It’s Always Fair Weather

Ted Riley, Doug Hallerton, and Angie Valentine reunite at Tim's Bar & Grill after Ted receives a Dear John letter. They toast their friendship and tear a dollar into three pieces, each inscribing October 11, 1955 as their pledge to reunite. This pledge becomes the through-line of the film, anchoring the characters' futures.

In the decade after World War II, Ted chases a career as a fight promoter and gambler, drifting into underworld circles. He trades idealism for pragmatism as he navigates crooked deals and violent associates. The rift between Ted and his friends widens as their paths diverge.

Doug moves from his painter ambitions to a high-stress advertising career in Chicago. His marriage deteriorates under the strain of long hours and ambition, leaving him feeling increasingly detached. He becomes more focused on status and success than on camaraderie.

Angie pursues practicality over passion, running The Cordon Bleu hamburger stand in Schenectady with a wife and several children. He values steady earnings and family stability, mapping a contrasting life to the one he dreamed of. His dream of being a gourmet chef gives way to a more ordinary, secure path.

The three men reunite in an expensive New York restaurant on October 11, 1955. Their initial excitement gives way to discomfort as they realize they no longer share common interests or values. The scene paves the way for the evening's tensions to surface.

Seated together, they mutter regret and alienation, aware they have grown apart. The moment is underscored by the musical number 'I Shouldn't Have Come' sung to The Blue Danube, highlighting the gulf between their younger selves and present realities. It crystallizes the distance that has grown since the war.

Jackie Leighton, a brilliant advertising executive, enters the scene and suggests reuniting the trio on a television program hosted by Madeline Bradville. She recognizes the potential of the unlikely reunion to boost her own show and advances her plan accordingly. Her appearance shifts the stakes from personal reconciliation to public spectacle.

Jackie accompanies Ted to Stillman’s Gym, where she showcases boxing knowledge and flirts with boxers while the tune 'Baby You Knock Me Out' plays. The scene blends professional interest with personal chemistry, deepening Ted's sense of belonging. It marks Ted's growing entanglement with Jackie and the show's potential.

Ted refuses to fix a fight, incurring the ire of mobsters who want him under their control. He escapes by fleeing into a roller-skating rink, then skates through Manhattan, discovering a renewed sense of self as he regains his confidence. The ordeal foreshadows the public confrontation to come.

Despite their misgivings, the three ex-soldiers are persuaded to appear on the televised reunion. The mobsters track Ted into the studio, threatening the live broadcast and testing their resolve to reconnect on screen. The tension builds toward a public reckoning.

The trio fights the gangsters on live television, turning the confrontation into a cathartic victory. They trick the head mobster into confessing on air, exposing the criminals and strengthening their bond as friends. The broadcast becomes a turning point in their relationship.

The trio escapes the studio and returns to Tim's Bar & Grill, a nod to their original pledge. Doug reconciles with his wife, and the three friends pay for their final drinks, using the torn dollar as the ceremonial reminder of their vow. They reflect on how far they’ve come and what they’ve left behind.

Jackie arrives, kisses Ted, and the three friends part ways for good, without promising another reunion. The moment marks a bittersweet end to their wartime camaraderie, preserving memories while recognizing divergent futures.