Narrator Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando) recounts leading his gang The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club to watch a race and causing a ruckus. They are sent off by the local sheriff. One of his men had stolen the 2nd place trophy for him. They arrive at Wrightsville, California. The local sheriff Harry Bleeker (Robert Keith) is reluctant to confront them and some of locals are angered. Johnny flirts with waitress Kathie (Mary Murphy) who happens to be the sheriff's daughter. When he finds out, he starts to leave the town but then his rival Chino (Lee Marvin) leads his gang The Beetles into town. Chino steals Johnny's trophy setting off a fight. The situation spirals more and more out of control with local bully Charlie Thomas (Hugh Sanders) getting involved.
Modern audiences can fall into the trap of seeing this as a cheesy B-movie with silly lingo and melodramatic mannerism. It still has that cautionary tale aspect to the movie which is holdover from earlier B-movie. Mary Murphy is going overboard with her acting. However this was 1953. It's an era of the new disenfranchised. It's two years before 'Rebel Without a Cause'. Looking at it with modern eyes is a mistake. Simply put, this is the iconic biker movie of its era.
Modern audiences can fall into the trap of seeing this as a cheesy B-movie with silly lingo and melodramatic mannerism. It still has that cautionary tale aspect to the movie which is holdover from earlier B-movie. Mary Murphy is going overboard with her acting. However this was 1953. It's an era of the new disenfranchised. It's two years before 'Rebel Without a Cause'. Looking at it with modern eyes is a mistake. Simply put, this is the iconic biker movie of its era.