Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s: Ponyboy and his friend Johnny, both members of the teenage gang "Greasers", flirt with the pretty Cherry Valance. However, this does not go unnoticed by their friend Bob, who is himself part of a gang, the "Socs". Violent arguments quickly arise between the Greasers, who come from poor backgrounds, and the rich kids of the West Side, the Socs, in which Bob is accidentally stabbed. The boys are forced to hide in order not to be arrested. Soon, Ponyboy and Johnny, along with Dallas and their other Greaser buddies, have to deal with the consequences of their violent lives.