Belle of the Nineties

Ruby Carter is the beautiful Vaudeville star and headliner at a nightclub in St. Louis during the early 1890s. She is romantically involved with the Tiger Kid, a prizefighter, and their relationship draws both admiration and trouble. Her growing fame sets the stage for the schemes and danger to come.

To keep the Tiger Kid focused on his training, his trainer arranges for another boxer to pretend that Ruby has been unfaithful, triggering heartbreak. The ruse causes the Tiger Kid to write a breakup letter, straining their bond. This manipulation foreshadows the complex deceit that will unfold in New Orleans.

Ruby signs a high paying contract for a residency at the Sensation House in New Orleans. The owner Ace Lamont places her in a suite adjacent to his own, drawing both fans and rivals. Her star power grows as she settles into a new city and a new circle of suitors.

Ace Lamont is immediately attracted to Ruby and resents the attention she receives from wealthier suitors. He is also romantically involved with Molly Brant, a relationship that adds tension to the power dynamic in the club. Ruby's rising profile intensifies his need to control the situation.

The Tiger Kid arrives in New Orleans and is selected as a contender in a title fight hosted by Lamont. Lamont tells him that the cost of the fight has left him financially strained and fabricates that he had given a diamond necklace to a woman who is blackmailing him. He pressures the Kid into a plan to act as a robber and steal Ruby's jewelry to solve the supposed problem.

Lamont pressures the Tiger Kid into acting as a robber to steal back Ruby's jewelry. The plan culminates in a carriage ride along a dark waterfront, where the supposed theft will seem convincing. The setup is designed to influence the fight result while keeping Ruby in the dark.

During the staged robbery, the masked Tiger Kid takes Ruby's jewelry and escapes, but he does not recognize Ruby's face in the darkness. Ruby notices that Lamont's own ring is not taken and begins to suspect a broader scheme. She later catches Lamont and the Kid meeting in the lobby and slipping upstairs, confirming her suspicions.

Ruby continues to perform at the Sensation House while setting a trap by giving Lamont other jewelry for safekeeping. She uses opera glasses to observe the safe's combination from a distance and suspects a fixed outcome. She warns her suitors to bet heavily against the Tiger Kid, hoping to reveal the truth.

The Tiger Kid fights with determination in the ring but is knocked out after thirty rounds. Lamont betrays him by providing a bottle of water at a crucial moment. The outcome appears to validate the conspiracy and weighs heavily on Ruby's cautionary plan.

After the bout, the Tiger Kid learns that Ruby had remained faithful in St. Louis, and Ruby suspects that Lamont drugged him. They reconcile as they discuss the manipulation they have endured. The moment shifts the focus toward ending the deception once and for all.

Lamont reveals a plan to burn the Sensation House and flee with the contents of his safe, taking Ruby with him. Unknown to him, Ruby has already cleared out the safe and instructed her maid to pack, anticipating the betrayal. The confrontation raises the stakes as the showdown approaches.

The Tiger Kid confronts Lamont and kills him with a single punch, ending the manipulation. Ruby, amid the chaos, accidentally lights the room on fire with a discarded cigarette. They rush to rescue Molly as flames spread and alarms ring.

Ruby and the Tiger Kid manage to rescue Molly and call the fire department as the Sensation House burns. A series of newspaper headlines appear on screen announcing that the Tiger Kid has been charged with Lamont's death and later cleared. The headlines reflect the fallout and the couple's resolve to move forward.

In the end, Ruby and the Tiger Kid marry in front of a justice of the peace, sealing their bond after the tumult. Their partnership stands as a counterpoint to the manipulation of the nightclub world and its schemes. The film closes on a note of resilience and commitment.