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Battling Shakespearean actors Basil Underwood and Joyce Arden perform the death scene from Romeo and Juliet , sniping at each other sotto voce between the lines.  In spite of their conflicts, they really are in love and plan to marry that evening.  Their plans change, however, when Marcia West, a member of the audience, visits Basil backstage to tell him he is her ideal man.

Her distraught fiancée, Henry Grant, begs Basil to attend a house party and act caddishly to Marcia so she will fall out of love with him.  Basil agrees, but Joyce, her marriage postponed for the twelfth time, is angry and suspicious.  At the house party, Basil's efforts to make Marcia hate him backfire, and he starts to enjoy her attentions.  Joyce arrives unexpectedly at the party and catches Basil and Marcia in a romantic moment, even though Digges, Basil's valet, has tried to warn the couple with a series of bird imitations.  For revenge, Joyce introduces herself as Basil's wife, but when even this fails to discourage Marcia, she agrees to give Basil a "divorce."

Panicked by the thought of losing the only woman he loves, Basil hurries back to his hotel, only to find Marcia there ahead of him.  Henry follows and, admitting his love for Marcia, offers to give her up if it will make her happy.  She is touched by his gesture and finally realizing that Basil is a bore, leaves gladly with Henry.  Joyce sees them in the lobby, understands that they have reconciled and happily agrees to marry Basil at last.