HowardTyler(FrankLovejoy)isafamilyman,livinginCalifornia,whocan'tseemtogetbyfinancially.Hemeetsupwithasmall-time,butcharismatic,hoodJerrySlocum(LloydBridges).Soon,SlocumconvincesTylertoparticipateingasstationrobberiestogetby.Later,theykidnapawealthymaninhopesofgettingahugeransom.ThingsgowrongwhenthemanismurderedbySlocumthenthrowninalake.Tylerreacheshislimitemotionally,andhebeginsdrinkingheavily.Hemeetsalonelywomanandconfessesthecrimewhiledrunk.Thewomanfleesandgoestothepolice.
Whenthetwokidnappersarearrested,alocaljournalist(RichardCarlson)writesaseriesofhate-filledarticlesaboutthetwoprisonerswhicheventuallyleadtoabrutallynching.
Thedespairofthelowermiddle-class:Afamilymanashamedofbeingunemployedallowshimselftobeconvincedbyagangstertotakepartinakidnapping.Thepolicearreststhembothandtheangerofthesmalltown’spopulationisunforgiving.THESOUNDOFFURYisadarkcrimemoviethatbuildsuptoanapocalypticstorm,butneverlosessightofsocialrealities,thustellingalotaboutthedailydespairoftheworking-class.Amasterpiece,itwasCyEndfield’slastfilmbeforehefeltcompelledtomovetoBritain.