Plot

After being wounded by a bullet, bank robber Charlie Blake seeks shelter with his gang at his brother's mountain retreat. There he rekindles his romance with his brother's wife and reconnects with the boy he believes is his son.

During a snow storm in upstate New England, novelist Fred Blake, his wife Elizabeth and young son David are trapped inside their remote cabin in the hills. Their only contact with the outside world is their phone and a hired hand, Hank, who occasionally brings them the mail and supplies. The Blakes are surprised by the unexpected arrival of Fred's brother Charlie, gunman Benjie and blonde floozy Edna Rogers. Charlie suffers from gunshot wounds and needs immediate care. The trio had robbed a bank and are on the run from the police. The radio news reveal that bank robbers killed a bank guard and took some eighty thousand dollars. Fred is irritated about Charlie's arrival since Charlie always had problems with the law and also because he used to be Elizabeth's lover before he left her, allowing Fred to marry her. The wounded Charlie is lodged in the upstairs bedroom to recuperate. Young David, takes a strong liking to his wounded uncle, despite his parents' warning that Charlie is a no-good hoodlum. While Charlie recovers his strength, gunman Benjie pushes the Blakes around, barking orders and physically molesting the hosts. Charlie has to intervene several times to protect the Blakes but he's too weak to take on Benjie. The radio announces that roads are being cleared of snow by heavy snow-removal equipment and that plans are drawn by law enforcement to deploy in large numbers to check all areas for the whereabouts of the bank robbers. Hearing this, the trio of robbers make hasty plans to leave the Blake home and cross over the snowy mountain pass the next day. However, there is one problem. The robbers plan to take young David with them to show them the way. Panicked, Fred plans to sneak out of the cabin during the night and alert the police. In the morning, noticing Fred's absence, the robbers tie Elizabeth to a chair, grab David and leave the cabin wearing warm clothing and snow shoes. But the constant fighting between Charlie and Benjie threatens to lead to a shoot-out.—nufs68

Husband and wife Fred and Liz Blake and their now twelve year old son David Blake long ago moved to an isolated farm property in the mountains as a better environment for Fred, who suffers from chronic health problems. As Fred tries to eke out a writing career, they have hired Hank as their hand to manage the farm work. There is little outward love in their family partly because of the life they lead, but partly because of unspoken family history. Already feeling emasculated because of the situation, Fred feels less than the husband and father he wants as he believes both Liz and David look more to Hank than him for those roles, he also believing Hank having those same feelings for Liz and David in return. One winter evening while Hank is away for a few days, they receive an unexpected visit from Fred's younger brother Charlie Blake, who David does not remember, and Charlie's two "friends", Edna Rogers and a seemingly temperamental man named Benjie. Part of the unspoken past between Fred and Liz includes Liz having had a history with Charlie before Fred. Charlie has a yet untreated gunshot wound to his leg which Fred and Liz will soon learn was sustained in the three of them and another already caught associate having just carried out a bank robbery, the three now on the run with their take. The three visitors' stay at the farm will be longer than any of them would have wanted as a snow storm blows into the area. The adage of blood and water may factor into how they all end up managing the situation, especially with that blood between Charlie and David being a little closer than Fred and Liz have mentioned to him.—Huggo

After a failed robbery, a gang of criminals led by Charlie Blake hides in a secluded mountain house in New England, where Charlie's brother, unsuccessful writer Fred Blake, lives with his family. During his stay in the house, a whole tangle of contradictions and conflicts between family members, as well as complex relationships in the gang, unfolds before the eyes of the Blakes' young son.—Tango Papa