The Road to Ruin

Ann Dixon and Eve Monroe spend a weekend at the lake with Tommy and Ed. Eve introduces Ann to smoking and drinking, and Ann experiences what must have been her first sexual encounter with Tommy. Afterward, Ann cries pitifully, and Tommy asks if she hates him, revealing a complicated emotional aftermath.

After the lake weekend, Ann continues to see Tommy, and their relationship deepens. They visit various restaurants where they drink and kiss passionately. The episodes reveal a pattern of youth exploring new experiences together.

One night, Ralph notices Ann at a night outing and is drawn to her. Seeing that Tommy is heavily intoxicated, Ralph moves in on Ann while Tommy and Ed are kicked out. The tension hints at looming trouble in her love life.

At Ralph's home, he offers Ann a 'special brew' and the two share an intimate encounter. The encounter marks a dangerous turn in Ann's life as she succumbs to pressure and secrecy. The event sets in motion later consequences.

Ann continues to see Ralph and lies to her parents about where she has been. She hides this relationship from the people who would disapprove, contributing to a growing pattern of deceit.

Later, Ralph and Ann attend a party at Brad's where most guests drink heavily. A dice-based game spins into a strip-poker-like spectacle, and many girls lose their clothing as revelers burst into the pool. Neighbors grow angry and call the police.

Ralph spots the approaching police and flees, leaving Ann behind to be arrested with Eve. They are processed by the Juvenile Division, highlighting legal consequences of the night.

The girls undergo medical examinations; Eve is labeled a 'Sex Delinquent' and tests positive for the Wassermann test. Mrs. Merrill tells Mrs. Dixon that today's youth needs the armor of knowledge and sex instruction.

Through innuendo, Ann learns she may be pregnant. She tells Ralph and discovers he is married, and he suggests abortion. This revelation heightens the crisis as she contemplates her options.

The abortion is described as a clumsy, unsanitary operation that leaves Ann gravely ill. The medical consequences underscore the tragedy of her situation. Her condition deteriorates in the aftermath.

On her deathbed, Ann's mother asks for forgiveness, and Ann quietly slips away. The family tragedy marks the culmination of a reckless spiral of choices and consequences.

Mrs. Merrill's statement that today's youth needs the armor of knowledge and sex instruction frames the film's message. The line underscores the film's emphasis on education as a preventive response to teen sexual issues.