognizing the danger that ownership of such power entails.

Annunziata alerts the police to the murder, and Tony is told he will spend a couple of weeks in prison on minor charges. The mounting tension underscores the dangers of Frank's world. Tony's sense of belonging becomes tied to actions he doesn't fully understand.

Tony flatters Frank, hoping to be noticed, but Frank largely ignores him. A rooftop assassin appears and Tony pushes Frank out of the way, saving his life. This act of danger begins to shift Frank's attitude toward Tony, if only a little.

Frank asks his doctor brother to visit and gather files on the rival organization to hand to the police. The brother agrees but is followed and pulled into a photo booth, where he is murdered. A gang member uses the booth to take a photo of Frank's dead brother, signaling the beginnings of a wider vendetta.

Tony convinces Frank that he can arrange a breakout during transfer to another prison. They stage a car crash and flag down the police car transporting Frank, allowing them to escape. The chase leads them across the border into Marseilles.

Frank locates his rival at a Marseilles fish processing warehouse run by Annunziata, where heroin is hidden inside gutted fish for export to the United States. A violent shoot-out erupts as Tony proves his usefulness, though he is distressed after firing on a man he believes he killed. Frank reveals that he delivered the fatal bullet, easing Tony's guilt.

Frank forces Annunziata into a cold storage room and lowers the temperature to the minimum. Annunziata freezes to death as the chill seals his fate. This act marks a climactic, merciless end to the rival's operation.

Frank arranges a boat to Tunisia for his escape route. He tells Tony that a life of hard crime isn't for him and urges him to reform his ways. Tony accepts the counsel and begins to imagine a different future.

Tony returns home and reads a newspaper excerpt describing Frank in an unfavorable light. He decides to pursue an honest life and urges his friends to do the same.