Marv needs money for his girlfriend Betty; thanks to his mob ties, he knows where to find $1 million in cash.
Marv needs money. His unemployed dad is so poor that he makes him give up half his last six bucks so they can both go on three-dollar dates; he's just lost his scholarship after getting caught writing a term paper for Betty, the prettiest (and only) girl in his class; and Betty herself has told him he doesn't stand a chance with her unless he can give her what she wants most: money, money, money. But Marv has mob ties, so he knows where to find a million dollars cash.—Adam Cadre
Although high school senior Marv Grant (Tom Pittman) has earned the admiration of his English teacher, Mr. Carter (Peter Leeds), he is ridiculed by fellow student Vince Rumbo (Howard Veit) for being an overly smart "fink." When Vince starts to rough Marv up after class, Betty Alexander (Virgina Aldridge), Vince's attractive girl friend, intercedes on Marv's behalf. Marv is stunned by Betty's sudden rejection of the manly Vince, and is even more amazed when she agrees to go out with him that night.
Later, at home, Marv tells his loving but unemployed, alcoholic father (Malcolm Atterbury) about Betty, and Mr. Grant, a widower, admits that he, too, has a date. Marv, who works part-time as a warehouse shipping clerk, reluctantly lends his father some money for his date, even though he knows he will not have enough for Betty.
Betty acts nonplussed about Marv's finances and, after a movie, accompanies him to a soda fountain (shop). There, Betty exchanges taunts with Vince and his friends, Burt Rogers (Jimmy Murphy) and Larry Walker (John Barrick), and Marv is so uncomfortable with the situation, he cuts short the date.
At her front door, Betty assures Marv that she wants to see him again, then manipulates him into offering to write her final English paper. Betty kisses Marv in gratitude, but as soon as he leaves, Vince appears and angrily confronts her. Betty insists she is leading Marv on so he will help her pass English and graduate, and soothes him with a passionate kiss.
Sometime later, while on another date with Betty, Marv brings up the subject of marriage. Betty tells Marv that she is going to marry a rich man, as she desperately wants to prove to her judgmental father that she is not a worthless "tramp." Although disappointed by Betty's words, Marv encourages his father to propose to his new sweetheart and admonishes him to find a job and stay sober.
At work that night, Marv overhears his boss, Walt Mathews (Byron Foulger), discussing an incoming shipment of heroin with security guard Johnson (Bobby Hall). Marv eavesdrops as Mathews tells Johnson about one million dollars in cash that will be arriving soon, and his plan to exchange it for the heroin.
In school the following day, Marv and Betty are cornered by Mr. Carter, who accuses Marv of writing Betty's term paper. Although Marv and Betty deny any guilt, Mr. Carter, who has been trying to secure a college scholarship for Marv, repeats his charges until Marv confesses. After Mr. Carter flunks Betty and informs Marv he is withdrawing his recommendation for the scholarship, Betty storms out and calls Marv a coward. Desperate, Marv asks Betty if she would love him if he got her money and furs, and she laughingly says yes.
At home, Marv discovers his father almost passed out from drink and learns that his girl friend turned down his marriage proposal. Fed up, Marv walks the streets and winds up in a liquor store owned by former racketeer Sam Tallman (Louis Quinn). Marv asks Sam to put him in contact with safe cracker Harry March (Stanley Adams), Sam's brother-in-law, as he wants to hire him to open a safe containing one million dollars. Sam is at first skeptical of Marv's claims but finally agrees to arrange a meeting with Harry.
The next night, Marv, Sam and Harry discuss Marv's scheme to rob Mathews' office safe and agree to a fifty-five, forty-five split of the loot. Marv then meets Betty at a diner and tells her about the heist, whose proceeds he promises to share with her. Betty is excited at the prospect of becoming rich and "spitting" in her father's face, and Marv leaves, confident he has finally won her love. Betty, however, tells Vince about the robbery and pressures him to agree to steal the cash from Marv.
The following night, Marv, Sam and Harry proceed to the waterfront warehouse as planned but are delayed by a traffic accident. Upon arriving, they knock out Johnson and another guard, then Harry picks the door lock and breaks into Mathews' office.Meanwhile, at Marv's home, the Grants's landlady comes to collect the rent and finds that Mr. Grant has hanged himself.
With only moments to spare, Harry opens Mathews' safe and stuffs the cash into a suitcase, and the three exit through a back door, setting off an alarm. Vince, Larry and Burt descend on the unsuspecting thieves, and Vince shoots and kills Sam, thinking he has a gun. Distraught by what he has done, Vince turns on Betty and shoots her. As Vince stumbles with the suitcase to the water's edge, Mathews and the drug dealer show up and shoot Vince. The money falls into the water, but before Mathews can retrieve it, the police arrive and gun down the drug dealer. The police then arrest Mathews, Harry and Marv, who cries and begs for his father's forgiveness.
