Tony Gillardi, a young Italian flower vendor, makes a poor living when compared by his mother with her favorite, his brother Carlo. Only Mollie O'Connor, his little Irish sweetheart, believes in him. Carlo's source of income, however, is not within the law, for he is dominated by gangster Nick Di Silva, who operates a Chinese theater as a front. Rather than hurt his mother's feelings, Tony takes the blame for a robbery Nick and Carlo committed. After serving a term "up the river," Tony finds out that Carlo is still under Nick's domination and sets out to get him. In a fight between Nick and Tony, Nick accidentally shoots Mamma Gillardi. Nick falls to his death while escaping, the mother recovers, and Tony and Mollie marry. While making a trip around the Battery to Coney Island with Mollie, Tony comes to see, once again, the beauty of his city.