What’s Cookin’? (1942) Plot Summary Explained

Marvo the Great is forced to sell his clothes because the troupe of young performers at Mrs. Murphy's theatrical boarding house cannot pay their rent. When the landlady catches them planning to sneak away, Marvo steps in to raise the money needed to cover the back rent and prevent the group from being kicked out.

• marvo the great
• rent
• boarding house
• clothes sold

Agatha Courtney is a devotee of classical music and complains that the WECA radio station primarily plays classical tunes. Her preference for symphonic orchestra music puts her at odds with her husband J.P.'s desire to modernize the station with swing music, creating the central conflict that drives the plot.

• agatha courtney
• classical music
• swing music
• radio station
• professor bistell

The connection happens through Sue Courtney, a wealthy young woman who visits Anne Payne's apartment and meets the boarding house group there. Anne, a former resident of Mrs. Murphy's boarding house, now works at WECA radio station. Sue becomes interested in joining their group and later helps recruit them to perform swing music for her uncle J.P. Courtney's radio station.

• sue courtney
• anne payne
• boarding house
• courtney estate
• connection

Bob Riley is an advertising counselor working with the Courtneys, but his support for the swing music initiative stems from more than professional interest. When he meets Anne Payne at the radio station during the swing music project, he immediately falls in love with her, adding a romantic subplot to the professional collaboration.

• bob riley
• anne payne
• romance
• swing music
• advertising

Sue Courtney develops romantic feelings for Tommy, a young performer with the boarding house group. His talent and the hopeful energy he embodies attract Sue, adding a personal dimension to the social and musical collaboration between the performers and the Courtney family.

• sue courtney
• tommy
• romance
• performer
• boarding house

Professor Bistell leads the symphonic orchestra that currently performs on the Courtney-sponsored radio show. J.P. Courtney wants to modernize the program with swing music, but his wife Agatha supports keeping Bistell's classical orchestra. The group plots to sabotage Bistell to clear the way for the swing-filled sound they want to introduce.

• professor bistell
• symphonic orchestra
• radio show
• swing music
• sabotage

Anne Payne is a former resident of Mrs. Murphy's theatrical boarding house who now works as a singer at WECA radio station, performing alongside acts like the Andrews Sisters and Woody Herman and His Orchestra. When her former housemates visit the station, she becomes the link that connects the struggling performers with the opportunity to bring swing music to a wider audience.

• anne payne
• weca radio
• boarding house
• andrews sisters
• woody hermant

The young performers at Mrs. Murphy's theatrical boarding house discover they cannot afford to pay their rent. In desperation, they secretly plan to slip away and avoid their financial obligation. However, their escape attempt is interrupted when the landlady catches them, leading to Marvo's decision to sell his clothes to cover the debt.

• rent trouble
• boarding house
• escape plan
• mrs. murphy
• performers

The group schemes to sabotage Professor Bistell's symphonic orchestra so they can introduce swing music to the Courtney-sponsored radio show. Sue Courtney proposes recruiting her new friends from the boarding house to create swing music, and Bob Riley sees this as an opportunity to help modernize the station's programming while pursuing his romantic interest in Anne.

• swing music
• sabotage
• classical music
• radio show
• plot
• courtney