Janie (Joan Crawford) lives to dance and will dance anywhere - even in a Burlesque theatre. Rich playboy Tod Newton (Franchot Tone) discovers her and lands her a part in a Broadway musical, directed by a friend of his, Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable). Tod thinks that he can get what he wants from Janie, while Patch believes she is using her charms, and not her talent, to get to the top. Meanwhile, Janie is finding herself more and more attracted to Patch...