Tonight or Never 1931

Nella Vargo is a Hungarian prima donna whose latest performances include singing Tosca in Venice. Although audiences praise her, her music teacher Rudig believes she cannot become the greatest opera singer in history until she performs in New York City. When she is criticized for not putting her soul into the song, she grows angry, until she suddenly notices a mysterious man walking down the street, Jim. She becomes smitten with him, until Rudig claims that he is a gigolo whose latest client is Marchesa Bianca San Giovanni, a former diva with a notorious past.

Later that night, Nella heads to Budapest, accompanied by Rudig, her butler Conrad, her maid Emma and her fiancé Count Albert von Gronac, whom she does not love. She is shocked to discover that the mysterious man is on board as well, with the marchesa as his company. The next day, Rudig announces that Fletcher, an agent for New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Opera, is in town to sign European artists. Later that afternoon, she learns that her fiancé is having an affair with one of her enemies.

Furious and upset with her love life, she hires the mysterious man, Jim, hoping to experience love and thereby impress Fletcher. She is attracted to Jim, but is afraid to have her as his admirer. Jim, who is actually Fletcher, soon learns that Nella believes that he is a gigolo. Instead of revealing the truth, he pretends to be a gigolo and forces her to make a decision: spend the night with him or leave within three minutes.

Nella decides to spend the night with Jim, but leaves the next morning before he awakes. That night, she again gives a performance of Tosca, which is acclaimed as the greatest in her entire career. After returning home, she is overjoyed to learn that she has landed a contract with the Metropolitan Opera, but feels guilty for what she had done the night before. The same day, Jim visits her, returning the necklace that she left him to pay for his services and demanding that she choose between him and the contract. When she tears apart the contract, he realizes that she is in love with him and he reveals himself to be a nephew of the marchesa and the famous talent scout. Now, Nella can have the successful New York career of her dreams.