A teenager (Sal Mineo) fights to retain his dignity and self-respect against the brutality, sadism and cynicism of the "big guys" around him in the brutal world of a Georgia orphanage. The young man soon becomes involved with an escaping convict from a nearby prison. Through his experience with the convict - a man unjustly sentenced - he finds within himself the strength to stand up to those who abuse their power and hopefully restore his confidence.