Garden of the Moon

Rudy Vallee suffers an accident and cannot meet his engagement at the Garden of the Moon, forcing a quick replacement. Toni Blake convinces owner John Quinn to hire the young bandleader Don Vincente and keep the club’s show going. This pivotal change sets Don on a path to California and bigger opportunities.

Don and his swing band fly from New York to California for the engagement. The move marks the start of Don's big break in a new coast and a broader audience. They hope to prove themselves in a market thirsty for Swing music.

Don almost quits when he learns he must perform with a woman singer, recalling past tensions caused by female vocalists. He resists at first, fearing it could destabilize the group. Toni and Quinn push to keep the engagement alive despite his protests.

Quinn announces that he will end the engagement as soon as Vallee recovers, putting pressure on Don and the band. The studio and club atmosphere grow tense as financial and reputational stakes rise. The threat of cancellation hangs over every performance.

Quinn insists on using the woman singer, sparking a staging conflict. Don surrounds the singer with horns to shield her voice, turning the sound into a muffled blast for the audience. In response, Quinn turns off Don's microphone on cue, intensifying the power struggle.

Unfazed, Don continues to perform and even sings without amplification, earning the crowd's enthusiasm. The show maintains energy and confirms the band’s popularity despite the internal friction. Toni begins courting a sponsor who could sustain Don beyond the club dates.

Toni arranges for a chewing gum manufacturer to hear Don's broadcast, hoping to gain backing or an ongoing program. The plan hinges on a sympathetic sponsor recognizing Don's star quality. Don prepares for a potential national exposure through radio.

Quinn learns of Toni's sponsorship plan and tries to sabotage the broadcast to eliminate Don's momentum. The next day he fires Don, hoping to regain control of the Garden's act. Toni refuses to let the effort be dashed and keeps pushing for Don's career.

Toni plants a story about Don's friendship with a Maharajah to generate publicity and sponsorship interest. Don is pulled back into work as the plan unfurls, attracting wider attention. Quinn rides the royal angle, hoping to cash in on the hype.

Quinn hosts a big party for the Maharajah, inviting guests and the press. Maurice the maitre-d nearly ruins the event when he realizes the Maharajah is actually a former bad waiter. Don and Toni manage to salvage the evening and keep the momentum going.

Quinn learns the truth behind the Maharajah ruse, and Toni convinces him that revenge would make him look foolish. He agrees to let the show go on without retaliatory actions. Don's star continues to rise as the engagement remains alive.

The hotel owners want Don for twenty-six weeks, but he refuses because the gum company's offer includes a Hollywood radio program. Toni negotiates a compromise that keeps Don on the path to broader exposure. The decision marks a shift from club dates to national audiences.

Quinn asks Toni to steer Don toward the radio deal to honor obligations, and Toni persuades Don to perform the Hollywood broadcast. This move cements the new career direction while aligning the act with the club's long term interests. Don begins to see a broader stage beyond the Garden.

Don mistakenly believes Toni is in league with Quinn and quits the engagement. Quinn enlists gossip columnist Jimmie Fidler, who warns on the air that gangsters are targeting him, heightening danger. The trust between Don and Toni grows fragile as fear is amplified.

Quinn stages a fake shooting and, on his deathbed, begs Don to stay. The ruse works, and Don remains as his bandleader, with the show continuing to draw crowds. The film ends on a note of renewed swing and a stronger partnership between Don and Quinn.