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In turn of the century San Francisco, Tony
Angelo runs the Barbary Coast's most successful saloon, which features
his sweetheart, singer Sally Templeton.
One night, Tony is
enjoying his duties as host when a young girl named Katie Flanagan
arrives and asks for her uncle Pete. Katie, who has just gotten
off a boat from Ireland, is devastated when Sally and Tony inform her
that her uncle is dead, and becomes even more despondent when Tony
decides to send her back to Ireland on the next boat. Upon hearing
that Katie has no family left, Sally insists that she at least be
allowed to stay the night. Tony acquiesces, and soon after,
Katie's earnest charm wins his affections and convinces him to allow her
to stay for a few months while the boat first journeys to Seattle.
Katie happily settles into life at the Gold
Coast, Tony's saloon, although she insists that Tony take her to church.
Knowing that Katie is expecting a proper Catholic church, Sally
instructs Tony to take her to the fancy church on Nob Hill.
Although Katie is awed with its magnificent houses, Tony tries to
explain to her that the snobbish Nob Hill residents do not mix with
their kind. His words are disproved, however, by the friendliness
of Harriet Carruthers, the beautiful socialite who made Katie's
acquaintance on the boat.
When Harriet brings her brother Lash, who is
running for district attorney, to the Gold Coast, Sally grows uneasy
about Harriet's attentions to Tony. Sally's fears deepen after
Tony and Katie dine at Harriet's mansion and Katie tells Sally that Tony
kissed Harriet. Tony brushes aside Sally's jealousy and announces
that he is backing Lash in his election bid, despite the worries of his
fellow saloon owners, who fear that Lash will close them down.
Although Katie loves Sally, she approves of Tony's growing infatuation
with Harriet, for she wants to live on Nob Hill. Harriet's overt
flirtations drive Sally to work in another saloon, and Tony conceals the
truth about her disappearance from Katie.
Tony campaigns hard for Lash and, on the
night Lash is elected, goes to the Carruthers mansion to celebrate.
Tony's hopes for a life with Harriet are crushed, however, when Lash
offers him a large sum of money for his help and Harriet states that
while she is fond of him, their worlds will never mix. Dejected,
Tony returns to the Gold Coast, where his former friends tell him that
they will organize a boycott against him for his part in Lash's
election. Tony sinks into a drunken despair and the saloon is soon
closed.
Katie tries to reach Sally, who refuses to
listen to her and, in desperation, the child alerts Harriet about Tony's
woes. Harriet then tells Sally that Tony needs her and warns her
that if Sally does not return, she will forget her Nob Hill pride and
stand by him herself. While Katie is gone, Tony's friends return
and tell him that Lash has publicly acknowledged his help and vowed to
close down only the corrupt parts of the Barbary Coast.
Sally also returns and celebrates with Tony
but, when the reunited couple goes up to Katie's bedroom to thank her
for her interference, they discover that she has run away. Tony alerts
the police, who begin a search that forces Katie into a scary adventure
in Chinatown. When it seems that Katie has disappeared completely,
Tony realizes that she must be at the vacant lot next to Harriet's
house. He goes there with Sally and they promise the overjoyed
Katie that they will be a family forever. |
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