Waterfront at Midnight

Racketeer Socks Barstow murders his silent partner, Joe Sargis, for embezzling money from the sale of their latest shipment of stolen goods. Because of this murder, police commissioner Ryan reinstates Sergeant Mike Hanrahan as lieutenant in charge of the harbor division. Mike, who was demoted because he let a personal grudge against Barstow affect his judgment, is brought back on the job because of his intimate knowledge of the waterfront, out of which Barstow operates. That night, Mike's brother Denny comes home from the hospital, after recuperating from an airplane crash. When Denny learns that he has been permanently grounded because of his risk-taking, he quits his job, but is unable to find work as a pilot. Denny refuses Mike's offer to join the police force, and is offended when his brother accuses him of having too much pride. Denny goes drinking at Barstow's Diamond Pier Café, and runs into Barstow's girl friend, Ethel Novak, whom he met earlier at a nightclub. Ethel has a sympathetic ear for Denny's hard luck story, and urges Barstow to hire him. Barstow, who was looking for a way to get to Mike, arranges for Denny to work for Ed Fallon's car rental agency, in which he is a silent partner. One day, Barstow's right-hand man, Hank Bremmer, rents a car from Ed and insists that Denny be his driver. Denny reluctantly complies, and waits in the car while Hank goes into Hobard's boat rental agency. When Hobard refuses to rent Hank a boat because he is afraid the police will catch on, Hank shoots and wounds him, then runs. Denny learns from Hank that his boss is really Barstow, and that he is now implicated in the crime. Hobard is questioned by police but refuses to name his attacker. A witness, however, took down the license plate number, and Mike traces the car to the agency. Although Ed openly admits to Mike that Barstow is his partner, Denny feigns ignorance, then goes to Barstow and demands a cut of everything since he is now involved. After doing some research, Mike learns that Hobard's fastest boat was rented out every night on which a freighter was robbed. When Hank demands to rent the boat again, Mike happens to overhear Hobard's phone conversation and insists that Hobard make the rental. That night, Mike waits in a patrol boat as Barstow's men rob a freighter, and is shocked when his searchlight reveals that Denny is on the boat. Just then, Hank throws an explosive into Mike's boat, and Mike is reported drowned. Mike is actually unharmed and has moved into the back of a Chinese restaurant so he can work undercover. After Barstow kills Denny when he threatens to go to the police, Mike's wife Helen is shocked to run into Mike near Barstow's office. Later, Mike realizes that Barstow's men have found him, but he turns the tables and follows them to a boathouse. When he hears a sound, he fires his gun into the darkness, and Denny's body comes tumbling down the stairs. Mike believes that he has killed his brother, unaware that Barstow is framing him. Mike falls into a state of grief and resigns from the force, spending his days drinking. Ethel, who had grown fond of Denny, is angry at Barstow for killing him, and when Mike comes into Barstow's café drunk, Barstow humiliates him and throws him into the street. Ethel takes Mike out for coffee, and reveals that Barstow is responsible for Denny's death. She then takes Mike to Barstow's warehouse, and while Mike hides, Ethel gets Barstow to admit he killed Denny. Mike attacks Barstow, who accidentally falls on the knitting needles Ethel uses to make his favorite socks, and dies. Ethel calls the police, but Hank and his cohort Woody arrive first. As Mike collapses from an injury, Woody shoots Ethel, and is then shot by the police. Later, Helen visits Mike in the hospital and is pleased to learn that he has now earned his captain's badge.