Rumba 1935

In Havana, Cuba, the American dancer Joe Martin [George Raft] holds a winning lottery ticket, but the very same number belongs to Diana Harrison [Carole Lombard], a wealthy socialite. When Joe discovers his ticket is counterfeit, he miss the prize, and Diana, moved by his misfortune, offers to back him in his own nightclub venture—only to pull back after he makes a bold move to seduce her.

Joe returns to his hometown during a lively fiesta and unexpectedly falls in with the rumba, a dance that excites him and sparks a fresh ambition. With the support of a Texan financier and the steady guidance of Lynne Overman as Flash, his manager, Joe sets out to build a new nightclub and to bring the rumba to a wider audience. He then dances the rumba with Carmelita [Margo], and the routine quickly achieves a brisk, magnetic success that crowds can’t resist.

Diana attends the opening night with her boyfriend Hobart Fletcher [Monroe Owsley], and when she shares the dance floor with Joe, the spark between them grows into something deeper. Yet Carmelita steps in to drive a wedge between the two lovers, complicating their burgeoning romance.

Back in New York, Diana learns that Joe left the city because he possessed evidence that could send a notorious gang member to prison. Diana ends things with Hobart, and Joe, after learning of her decision, signs with a Broadway producer and returns to the big stage. He faces threats from gangsters but decides to perform anyway, trusting in the power of the show. Carmelita faints from fear, yet Diana steps up and joins Joe for the rumba on stage. The performance turns into a spectacular success, and the supposed gangster threats are revealed to be a publicity stunt that only amplifies the show’s appeal.