Neptune’s Daughter 1949

Eve Barrett is a gifted aquatic ballet dancer who, at first, lets go of a partnership offer from the Neptune swimming suit company offered by Joe Backett. She’s enticed not by money alone, but by the promise of big publicity that could lift her career to new splashy heights. After weighing her options, she changes her mind, recognizing that a collaboration with Joe could turn into a dramatic showcase that dazzles audiences and potential clients alike. The pair begins to sketch out a spectacular idea for a swimming event designed to ride the wave of a coming polo match in town.

The news of a South American polo team rolling into town stirs up the social circuit, and the enthusiastic energy around the spectacle only grows. Eve shares the buzz with her sister and roommate, the vivacious Betty Barrett—a woman who is quick to leap at any chance to meet a handsome sport star. Betty, always chasing a romance, immediately starts plotting to snag one of the visiting players for a date. Into this mix rides the handsome polo captain, Jose O’Rourke, whose charm and good looks attract attention wherever he goes. Meanwhile, a bumbling masseur named Jack Spratt—who fumbles through life with good humor—finds himself caught up in the intrigue when Jose seeks relief for an injured arm.

During a chance encounter, Jose’s presence piques Betty’s curiosity, and she hopes to turn the attention toward herself. Jack, unknowingly, is mistaken for Jose in a lighthearted case of mistaken identity, and he goes along with the ruse, accepting Betty’s invitation to visit her home. On a date, Jack secretly plays a Spanish language instruction record while pretending to speak romantic Spanish to Betty, which leads to a comical misunderstanding about his supposed prowess. Eve learns of this flirtation and tries to steer Betty away from any of the visiting polo players, though she herself begins to feel a spark of attraction for Jose.

The next day, as Eve gives a factory tour of the Neptune bathing suit operation, she again crosses paths with Jose. She warns him to keep his distance from Betty, but Jose is genuinely drawn to Eve and agrees to cool his pursuit of Betty, even as he pretends to respect her wishes. He asks Eve to go on a proper date, and she reluctantly agrees, partly to avert any scandal and partly because she discovers that Jose is, in fact, charming and kind. Their evening together becomes unexpectedly pleasant, and Eve finds herself drawn to the man beneath the polished exterior.

Yet the plot thickens when Eve’s maid, Matilda, delivers a troubling message: Betty has gone on another date with Jose. Furious and confused, Eve rushes to Jose’s apartment only to find it empty and wonders why her sister would be with him. In the background, Lukie Luzette, a crooked nightclub owner, spots an opportunity to corrupt the polo match for his own gain. He learns that Jose O’Rourke is the star of the South American team and devises a plan to kidnap him to ensure his bet pays off. Lukie dispatches a henchman to seize Jose, but the plan goes awry when the kidnapping target turns out to be Jack Spratt instead.

With Jose in captivity and the match looming, Jack—still posing as Jose—finds himself thrust into a high-stakes test of skill and nerve. The polo match begins, and the real Jose remains in peril while Jack, in a twist of fate, stumbles through a surprising victory for the South American team. Police intervention soon frees Jose, just in time to reach the field and claim the trophy. The truth comes out: Jack is the impostor who has been caught up in a complicated web of deception and romance. Eve, now aware of the full picture, confronts the embarrassment of mistaken identities, but the bond between them endures.

In a warmly comic denouement, Jose reveals his genuine feelings for Eve, and she accepts his proposal—yet the romantic misunderstandings are not quite over. Betty discovers that she has found love with Jack, who has revealed his true identity only after the chaos has unfolded. The two couples—Eve and Jose, Betty and Jack—face the future with a lighthearted optimism. The story closes on a cheerful note as a double wedding is planned, bringing together the glamour of the Neptunes’ fashion world with the exuberant energy of the polo field.

“the language of love.” This playful line from a scene about Jose teaching Jack the art of wooing women lingers as a wink to the era’s breezy, affectionate humor.

• The film blends bright costumes, sunlit beaches, and spectacle footage with a lighthearted melodrama that keeps the tone buoyant even as misunderstandings mount.

• It weaves romantic entanglements with show-stopping sports action, letting the audience enjoy comedic misfires, character-driven charm, and a finale that pairs romance with celebration.

• Through Eve’s initial hesitation and eventual engagement, the story explores themes of publicity versus personal connection, and the way love can flourish when honesty and humor prevail.

• The ensemble cast, featuring memorable turns from Ted de Corsia as Lukie Luzette and Red Skelton as Jack Spratt, adds a spirited energy that keeps the plot buoyant and buoyant with wit.

The tale remains a breezy, sunlit caper about how dreams of glamour collide with real affection, and how two couples find their way to happiness under the approving glow of a double wedding, all played out against a backdrop of fashion, sport, and mistaken identities that never quite take themselves too seriously.