Hats Off (1936)

SYNOPSIS When twin Texas cities Bradfield and Hempstead compete for business by staging simultaneous expositions, Bradfield's event coordinator, Mr. J. D. Murdock, hires Jo Allen as his press agent to outdo Hempstead's Jimmy Maxwell. Posing as a newly-arrived schoolteacher named Judy, Jo befriends Jimmy in order to learn his exposition secrets, while her friend Mr. Churchill poses as "Jo Allen" at her request. When Jo learns that Jimmy is planning a prizefight for the Hempstead opening and expects 100,000 attendants, she contacts Broadway showman Caesar Rosero, an old friend. To meet Rosero's exorbitant costs, however, Bradfield needs the backing of local oilman Tex Connolly, who spurns the exposition as a mere "carnival." Meanwhile, Jo and Jimmy fall silently in love, and Jimmy, discovering Bradfield's plan to get Rosero to sign a contract, arranges an evening with Tex, hoping to get him to back Rosero's troupe for Hempstead. Although Jo wins Tex's backing, she resigns when Jimmy learns her true identity, because she is unwilling to rival the man she loves. Furious at Jo's duplicity, Jimmy further schemes to get Rosero for Hempstead, until Rosero, seeing that Jo is in love, promises to perform for Hempstead's exposition. On the opening night, Rosero gives Jimmy a ticket for a seat next to Jo, and they are reconciled.