OnahotsummerafternooninNewYork,EmmaJonesgossipswithotherneighborsinherresidentialbuildingabouttheaffairthatMrs.AnnaMaurrantandthemilkmanSteveSankeyarehaving.WhentherudeandunfriendlyMr.FrankMaurrantarrives,theychangethesubject.Meanwhile,theirteenagedaughterRoseMaurrantisbeingsexuallypressuredbyhermarriedbossMr.BertEaster.ShedoeshoweververymuchlikeherkindyoungJewishneighborSam,whohasaseriouscrushonher.
Thenextmorning,FrankMaurranttellshiswifethatheistravelingtoStamfordonbusiness.Mrs.MaurrantmeetsthegentleSankeyinherapartment,butoutoftheblueFrankcomesbackhome.HerealizeshiswifeisupstairswithSankey,andrunsupstairs.WehearshotsandseethetwomenstrugglingasSankeytriestoescapethroughthewindow.Maurrantrunsoutwithagun.HehaskilledSankeyandfatallywoundedhiswife.
Maurrantisapprehendedandisledawaybypolice.HeapologizestohisdaughterRose,whowillnowhavetotakecareofherselfandheryoungbrotherwithouteitherparent.Rose'sbossoffersonceagaintosetherupinherownapartment,butsherefuses.ThensheseesSam,andtellshimshewantstoleavethecity.Sampleadswithhertolethimgowithher,butshetellshimitwillbebetterforthetwoofthemtohaveacoupleofyearsapartbeforetheyconsiderbecomingacouple.Rosewalksoffdownthestreetbyherself.