In California, a Mexican-American is falsely accused of killing the farmer he was working for, after the racist farmer stiffed his immigrant employee with a bad check.

Chu Chu Ramirez is an American of Mexican decent farm laborer in California, with lofty ideals, who is very proud of his new American citizenship. During his time off, he tries to befriend the alcoholic bar girl Nancy. After working for a month for the subsistence farmer Mr. Ames and his frustrated wife, Chu Chu discovers that his paycheck bounces and Ames stalls in paying him. Just after a confrontation between Ames and Chu Chu, Ames is accidentally wounded by his own shotgun and he and his wife blame it on Chu Chu. Despite the support of his friends and sympathetic Sheriff, Chu Chu is given a year's sentence.—Will Gilbert

Chu Chu Ramirez is an itinerant American laborer of Mexican decent in central California. He believes he is living or can achieve the American dream, with his most prized possession being a letter from the U.S. President in response to one Chu Chu wrote to him, the President's letter congratulating Chu Chu on achieving his U.S. citizenship. He is also a positive person, spending his hard earned money on measures he thinks betters himself, as opposed to most of his friends who gamble away their paychecks. Chu Chu's life and his view of the American dream is affected by his direct encounters with three people. The first two are Mrs. and Mrs. Ansel Ames, a corrupt farmer for whom Chu Chu does some work, and his wife, who is not happy with her life or marriage, and has turned into a shrew in bitter acceptance of that life. Despite Mrs. Ames feigning her dislike for Chu Chu, Mr. Ames can see that she truly does lust after him. The third is Nancy Webson, a self-professed wino who is constantly drowning her sorrows for the sorry state of how her life has turned out, regardless of if she never has had any real chances. Nonetheless, Chu Chu falls in love with her. Although she eventually does fall in love with him, she may not want to saddle him with the baggage that she carries.—Huggo