The Pay-Off

An innocent country girl who happens to have a lovely singing voice falls under the influence of a ruthless Broadway producer. At first she's dazzled by the producer's surface charm as well as those bright lights the title refers to, but eventually gets a dose of reality

A different kind of a story about a different kind of a girl---a modern, young cavewoman who whipped her way into the heart of a man who wanted to forget about love!

Lord Cyril Wimborne, a barrister, divorces his wife, Myra, and takes custody of their child, Kenyon, when he finds her name linked with the profligate Major Pollock. Myra goes into seclusion while Pollock, intending to conceal Myra's innocence, goes to Burma. A few years later Myra sees Kenyon in the park with Mrs. Debenham, a widow with designs on Wimborne. Noting the resemblance between the lady in the park (whom he calls his "princess") and a photograph of his mother, Kenyon invites Myra to dinner at a time when his father, who has curtailed the visits to the park, plans to be away. At the same time Harold Courtenay, an old family friend, sees an opportunity to reunite the estranged couple.

Richard Lane isolates himself in the African interior for 5 years after his sweetheart, Natalie, marries Norman Travers. Travers, who tires of family life and neglects his wife and son, drifts into an affair with Nita Howard, a cabaret dancer. When Travers' ship is reported lost inward from Europe, Lane hears the news and determines to return and win Natalie; soon Lane develops a fondness for Natalie and her child, Bobby, and she consents to marry him. Travers, however, is rescued from a desert island and refuses to grant Natalie a divorce. Lane finds Travers murdered; and thinking that Natalie is guilty, he surrenders himself to the police. She denies his guilt, but the chief of detectives discovers that Nita Howard is the murderess. Lane is happily united with Natalie.

A scientist named Hunter Hawk invents a device that can turn flesh to stone. While celebrating his discovery he becomes involved with a half naked leprechaun. On a trip to New York, Hunter and Meg (the leprechaun) decide to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and turn all of the Statues of Greek Gods into people. What follows in a drunken romp around New York with Medusa's severed head still in Perseus' hand.

Rich but frivolous, Cynthia and John Karslake obscure their love for each other by their constant quarreling. Cynthia grows jealous of her husband when, one day at the races, she notices Vida Phillimore, a recent divorcée, flirting with him. Using this incident to inflame all her other petty grievances, Cynthia ends up in divorce court presided over by Vida's ex-husband, Judge Phillip Phillimore.

Mary Davis, alone and destitute in New York City, pilfers a meal from a restaurant and eludes the police by ducking into the Cafe Royale, where she is shuffled along a line of aspiring chorines awaiting job interviews. In desperation, Mary agrees to impersonate Mademoiselle Fanchon, formerly of the Folies-Bergère, who has walked out on her contract. Reporter Kenneth Ward interviews Mary, believing her to be the notorious Frenchwoman, and due to a misunderstanding, she rushes wildly into his arms. When Robert Ryan, a bachelor friend of the real Fanchon, investigates Mary’s deception, she violently repels his advances and believes she has killed him. Later, the real Fanchon threatens to kill Robert. Following a series of amusing complications, Mary finds love with Kenneth.

A naïve country girl is tricked into a sham marriage by a wealthy womanizer, then must rebuild her life despite the taint of having borne a child out of wedlock.

Sassy and ambitious waitress Mary Evans amuses and befriends amiable seldom-sober Hollywood film director Max Carey when he stumbles into her restaurant. Max invites Mary to his film premiere and, after a night of drinking and carousing, Mary is granted a screen test. A studio contract follows. Just as Mary finds her dreams coming true, Carey’s life and career begins its descent.

Society matron Mrs. Livingston Baldwin Crane is selected as a juror in the trial of former chorus girl Yvette Gordon, who's accused of murdering her rich older husband. In court and during deliberations, Mrs. Crane proves to be a disruptive and unorthodox juror.

A con woman working the Atlantic City hotels targets a visiting businessman from Alabama.

Wildly optimistic chatterbox Eva Lovelace is a would-be actress trying to crash the New York stage. She attracts the interest of a paternal actor, a philandering producer, and an earnest playwright. Is she destined for stardom, or will she fade like a morning glory after its brief blooming?

Kay Arnold is a gold digger who wanders from party to party with the intention of catching a rich suitor. Jerry Strong is a young man from a wealthy family who strives to succeed as an artist. What begins as a relationship of mutual convenience soon turns into something else.

Racketeer Frank Rocci is smitten with Joan Whelan, a dancer at Texas Guinan's famous Broadway night spot. He uses his influence to help her get a starring role in the show, hoping that it will also get Joan to fall in love with him. After scoring a hit, Joan accepts Frank's marriage proposal, more out of gratitude than love. The situation gets even stickier when she falls for a handsome band leader during a trip to Florida. Can she tell Frank she's in love with someone else?

On her way to the theater, Vera, star of a Russian vaudeville troupe, is rescued from a falling girder by Eugene Foster, a wealthy broker who persists in his efforts to win the girl. Foster engages the troupe to perform at his home, and Vera, stunned by a fall, awakens to find Foster pleading his love, while Norodin, her partner who loves her, sees them embrace. Norodin, who performs an underwater stunt, asks Vera not to be present for his act and causes her to believe him dead; heartbroken, Vera tells Foster of her mistake; and enraged, he attempts to seize her. The magician appears, pins Foster to the wall with knives, and advises him to leave before the last blade is thrown.

Mammy features Al Jolson as the star of a travelling minstrel show, appearing in cities and towns across the U.S. Jolson falls in love with an actress in the troupe (Lois Moran), but she loves another (Lowell Sherman). Sherman is shot onstage as part of a comedy bit, and it is assumed that Jolson is guilty of putting the bullet in the gun.