Sing, Baby, Sing (1936) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A dismissed singer uses an improvised publicity campaign to overcome class prejudice, reputational attacks, and a last-minute attempt to stop her radio debut.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Singer Without A Stage

Joan loses her singing job and seeks professional representation. Her audition is rejected because the broadcaster considers her socially unsuitable.

Key Events

• Joan Loses Club Job — Joan is fired from her singing job at the Ritz Club. Characters: Joan Warren, Himself Location: Ritz Club
• Agent Office Eviction — Joan seeks representation while the agent faces eviction from his office suite. Characters: Joan Warren Location: Theatrical agent's office
• Rejected Radio Audition — Joan auditions but is rejected because she is not considered upper class. Characters: Joan Warren Location: Federal Broadcasting Company
• Farraday Found Drunk — A crowd gathers around the drunken actor Bruce Farraday. Characters: Bruce Farraday Location: Street outside the club

The Staged Romance

A drunken Farraday is taken to a hospital, where a publicity plan turns Joan into Juliet and Farraday into Romeo. A staged visit and covert photograph create a sensational story.

Key Events

• Farraday Found Drunk — A crowd gathers around the drunken actor Bruce Farraday. Characters: Bruce Farraday Location: Street outside the club
• Last Club Performance — Farraday orders a feast and hears Joan perform her last song at the club. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday Location: Ritz Club
• Farraday Taken To Hospital — After passing out, Farraday is taken to a hospital and babbles Shakespeare lines. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Al Craven Location: Hospital
• Romeo And Juliet Publicity — Joan is cast as Juliet to Farraday's Romeo to create publicity. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Al Craven Location: Hospital
• False Physician Scheme — Al impersonates Farraday's personal physician and removes the doctor from the case. Characters: Al Craven, Bruce Farraday Location: Hospital
• Hospital Photograph — Joan visits Farraday while a reporter and photographer photograph them from the fire escape. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Ted Blake Location: Hospital fire escape
• Farraday Returns Home — Al accompanies Farraday home, where Farraday questions the supposed physician arrangement. Characters: Al Craven, Bruce Farraday Location: Farraday's home

Fame Brings A Contract

The newspapers publish the hospital story, and Joan receives a conditional radio opportunity. The group moves into Madison Towers while Farraday's family and business obligations threaten the plan.

Key Events

• Farraday Returns Home — Al accompanies Farraday home, where Farraday questions the supposed physician arrangement. Characters: Al Craven, Bruce Farraday Location: Farraday's home
• Newspapers Publish Story — The publicity story appears in newspapers and attracts broadcasting interest in Joan. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Ted Blake Location: Newspaper offices
• Conditional Radio Offer — The broadcaster offers Joan a contract on condition that Farraday also performs. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday Location: Federal Broadcasting Company
• Madison Towers Home — The group settles into a new home at Madison Towers. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Al Craven Location: Madison Towers
• Hollywood Return Announced — The group learns that Robert wants Farraday to return to Hollywood. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Madison Towers
• Business Advice Given — Farraday is encouraged to prove his business judgment by securing the radio contract. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Farraday's residence

Reputation In Peril

Robert attacks Joan's reputation and takes Farraday toward California. The broadcaster abandons Joan, leaving her dependent on a newspaper-backed attempt to correct the story.

Key Events

• Business Advice Given — Farraday is encouraged to prove his business judgment by securing the radio contract. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Farraday's residence
• Joan Branded Gold Digger — Robert labels Joan a gold digger and escorts Farraday onto a California-bound train. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Train station
• Contract Offer Withdrawn — The broadcaster withdraws interest in Joan after Robert's damaging statement. Characters: Joan Warren Location: Federal Broadcasting Company
• Flight To Kansas City — Ted's newspaper flies Joan to Kansas City to meet Farraday's train. Characters: Joan Warren, Ted Blake Location: Airplane

The Kansas City Broadcast

Joan and Ted intercept Farraday in Kansas City and arrange a broadcast with additional performers. Robert briefly traps Farraday, but Farraday escapes, clears Joan on air, and secures the contract.

Key Events

• Flight To Kansas City — Ted's newspaper flies Joan to Kansas City to meet Farraday's train. Characters: Joan Warren, Ted Blake Location: Airplane
• Train Departure Trick — Joan and the others trick Robert into leaving Kansas City without Farraday. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson, Ted Blake Location: Kansas City train station
• Kansas City Broadcast Planned — The group arranges a broadcast and gathers performers, including the Ritz Brothers. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Ted Blake, Himself Location: Kansas City broadcast station
• Farraday Locked Away — Robert locks himself in a hotel room with Farraday to prevent the broadcast. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Hotel room
• Farraday Escapes — Farraday escapes from the locked hotel room and races to the station. Characters: Bruce Farraday, Robert Wilson Location: Hotel
• Joan Exonerated On Air — Farraday reaches the broadcast, clears Joan, and secures her radio contract. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday, Ted Blake Location: Kansas City broadcast station
• Career Opportunity Secured — Joan's reputation and broadcasting opportunity are restored. Characters: Joan Warren, Bruce Farraday Location: Kansas City broadcast station

Story Breakdown

• Joan Loses Her Stage — Joan's dismissal forces her to seek new professional representation.
  • Ritz Club Dismissal — Joan is fired from her singing job at the Ritz Club.
  • Failed Radio Audition — A broadcaster rejects Joan because she is not considered upper class.
• Farraday Enters The Scheme — Farraday's drunken collapse gives the group an opportunity to create publicity.
  • Drunken Actor Found — Farraday is discovered surrounded by a crowd and brought inside the club.
  • Hospital Transfer — Farraday passes out and is taken to a hospital.
• Romeo Juliet Publicity — A fabricated theatrical romance is used to attract newspaper attention.
  • Staged Hospital Visit — Joan is presented as Juliet visiting Farraday as Romeo.
  • Fire Escape Photograph — A reporter and photographer capture the staged meeting from outside.
• The Conditional Contract — The publicity succeeds, but Joan's opportunity depends on Farraday's participation.
  • Newspaper Sensation — The staged story is printed and generates professional interest.
  • Broadcasting Offer — Joan is offered a contract if Farraday performs as well.
• Robert Attacks Joan — Robert's intervention threatens both Joan's reputation and the radio opportunity.
  • Hollywood Departure — Robert escorts Farraday onto a train bound for California.
  • Gold Digger Accusation — Robert tells the newspapers that Joan is a gold digger.
• Kansas City Last Stand — Joan's supporters move the contest to Kansas City for a decisive broadcast.
  • Train Interception — The group tricks Robert into leaving without Farraday.
  • Final Broadcast — Farraday escapes confinement, clears Joan on air, and secures her contract.

Directed by

Sidney Lanfield

Key Cast

• Alice Faye — Joan Warren
• Adolphe Menjou — Bruce Farraday
• Gregory Ratoff — Nicholas K. Alexander
• Patsy Kelly — Fitz
• Ted Healy — Al Craven