It starts with four older college kids in Reno. Guy Madison, the responsible one is reminding everyone that they need to by back in the car by midnight. Alvy Moore, the goofy one, scoffs, and Kerwin Matthews, the rich kid, just wants to try his roulette system. Brian Keith, the dark brooding one, tells them all to listen to Madison. They spend a little time in Harold's Casino and almost get swept up when someone tries to rob the place. They are standing behind him at the cashier's counter and the police think maybe they are part of the gang. They clear everything up, and someone from the casino mentions that no one can rob Harold's - too much security. That sets the plot in motion.
They arrive at college and immediately shanghai a freshman to be their gofer, as was the custom in those days. It seems that these guys are Korean War vets, which explains their age. Keith also saved Madison's life, and got injured badly, which explains his PTSD. Madison has a townie girlfriend, Kim Novak, who sings in a nightclub. There is romance and college hi-jinks. Then Matthews has his bright idea.
He comes from a rich family, but has never done anything himself. He has a plan to rob Harold's, then give back the money - no harm no foul. He talks Moore and Keith into it, but they don't want to ask Madison. But he has already decided to go to Reno to marry Novak, so they take him along and figure they'll talk him into when they get there.
This doesn't work out too well. Mainly because Keith finally snaps and decides that he is going to keep the money, and everyone better do as he says or Novak gets it. Of course, the last act is the heist, which I'll skip, except to mention that William Conrad is the casino employee they hijack.
Most of this is just fair. Novak is OK - I didn't think she was better than the picture. Keith wasn't better than the picture, but definitely brought something extra to it. He was fun as a nihilistic college philosopher, and scary as an unstable guy with a gun. Madison, who seemed to play a lot of cowboys, is good looking, but that's about it. The other two were mostly comic relief - and not bad if you like that kind of stuff.
There's some good location shooting in Reno at the end, if you want to see the biggest little city in the world in the 1950s.
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