Biopic sobre la estrella de la música Lillian Russell, descubierta en 1890 por Tony Pastor, hasta su retiro en 1912 cuando se casó con el periodista Alexander Moore.
Vernon Castle, que se gana la vida como actor cómico de segunda fila, conoce en una playa a Irene, quien ve en él grandes aptitudes como bailarín. Ambos se enamoran y poco después se casan. Irene convence a Vernon para formar juntos una pareja de baile. Un malentendido les lleva a París, donde en realidad sólo le querían a él para interpretar un grotesco número cómico de vaudeville. La suerte, sin embargo, les sonríe de inmediato: una empresaria pone sus ojos en ellos y les hace debutar en el Café de París. Vernon e Irene triunfan por todo lo alto en el mundo de la moda. Pero estalla la guerra y Vernon siente la necesidad de alistarse.
Otto Ott owns and operates a summer garden, which is successful if only because they serve the largest beers in town for only 5¢ apiece. The problem is Otto's manager wife. Although they have been married only a year, to him it feels like an eternity. Mrs. Ott is the bane of all the waiters' existences, all of whom she fires. This situation causes a staffing problem for Otto. Otto's solution may lead to another problem for him at home, while Mrs. Ott's solution causes further problems for Otto, one which may not be entirely her fault.
Sheriff Ben Holden is in love with hotel owner Madge Malarkey when down-and-out carnival man Gabby Gilfoil shows up hoping to take her for some money. Gilfoil is mistaken for the wanted man Slippery Sawtelle. Neither suitor gets Malarkey but manage to take her husband (wealthy Simeon Trott) for a bundle.
As youths, Carl Pfeiffer and Henry Block came to America from Germany. Pfeiffer became a wholesale shoe dealer, while Block became a banker. In spite of their lines of work, they apparently save most of their energy for their unending arguments with each other. The latest dispute involves the Great War (the film takes place in the days just before America became involved).
