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In 1922, aspiring composer Kenneth Harvey travels
from the Midwest to Greenwich Village, NY, where he hopes to interest famed
composer Kavosky in his concerto. Kenneth wanders into a speakeasy owned
by the brash Danny O'Hare, who wants to put on a musical extravaganza showcasing
his singing sweetheart, Bonnie Watson. Danny hopes that the show will make
Bonnie a star and make up for the fact that he cost her an opportunity of
playing a leading role for Ziegfeld. Danny's other main entertainer,
Princess Querida, mistakenly assumes that Kenneth is rich, although the few
hundred-dollar bills he innocently flashes are the extent of his traveling
money.
Danny immediately targets Kenneth as a chump and
begins to get friendly with him, but Bonnie disapproves and allows Kenneth to
escort her home. At her apartment, Bonnie confesses that when she came to
Greenwich Village, she had aspirations to become a poet, and advises Kenneth to
be more careful about displaying his money. Danny, jealous of Kenneth and
Bonnie's obvious attraction to each other, brings the gang up to Bonnie's
apartment for a party, and Kenneth plays some of his concerto for them.
The next morning, Danny arranges for Kenneth to move
to the top floor apartment and begin writing songs for their show, although
Bonnie stipulates that music from Kenneth's concerto must be withdrawn from the
show if Kavosky likes it. Meanwhile, Hofer, a former violinist with
Kavosky's orchestra, persuades the maestro to hear Kenneth play, which Kavosky
reluctantly does to get rid of Hofer. Hofer then lies to Kenneth, telling
him that Kavosky wants to perform his concerto at Carnegie Hall, and that they
should begin the orchestrations immediately. Kenneth works hard on his
music, which he withdraws from Danny's show, even though Bonnie has already
written the lyrics.
Danny is infuriated, especially when he sees Bonnie
and Kenneth kiss, but Bonnie is thrilled by Kenneth's seeming good fortune.
Unknown to Bonnie, Danny, who continues to rehearse the numbers using Kenneth's
music, is aware of the situation when Hofer swindles Danny out of his life
savings, which Hofer says is the down payment on the musicians' wages for the
Carnegie Hall performance. Hofer disappears with the money, and Kenneth
discovers his treachery after speaking to the surprised Kavosky.
The heartbroken Kenneth is on his way home when he
sees Hofer returning the money to Danny, who has realized that Bonnie is truly
in love with Kenneth. The young composer misunderstands the situation and
assumes that Danny and Bonnie were in on the swindle. While Kenneth is
angrily packing, Querida questions him and learns of his misapprehension.
She then gets him arrested by giving him some bootleg liquor to carry and, while
Kenneth languishes in jail, Danny, Bonnie and the others step up their
rehearsals and prepare to open the show.
On opening night, Danny's right-hand man, Brophy,
bails Kenneth out of jail, and the irate composer rushes over to the theater to
confront Danny. As he watches from the audience, Kenneth is amazed to see
Kavosky conduct his concerto, which has been turned into an elaborate number
featuring Querida and Bonnie. Kenneth rushes backstage, where Danny
reveals that Kavosky volunteered his services after learning of the swindle
perpetrated by Hofer. Danny also advises Kenneth to make up with Bonnie
and, after her final number, Kenneth embraces her in the wings.
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