The stooges are stage hands who also have small parts in a big play. They quickly get on the bad side of the producer. First they fail to prevent a famous critic from sneaking into the audience. Then Shemp accidentally adds a pot holder into a cake they bake as a prop. During the play the stooges (as southern gentlemen) and the rest of the cast spit up feathers during what was supposed to be a serious scene. The critic thinks it’s a hilarious satire and the boys are redeemed.

While listening to a recording of Penny Serenade, Julie Gardiner Adams (Irene Dunne) begins reflecting on her past. She recalls her impulsive marriage to newspaper reporter Roger Adams (Cary Grant), which begins on a deliriously happy note but turns out to be fraught with tragedy.