Dino (1957)

During the 1950s, a small gang of juvenile delinquents robs a warehouse. Caught in the act by the night-watchman, three of the gang kill the watchman while the fourth hides between some crates. The fourth gang member is 13-year-old Dino Minetta; the others are 17 and 18 years old. The gang is arrested and Dino is sent to a state reformatory where he serves a 3-1/2-year sentence. After his parole, Dino is escorted back to his parents' home by state-appointed parole officer Frank Mandel. As part of his parole conditions, Dino must meet with his parole officer once a week. Mandel likes Dino and realizes he's not a hardened criminal but rather a scared child from a broken home and his father is physically and verbally abusive. Mandel hopes to save Dino from a life of crime. He entrusts Dino to psychologist Larry Sheridan, who also is the director of the local settlement house, a sort of Community and Youth Centre. Sheridan starts daily therapy sessions despite Dino's rebellious resistance to therapy and counseling. At the settlement house, Dino gets into conflict with a youth gang of older boys, The Golden Dukes. Nevertheless, Sheridan makes progress with Dino, who even meets a lovely young girl, Shirley, at the settlement house and the two start dating. Unfortunately, a crisis erupts when Dino's father attempts to beat Dino again but Dino stands up for himself. Dino's hatred of his abusive father feeds Dino's desire to kill him. Also, Dino's younger brother, Tony, who looks up to Dino as a role model, decides to tell Dino that he joined The Silk Hats, a gang of juvenile delinquents. Tony convinces Dino to become the gang's leader and to participate in an upcoming armed robbery of a gas station. The robbery is to take place at one o'clock at night. However, that evening, Dino is also invited to a dance organized at the settlement house by the Golden Dukes boys. Shirley and other girls are also invited. Dino goes to the dance, eager to see Shirley again, but at the back of his mind is the armed robbery planned for that same night.