That Night With You (1945)

Stars:

Franchot Tone, Susanna Foster, David Bruce

Penny Parker, a struggling singer, works as a waitress for her fiancé Johnny, the owner of a small diner. On their way to the market, she tells him about her latest dream, in which noted Broadway musical producer and playboy Paul Renaud gives her the lead in his new production. Although Johnny discounts the dream as wishful thinking, Penny sees it as a premonition. That night, Clarissa, Paul's leading lady, refuses to take the stage because he has failed to keep his promise to marry her. Sneaking backstage, Penny learns that Paul was once briefly married as a young man, so she decides to pretend to be his long-lost daughter, Penelope. Although he is not taken in by her ruse, Paul moves Penny into the apartment next door to Sheila Morgan, his personal secretary, and acts the part of an overly affectionate father. Despite his amorous advances, Penny continues to try to sell Paul her idea of a new show using modernized classical music. Later, Paul takes Penny to a party, where the guests, as a practical joke on the producer, pretend to see a strong family resemblance between the two, leading Paul to question Polly's paternity. Soon thereafter, Johnny learns where Penny is living, and rushes over to Paul's apartment and jealously punches the producer in the nose. After their tempers cool, Johnny convinces Paul to call Blossom Drake, his ex-wife, to check Penny's story. Blossom shows up that afternoon, and to the shock of all, supports Penny's story. In private, however, she tells the young girl her real motive for coming: to revitalize her own career. "Mother" and "daughter" quickly become bitter rivals for the lead in Paul's next show, going so far as to put on an exhibition of dueling sopranos in the middle of a nightclub. Despite her obvious talent, Johnny tries to convince Penny to give up her career, marry him and bear him six children. Paul and Blossom then announce that Blossom is to debut in Paul's new show, after which they will marry. They also tell their "daughter" that they have decided not to allow her to pursue a career on the stage. Blossom's plan goes asunder, however, when her husband Wilbur arrives in New York and exposes the entire deception. After he also informs Blossom that she is pregnant, the couple quickly return to their home in Los Angeles. Still feeling paternal toward Penny, Paul takes her to a remote mountain lodge in hopes of frightening her back into Johnny's arms, only to have his honorable intentions disappear during an embrace. Johnny and Sheila arrive in the nick of time, but when Penny rejects the overly possessive Johnny, the smitten Paul proposes and an angry Penny accepts. The two plan a holiday marriage, only to have six orphans arrive, via Johnny, on Christmas. The wedding is thus postponed long enough for Penny to realize her motherly instincts and return to Johnny. Penny gets the best of both worlds by starring in Paul's musical and marrying Johnny, while the producer marries Sheila and adopts a young orphan, Bingo.