Bright Lights 1930

Successful actress Louanne, Dorothy Mackaill, is giving her last performance before she retires to marry a rich man instead of the man she really loves, Wally Dean, Frank Fay. As reporters interview her, she tells a false story but remembers her troubled past through flashback sequences.

Louanne is shown as a dancer at a low-class café where Portuguese smuggler Miguel Parada, Noah Beery, attempts to force his attentions on her. With a riot about to start, she escapes with Wally. Another flashback shows Wally as a barker at a carnival with Louanne as a dancer. Wally again saves her from an imminent riot. Back in the present, Louanne continues to lie to the reporters and tell them about her genteel background.

Fish, Frank McHugh, one of the reporters, does not believe her story but says nothing. When Louanne returns to the stage to resume her performance, Miguel Parada is in the audience, and visits her dressing room because he has some “unfinished business” with her. Louanne is shocked to find him there.

Wally soon appears and pretends that he has a gun in order to intimidate Miguel. He pretends to give the gun to Connie Lamont, James Murray, because he must take the stage. While Connie is guarding Miguel, a fight erupts and Miguel reveals that he has a real gun. In the struggle for the gun, Miguel is shot and killed.

When the police arrive, Wally tries to convince them that Miguel committed suicide to save Louanne from a scandal before her marriage. Louanne’s friend Peggy also lies in order to save her. The police remain unconvinced until Fish also provides false testimony that he saw Miguel pull the trigger. Louanne is cleared and realizes that she really loves Wally. She cancels her engagement to her rich fiancé Emerson Fairchild, Philip Strange, and is united with Wally.