Starlift

Rick Williams and Mike Nolan travel to San Francisco, hoping to meet Nell Wayne, a film star performing in a glamorous musical. They try to present themselves as inseparable friends to impress her staff. Ruth Roman and Doris Day quietly help arrange a chance to meet Nell backstage.

Doris Day and Ruth Roman realize the two men don’t actually know Nell and stage a casual lunch invitation to facilitate the meeting. The ruse is lighthearted, but it becomes a genuine moment of connection. The men hope the public image of camaraderie will win Nell’s interest.

Nell arrives and, unaware of the men’s deception, tries to keep the visit brief. Doris and Ruth let the meeting proceed, sensing the awkwardness but supporting the encounter. The ice slowly starts to melt as the foursome chats.

To avoid delaying the staged front, the trio heads to Travis Air Force Base instead of dispatching Rick and Mike to Korea. The spectacle of fur coats and ball gowns against a military backdrop creates a vivid contrast. The moment marks a turning point as the men begin their military-tinged celebrity tour.

At the base transport terminal, Doris performs a number while Nell and Ruth steal a moment on the runway to kiss Rick goodbye. Nell gives Rick a charm from her bracelet as a good-luck keepsake. The performance and personal moment blend glamour with longing.

The colonel suggests greeting wounded soldiers at a hospital, and the trio heads there for a morale-boosting visit. Doris sings a medley, while Nell and Ruth support the performance. The event shifts the mood from romance to humanitarian effort.

After their base appearance, the trio returns to San Francisco to perform in What Is This Thing Called Love? The show brings glamour back to the stage as Nell, Rick, and the others entertain the audience. The routine keeps the Operation Starlift spirit alive for the home-front crowds.

An aircraft arriving at the base carries Rick and Mike, unharmed and fresh from Honolulu, debunking the Korea deployment rumor. Nell is furious about the deception, though she plays along for the gossip column. The revelation strains their romance.

That night the cast performs a morale-boosting program for the troops, singing and dancing for the assembled soldiers. The performances reflect the show’s wartime purpose and charm the crowd. The celebrity presence strengthens the morale of the servicemen.

Warner Bros. president brings additional stars to perform at the base. The Williams visit Nell's parents, and Rick's parents are there too, creating a festive family scene. After an evening out, Nell and Rick are left alone at home, quarrel over the deception, and Rick returns the charm to her.

The following morning, Rick is shipped overseas earlier than planned. Nell rushes to the base to see him, but his flight has already departed. The unresolved romance lingers as the operation continues.

The Starlift aircraft arrives carrying Virginia Mayo and Phil Harris, who perform I May Be Wrong (but I Think You're Wonderful) and Noche Caribe for the troops. Harris even loses $750 to a soldier in a Gin Rummy hand, adding a playful moment to the morale show. The celebrities boost the base’s morale amid the ongoing spectacle.

Rick's aircraft lands and he initially slips away from the hangar to avoid Nell waiting. Nell spots him in the base cafeteria and pretends to be a waitress, serving him a chocolate malt just like in his hometown. They drink the malt together, forgive each other, and grow closer again.

The next day, Nell rushes to the base to bid Rick goodbye as his final departure approaches. They share a kiss and part with renewed affection, sealing the bittersweet ending of their wartime romance. The bond between the two remains, even as distance takes them apart.