Pal Joey

Joey Evans, a womanizing nightclub singer, is thrown out of town for romancing the mayor’s underage daughter, and forced to board a train to San Francisco. There, he reconnects with his friend Ned Galvin, a band leader for the Barbary Coast Club. When the nightclub’s emcee fails to appear, he steps in and is hired on the spot by Mike Miggins, the nightclub owner.

Later that night, Ned lands another gig at a children’s charity event in Nob Hill, and brings Linda English, a naïve chorus girl, along. The event falls short of its intended fundraising goal, in which Joey has the attendees raise thousands to have Vera Simpson, a widowed socialite and former striptease dancer, perform a routine. Later that night, Joey and Ned escort Linda to her rooming house, where the landlady promptly has Joey share an apartment with Linda, to which he agrees.

Over time, Joey and Linda bond, and she persuades him to purchase a white terrier, naming him Snuffy. At the nightclub, Joey reconnects with Vera and the two flirt. Vera then leaves without paying, and Mike fires Joey. However, Joey strikes a deal: if he can convince Vera to return to the nightclub by Saturday, he can keep his job and get a pay raise.

Joey arrives at Vera’s mansion, and informs her that he has been fired because of her and intends to leave for New York. However, Vera makes an impromptu appearance at the nightclub where Joey performs a number. Joey and Vera leave the nightclub, and she takes him aboard her yacht. There, Joey reveals his ambition to open his own club named “Chez Joey” in Nob Hill and wants Vera as his sponsor. She agrees, kisses Joey, and wakes up the next morning in love.

Joey returns to his rooming house, and tells Linda about his plans for his new nightclub. Soon after, he hires Ned and the chorus girls from the Barbary Coast Club, with Linda hired as a featured singer. Vera, who is jealous for Joey, demands that he fire Linda. Joey persuades Linda to perform as a strip dancer, and lies to Vera claiming Linda has quit.

That same night, while Vera entertains attendees at her mansion, Joey and Linda are together aboard the yacht until she passes out drunk. The next morning, Linda wakes up ashamed of her behavior, and thanks Joey for not taking advantage of her. She evidently agrees to perform a striptease, and rehearses the number before opening night as Vera walks in, and as the staff looks on. Embarrassed for her, Joey halts the number and comforts Linda in her dressing room. Vera calls Joey in, and demands he fire Linda for good. Joey however refuses, and Vera decides to close the nightclub.

Linda meets with Vera and persuades her to open the nightclub as planned. Vera agrees to open the club on the condition Joey marries her, but Joey rejects the offer. He returns to the nightclub imagining what could have been, and prepares to leave for San Francisco. Before he does, Linda catches up with him, and the two decide to perform together as an act.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:46