Flirtation Walk 1934

Dick ‘Canary’ Dorcy, Dick Powell, is an enlisted man in the United States Army stationed in the Hawaiian Islands, where he shares a contentious but friendly rapport with his sergeant, Scrapper Thornhill. When General Fitts visits the post with his daughter Kit Fitts on their way to Manila, Dick is assigned to drive her to a reception that evening. Falling under the spell of a moonlit night, Kit and Dick attend a luau instead, and he sings “Aloha ‘Oe.” They are discovered in each other’s arms by Scrapper and Lieutenant Biddle, who is also in love with Kit. Biddle accuses Dick of ruining Kit’s reputation and forcing her to accompany him off post. Dick decides to desert. Scrapper begs Kit to reconcile with Biddle.

To prevent Dick from deserting, Kit tells him that she was responding to a crazy impulse and that he means nothing to her. Stung by her words, and Biddle’s condescending statement that > if you were an officer and a gentleman, you’d understand, < Dick decides to compete with Biddle as an equal and applies for admission to the United States Military Academy. He is accepted and fares very well, to Scrapper’s delight. In his first year, Dick becomes a first captain and General Fitts is appointed the academy’s superintendent, with Biddle as his aide. While most of his classmates are infatuated with Kit, Dick is cold to her. He is unhappy when the men insist that she participate in the traditional Hundredth Night theatrical performance that he is to direct.

Dick writes a comedy about a female general with a message directed at Kit. After the first rehearsal, Kit walks with Dick on Flirtation Walk and tries to explain why she told him that she was not in love with him. Dick is too angry to listen to Kit, but during their on-stage love scene kisses her, and she admits that she loves him. Near graduation, General Fitts announces Kit’s engagement to Biddle, and Dick is confused. He visits her at night in an attempt to dissuade her from marrying Biddle. He is caught by Biddle and agrees to resign from the academy to protect Kit’s name. Scrapper arrives to see Dick graduate and is disappointed to learn of his resignation. The day is saved when Biddle tells Dick that his resignation was not accepted and that Kit returned his ring, wishing him good luck. Dick graduates as a happy man.