Two boxers are sparring in the ring as Lucky and Andamo look on, and one of them is society playboy Leland Lamont. Andamo wants to invest in fighting full-time, but Lucky says that they're better off supporting the occasional charity fight. Frankie Bragan and his thugs come in and nod to Lucky and Andamo, just as Leland knocks out his opponent. Frankie's thugs figure that they should move Lucky to get to Leland, and Frankie agrees.
Afterward, Lucky visits Leland and congratulates him, and Leland assures Lucky and Andamo that he can beat his opponent, Benny Brenoff. Leland also wants to be the first Harvard man to win a world title. Leland's girlfriend Eva arrives and she and Leland kiss. She thanks Lucky for running things and takes Leland to the club because they're giving a report on the ticket sales. Frankie and his men come in and demand to talk to Lucky. Lucky tells Leland that the two of them will handle it, advising Leland not to fight.
Once Leland and Eva leave, Frankie says that he has a big investment in Benny and he'll lose a lot if he doesn't meet the champ after beating Leland. Lucky figures that Frankie figured Leland for a playboy, and Frankie says that Leland will take a dive and Benny goes on to meet the champ and Leland will meet the champ later. Lucky refuses and Frankie warns that Leland won't get a chance. Frankie warns that Leland won't get a chance to fight. One of Frankie's men go for his gun, and Lucky and Andamo easily disarm him. Undeterred, Frankie promises that Leland won't fight Benny and leaves. Lucky tells Andamo that they'll keep Leland out of the way by having him train on the Fortuna.
Later, Benny is in his Frankie's office shadow-boxing, and Frankie tells him that he can't take Leland. He says that he'll go directly to Leland and calls for Kitten Conner. Benny insists that he can beat Leland fair and square, but Frankie doesn't believe it. Kitten comes in and Frankie tells her that she's going after Leland. He gives her a wad of money and tells her that she's going on a boat ride.
On the Fortuna, Leland insists that he can take care of himself.He insists that he has a date that night, but Lucky tells him that he'll be busy training. Later, Andamo warns Leland that he hates to train. Lucky figures that Leland will have to take things carefully now that he's at the top, and he has men watching for Frankie's men.
Kitten slips aboard and finds Leland, and he invites her to his boat. She suggests that they go there that night, and Leland kisses her. Andamo sees them and goes over to interrupt, but Leland refuses to back off. He agrees to take a few laps around the deck "or something" and goes back to kissing. Once Andamo leaves, Leland goes to change his clothes and then take Kitten to his yacht.
The next day, Andamo finishes his all-night inventory. Lucky tells him that Leland didn't sleep in his bed, and Andamo explains that he was talking to Andamo. The maitre d' recognizes Kitten from Andamo's description and says that she used to be Frankie's girlfriend. Figuring that she's working for Frankie, Lucky and Andamo search the ship for Leland but discover that he's gone. Lucky figures that Frankie has Leland and if they don't find him, they'll end up with no fight and a mangled Leland.
In Frankie's office, Frankie's thugs hold guns on Leland and tell him to stay down. Kitten continues flirting with Leland, and Frankie tells him that they might let Leland break after breaking his hands. He advises Leland to take it easy, and Frankie sends Benny's coach Joe Kerk to watch his fighter. Benny assures Joe that he's going to murder Leland. Lucky and Andamo grab Joe outside the apartment and demand answers, and Joe quickly says that Leland is at Frankie's place. As they drag him off, Benny comes out and Lucky tells him that Frankie kidnapped Leland to make him throw the fight.
A confused Benny refuses to let them go, and Andamo shoves him back into his apartment and holds the door shut. He tells Lucky to get Leland while he holds Benny there. Benny easily breaks out, and Andamo tells him that Frankie is threatening Leland to get him to throw the fight. Offended, Benny attacks him and Andamo discovers that he's no boxer. He holds Benny off with a chair and they fight until Benny knocks him out. Benny tells the stunned Andamo that he's an honest fighter, and admires Andamo's fighting ability.
Frankie prepares to get a substitute fighter for the charity fight, and Kitten says that she'll stay with Leland because she likes him. When Frankie slaps her, Leland comes to her defense and the thugs knock him out. Kitten kisses him and Leland asks her to help him, and Frankie drags her off. Lucky arrives and attacks Frankie, and Leland and Kitten join the fight against Frankie's thugs. Leland takes a blow to the head, and Frankie tells the stunned man that they have a fight to get to. As Frankie gets up, Andamo arrives and knocks him out with the door, and tells Lucky that Benny gave him the address.
Later at the Valley Garden arena, Andamo tells Leland that he wore out Benny. Leland figures that he can take Benny, and Kitten is confident he can take his opponent. The playboy says that after the fight, they're going out to his yacht. Leland enters the ring and everyone wishes him luck, while Benny tells Joe that he can take Leland. The referee gives the boxers their instructions while Lucky, Andamo, and Kitten take their seats. When Kitten calls to Leland, Benny decks him with a single right and Leland goes down for the count.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 11, 2018