Nice Girl?

The busybody postman Hector delivers mail to the Dana household and to Cora, the maid he loves. He is known for reading other people's mail, which gives him a window into the Danas' daily life. His unrequited affection quietly frames the family dynamics as the plot begins.

Richard Calvert visits the Danas to study Professor Dana's rabbit experiments. The three daughters are instantly enamored with him, each trying to impress him. Jane even enters singing to the rabbits, while the father continues his diet experiments.

During a Fourth of July celebration, the Danas come together with the town for a festive gathering. Oliver Dana gives a patriotic speech to the crowd. The family performs together, with Jane singing while the others accompany on piano.

Don lends Jane his car to take Richard to the train station, but she decides to drive to New York instead. In New York, she changes into Richard's sister's clothes and plays a song on the piano, while Richard realizes she is not truly becoming a different person, just playing a game. On the way back, the car runs out of gas and Jane returns to town in a panic, waking up the neighborhood and fueling rumors.

Rumors swirl about Jane's behavior and engagement, and she bolts herself in her room to escape the gossip. A telegram from Richard arrives for her father, keeping the thread of their relationship in the air. The family turmoil deepens as the truth feels elusive.

Jane attends a benefit for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and performs a heartfelt number. The audience congratulates her as if she and Richard are engaged, an assumption she does not yet understand. Don tries to comfort her, insisting the engagement talk is nonsense.

Don tells Jane that the supposed engagement is nonsense and that Richard wouldn't pursue her. His casual reassurance clashes with Jane's confusion and growing frustration. The tension between honesty and rumor further fragments their perspectives.

Feeling cornered by the rumors, Jane declares to Don that she is actually engaged to Richard. Don storms off in anger, leaving Jane to grapple with the consequences of the revelation. The moment marks a pivotal fracture in their relationships.

Oliver and Richard arrive at the benefit and congratulate Professor Dana, but he is confused, thinking they are congratulating him for a fellowship rather than his daughter's engagement. The scene underscores the miscommunication driving the romantic misunderstandings.

Jane intercepts Richard's arrival and tells him that everyone believes they are engaged. They pretend to have a big quarrel in front of the crowd so they can break the supposed engagement and restore the status quo. The act resolves the immediate social pressure with a dramatic display.

Don has enlisted in the army, marking a new turn in the love triangle and the family’s concerns for safety and duty. Jane travels to see him and explain what happened, seeking some resolution amid uncertainty. The move intensifies the emotional stakes for both of them.

Don tells Jane that his feelings are real and they share a kiss off-screen, signaling a quiet, unresolved romance beneath the social upheaval. The moment shifts their relationship toward a private, unspoken connection.

Jane goes to a bandstand at the Army base and sings the song Thank You America for the crowd. Her performance serves as a patriotic close to the story and marks a personal moment of grace amid the drama. The audience responds with warmth, tying the loose ends of the narrative together.