Director Jim Van Bebber doubles as star of Deadbeat at Dawn. The film concerns two rival criminal gangs: The Ravens and The Spiders. The leader of the Ravens is shamed into quitting by his concerned girlfriend. But the head of the Spiders isn't about to let his opposite number off the hook. He orders the girlfriend's murder, and makes certain that the Raven leader knows who's responsible. The Spiders' timing couldn't be worse: the two groups have just called a temporary truce so that they can collaborate on a security-truck robbery.