Big City Blues

In a small town in Indiana, Bud Reeves inherits $1,100 from his aunt and decides to use it to start a new life in New York City. He believes the big city offers opportunity, independence, and a chance to prove himself. The station agent agrees to look after Bud's dog Duke, but only as a loan because he expects Bud to return home soon.

Bud travels to New York City and rents a modest but spacious hotel room, beginning his new life away from home. He hopes to find work and build a better future, free from his previous limitations. Duke accompanies him, still a link to his old life and a comforting presence in the new one.

Bud meets his much older, slick-talking cousin Gibby, who immediately starts fleecing him of small sums to buy luxuries. Gibby also introduces Bud to Vida Fleet, a chorus girl, and her friend Faun, pulling Bud toward Vida and away from his cautious plans. The familial influence brings both allure and trouble into Bud's NYC dream.

Gibby purchases a large amount of liquor and champagne from a local bootlegger and arranges a wild party in Bud's hotel room. The guest list includes Vida, Faun, Jackie Devoe, several chorus girls, and three men—Stacky, Shep, and Lenny—creating an atmosphere of excess. The revelry masks brewing tensions beneath the surface of glamour and flirtation.

As the drinking continues, Shep and a very drunk Lenny quarrel over who will take the unconscious Jackie home. A fight breaks out, furniture is overturned, and lamps are broken as chaos swirls through the darkened room. Bottles fly and the room becomes increasingly dangerous as tempers flare.

When the lights come back on, Jackie lies dead on a couch, apparently struck by a bottle during the melee. Panic spreads and the guests hastily try to leave, with Vida among those slipping away. The house detective Hummel begins a careful investigation as Bud and the others confront the grim reality of the room's wreckage.

The group of partygoers flees the scene, but Bud and Vida are eventually arrested along with several others as the hotel turns into a crime scene. The sense of danger lingers as the police and staff begin their inquiries. Back at the hotel, the tension between survivors and investigators grows.

Evidence ultimately points to Lenny as Jackie Devoe's killer, and he is found dead in a closet, having hanged himself out of guilt and remorse. With Lenny's death, the immediate charges against Bud and the others begin to fade as the truth emerges. The hotel scene shifts from confusion to a grim clarity.

After the ordeal, Bud tearfully says goodbye to Vida and returns to Indiana, where Duke waits patiently at the station. The station agent even collects on a bet he made that Bud would come back, a small note of irony in the bittersweet departure. The journey marks a pause in Bud's dreams of a life in the city.

From Indiana, Bud telegraphs his intention to return to New York after earning more money, signaling that the dream of reuniting with Vida persists. The message shows Bud's stubborn resilience and his willingness to chase opportunities despite setbacks. The city remains a magnet for his hopes and ambitions.

Duke's steady presence at the station embodies Bud's enduring loyalty to home and to the dog who accompanied him on this journey. The scene underscores the contrast between Bud's stubborn dream and the grounded comfort of a simple life in Indiana. The pair share a quiet moment that sustains Bud's resolve.

The narrative closes on Bud's ongoing hope to return to New York and marry Vida, despite the obstacles he faces. The timeline moves from a naive inheritance to a charged night of crime, followed by a hopeful homecoming. Bud's outlook remains anchored in the possibility of a brighter future with life in the city ahead.