Can’t Stop the Music

Jack Morell walks away from his job at the local record store after constant insults from his boss. He lands a break DJing at Saddle Tramps, which kicks off his rise in the disco scene. This moment sets the stage for his future partnership with Sam.

Sam, a supermodel newly retired at the peak of her career, watches the crowd respond eagerly to a song she inspired. She realizes the potential to leverage the music for a deal and agrees to help Jack pursue a record contract. This encounter plants the seed for their collaboration.

Sam enlists Felipe Rose, David 'Scar' Hodo, and Randy Jones on the streets of Greenwich Village, offering dinners in return for joining. The recruitment expands as they begin performing together, laying the groundwork for a fuller act. The process marks the birth of what will become the Village People.

Sam's ex-boyfriend Steve Waits, president of Marrakech Records, reluctantly agrees to hear a demo. He contemplates rekindling their romance while weighing the music’s commercial potential. His reaction helps shape the early business path for Jack and Sam.

Brecht gives Jack drugs, creating unease as Alicia Edwards brings singing cop Ray Simpson into the fold. The quartet records a performance dubbed 'Magic Night' that showcases their improvised chemistry. The moment captures early group dynamics and the challenges they face.

Ron White, a lawyer from St. Louis, is mugged by an elderly woman while en route to deliver a cake for Sam's sister. He arrives disconcerted, his sense of security shaken. The incident foreshadows his later involvement with the evolving group.

The next day, Sam and Ron meet again; after a spill of lasagna and an awkward moment, they end up spending the night together. Ron offers his Wall Street office as a venue to hold auditions for the group. The idea of formalizing the act gains momentum.

Auditions take place at Ron's Wall Street office, where Glenn M. Hughes performs 'Danny Boy' atop a piano and Alex Briley joins the group. The lineup expands to a sextet, and Norma coins the name Village People. Ron's boss Richard Montgomery refuses to represent them, prompting Ron to quit.

Ron suggests the YMCA as a rehearsal space, and the group cuts a demo 'Liberation' for Marrakech. Steve sees limited appeal in the music and Sam declines his offer of a contract. They decide to self-finance by throwing a pay-party to fund the project.

To bankroll the project, Sam agrees to a milk advertising campaign featuring the Village People. The extravagant concept, with six little boys in archetypal costumes, is rejected by advertisers. Norma then invites the group to debut at a charity fundraiser in San Francisco.

On Steve's private jet, he prepares for a tryst, but Jack and his mother Helen arrive to negotiate a contract. Helen charms Steve and they strike a deal over T-shirt merchandising for the Japanese market. The business and romance threads braid together as the group moves forward.

In San Francisco, in the dressing room before the show, Ron proposes to Sam. Richard Montgomery reappears, seeking to rehire Ron as a junior partner for the group. The tension fuels the upcoming public performance and sets the stage for the final reveal.

Following a set by The Ritchie Family, the Village People triumphantly debut before a cheering crowd with 'Can't Stop the Music'. The moment seals their rise from a quirky concept to a pop culture phenomenon. The film culminates in this celebratory performance.