In 1927 Hollywood, a silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.

Jerry Mulligan is an exuberant American expatriate in Paris trying to make a reputation as a painter. His friend Adam is a struggling concert pianist who's a long time associate of a famous French singer, Henri Baurel. A lonely society woman, Milo Roberts, takes Jerry under her wing and supports him, but is interested in more than his art.

A young doctor falls in love with a disturbed young woman and apparently becomes involved in the death of her husband. They head for Mexico trying to outrun the law.

Night club owner Russ Vincent hires boogie-woogie dancer Betty Hannon for a spot in a South American revue headed by Lita Baron (as Isabelita.) The latter is wary of Hannon's motives, but Vincent dismisses her feelings as jealousy.

A socialite marries a prominent novelist, which spurs a violent, obsessive, and dangerous jealousy in her.