BUZ NICHOLS volatile, tough young hood, is driving cross country to see his sister JOANIE, lead dancer in a swinging Hollywood Go-Go nightclub. He meets MICHELE CASEY, who has ambitions of becoming a dancer at a roadside café which her drunken father owns. She accepts Buz’s offer of a ride and an introduction to his sister, in exchange for relief driving. They have an encounter with two members of a motorcycle gang, escape, and pick up a hitchhiker, CRITTER JONES, happy-go-lucky guitar-playing wanderer and his broken-down-motorcycle. The trio, cycle in tow, proceed on their journey.
A delicate love triangle takes form, with definite appeal on the part of the young men towards Michele, and she, for both of them. Their first view of the ocean results in a frolic in the surf, a wild ride on a beach dune-buggy, and open conflict between the two men over the girl.
In Hollywood, Buz introduces the others to his sister and Joanie promises Michele an audition for a job with LEO McCABE, owner of the nightclub. He is impressed and attracted by Michele’s dancing ability and beauty. She starts work immediately and Critter, feeling responsible for Michele in these new surroundings, accepts a job as janitor. McCabe actually deals in drugs and Buz is promptly initiated into this end of the business.
HARRY BLATZ, elderly hoodlum, contacts McCabe with information that the county jail is holding a hundred thousand dollars worth of drugs in a cell, pending an investigation. Blatz, a genius with skeleton keys and habitual guest of the jail, can easily get in and obtain the drugs. What is needed is an accomplice to make the getaway and Buz takes on this job.
Meanwhile, Michele has become an overnight success and now McCabe, tiring of a neurotic and now addicted Joanie, makes a play for her. Michele, however, has fallen in love with Critter, who has, by now, found out about McCabe’s drug activities. They quarrel when Critter tries to persuade her to leave, telling her about McCabe’s drug dealings and the fact that he, himself, is a draft dodger.
Buz and Harry Blatz succeed in their robbery at the county jail. Buz kills the old man and later boasts of this to McCabe and Marty, bouncer at the club. This conversations is overheard by both Critter and Michele. Not wanting to become involved, Critter insists on the girl leaving with him. McCabe, Buz and Marty bar their way and in the ensuing bloody battle, Critter manages to overcome all three and calls the police.
Turning their backs on Hollywood, Critter and his new bride resort to hitch-hiking in an affort to report back to his induction center in time. Critter sings happily to Michele as they are driven off into the distance, with the inevitable ever-present broken-down motorcycle in tow.
