Chris Dale is the chief trial deputy for the district attorney. He is a sharp-tongued, egocentric man who is dominating and abusive to his wife. He learns that Ellen Randle Dudley, accused of murdering her husband with an ax, has been captured in the town of Evanston--which is outside of his jurisdiction. Dale promptly travels to Evanston, rides rough-shod over the local sheriff, and settles down to an intense, grueling interrogation of the woman. It becomes clear that the woman's relationship to her husband mirrored Dale's own marriage. As he comes to realize this, Dale is both repulsed by and attracted to the woman.

Southern banjo player Luke Stringer had headed to New York to find fame and fortune. He returns to his sister's farm, sad, defeated, and with just twelve dollars in his pocket. Hoping to put the pieces of his life back together, he meets up with the town's recluse and her blind daughter. The woman, Ruthie, is known as "the snake lady" because she makes and sells snakeskin articles. Luke takes a liking to her and begins teaching her daughter to play the banjo.

The employees of an insurance company located on the nineteenth floor of a Philadelphia office building are anticipating the upcoming weekend as Friday afternoon approaches. Cal Brown, a Korean War veteran, suddenly pulls a gun and announces to his co-workers that they are going to take Hill 902. He begins to train his "platoon", and, as the evening progresses, they come to understand the horrors of war.

Three dim-witted guys decide to rob the corner saloon while the owner is away. What they don't know is that saloon is owned by the Mafia

At night, on a coastal road, a boy is nearly hit by a car. The car's passengers, stopping to see if the boy is all right, are disturbed by his strange behavior.

A young Mexican fisherman uses a pearl he found to pay off his debts at the local store. But his wife, who thinks the pearl is worth much more, wants it back.

When aged Jessie McCoony allowed a photographer to take her picture for 50 dollars, she didn't know that it would be used on a poster asking citizens to vote down a slum-clearance bill that Jessie and her neighbors definitely favor. Young Daphne is also affected by the poster: she's afraid that she'll be a mirror-image of the pitiful old woman if she doesn't escape the slums soon.

Story of a poor couple living the desert south west. The woman is crippled and although he loves her very much, he is tempted into cheating on her.

Capt. Al comes to Mexico from California each month, spending money like water. He meets a poor Mexican girl named Dolores who begs him to take her back with him. But Al has a secret which he must keep from her.

Wealthy Tom Graham arrives home from work and is informed by his wife that their younger daughter Terry, at college in San Francisco, has just called home to say that she is pregnant by one of her professors. Terry, who is very impetuous, is contemplating an abortion--or suicide. Graham rushes to San Francisco to try and cope with the situation.

Big Mitch lives in a dream world that begins to collapse when his daughter announces her plans to marry.

Ex-boxer Joey Briggs has been in an institution for three years, being treated for drug and alcohol abuse and emotional trauma. His psychiatrist now feels he is ready to re-enter society. As he takes a train journey to an unspecified destination, he contemplates his past through mental flashbacks and conversations with a friendly porter, and tries to come to terms with himself. A young blind girl he meets on the train may help him.

Peter Zandocus was sent to jail for three years for tax evasion, but will get out a year early for good behavior. He will be released in a week. Sidney Hagen of the IRS, fraud division, is convinced that Zandocus stashed away a million dollars before going to jail. He sends a special agent, Ray March, to cozy up to Norma Jean Fryburger, the girl who testified on Zandocus' behalf and who Hagen believes is holding the money out of fear for her life.

An exiled member of the Mafia promises to testify before a crime hearing, if the U.S. government will escort him safely to this country for a brief visit with his son.

Rancher Steve Gregg, broke and about to lose his ranch, comes to town looking for the saloon owner who owes him a thousand dollars. McBride, the saloon owner, claims that all his money is tied up in inventory, whereupon Gregg proceeds to destroy some of said inventory, the saloon, and a few bouncers, before being knocked out with a mallet. Gregg then calls on Maurice Holden, who also owes him money, only to find his widow, who doesn't care to discuss finances at the moment, and orders Gregg thrown off her ranch. Gregg and the feisty Widow Holden shout, insult, threaten...and fall in love.

Famous foreign correspondent Dan Wilson arrives at his home town, to be met by the mayor, his mother, and a glamorous girlfriend from his past, Min Adams. Once at home, it's learned through his mother's probing that Wilson has, at most, a year to live.

Father Leonard Winger is nervously preparing for his first sermon, concerned that he does not know "how to touch a human heart". As he rehearses, he receives a frantic call for a priest. He finds a young man, who thinks that he has killed his unfaithful girlfriend at a masquerade party. Father Leonard locates the party and finds the girl unconscious in a back room; she dies at the hospital. Detective Sergeant Prouser investigates, knowing that Father Leonard knows what happened, but is holding to the sanctity of the confessional.

Mrs. Chaney come to the home of Betty Haste, whose husband is out of town. Mrs. Chaney tells Betty she is is in danger. Betty allows her to come in......a terrible mistake.

Intelligent, cultured Henry Fell Shannon is a "bodyguard extraordinaire" who is for hire to prevent assassinations or take on other humanitarian tasks. A New York editor assigns his associate society editor, Peggy Harriman, to get a "true adventure feature" on Shannon. Meanwhile, a "trigger boy" from the 1940's, Joey Wilson, is getting out of jail after twenty years, and the syndicate wants him dead for ratting on some key men during his stay in prison. To get her story, Harriman poses as a friend of Wilson's, and hires Shannon to get Wilson safely to Mexico and an anonymous existence.

Wealthy William and Margareta Krespie are being blackmailed by George Masters Sherman. Sherman knows that, years ago, Krespie killed one of his employees when he threatened to expose Krespie's illegal business practices. The Krespies hire a suave, cold-blooded hit man, Carl Bannister, to get rid of their blackmailer. Bannister becomes attracted to the Krespies' shy daughter Dorcas, much to the alarm of Rosa, the Krespies' cook, who is a devoted protector of Dorcas.

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District Attorney Joseph Campbell is running for United States senator. His major opponent is Maggie Clements, widow of a popular senator who is being backed by her influential father-in-law. The nominating convention is being held in Campbell's city at the same time that he is dealing with a tricky prosecution. Jeanette Brown, who is under eighteen, is being held on a murder charge and the decision must be made whether to try her as an adult or a juvenile. Campbell asks the judge for a continuance so that he can seek the nomination without the trial being a factor, but the judge refuses. Part one ends with the convention in a deadlock on the sixth ballot.

With the convention still deadlocked, Maggie Clements offers to withdraw from the race if Campbell promises to prosecute Jeanette Brown as an adult. This would also gain Campbell favor with a powerful newspaper tycoon who will promise his support. Campbell refuses and addresses the convention in a climactic speech.

An American, Carl, and a Frenchman, Paul, who served together during World War II meet again in Paris. Paul is in trouble and needs Carl's help.

A narcotics addict, desperately in need of a fix, holds a young woman hostage while he vainly tries to steal enough money to buy drugs.