Top Hat 1935

While residing in a London hotel alongside his English theatrical backer, Horace Hardwick, American musical revue star Jerry Travers inadvertently awakens his downstairs neighbor, Dale Tremont, with his incessant tap dancing. Instantly captivated by the furious Dale, Jerry, undeterred by her initial coldness, showers her with flowers every day. His bold moves escalate when he decides to pose as a hansom cab driver, delivering her to her riding lesson in the park, where they share a romantic moment in a pavilion during an unexpected rainstorm.

However, Dale’s newfound joy is abruptly disrupted when she mistakenly concludes that Jerry, whose name she does not yet know, is the husband of her matchmaking friend, Madge Hardwick. Despite her longing to return to America, she is persuaded by her devoted Italian dressmaker, Alberto Beddini, to accept an invitation from Madge to join her in Italy. Before departing, Dale encounters Jerry at the hotel, impulsively slapping him without explanation. Concerned that this slap may cause a scandal, the hotel management cautions a baffled Horace, who in turn blames his contentious valet Bates for the mishap.

After receiving a telegram from Madge indicating that Dale is heading to the Lido in Venice, a thrilled Jerry rushes through his London show and flies to Venice with Horace, completely unaware that Dale has confided in Madge about her husband’s inappropriate advances toward her. In Italy, Jerry remains perplexed by Dale’s changing emotions, while Horace finds himself equally confused by Alberto’s alarming threats. At the hotel nightclub, Dale is encouraged by Madge to dance with Jerry, not realizing that Dale has misidentified Jerry, the man Madge is hoping she will marry, as Horace.

The situation escalates when Jerry proposes to Dale, receiving yet another slap in return. Meanwhile, Madge, whose initially lighthearted reaction to Dale’s concerns about Horace quickly turns tumultuous, punches her husband in the face. Heartbroken and despondent, Dale is swept off her feet by Alberto, leading her to accept his proposal of marriage. The following day, Jerry discovers that Dale has wed, prompting him to resort to his tap dancing tricks from London to secretly arrange a meeting with her.

As fate would have it, Dale eventually learns Jerry’s true identity while they are cruising together in a gondola, but the vengeful Alberto is hot on their trail, chasing them across the picturesque canals. In a twist of fate, Bates reveals that he had impersonated a clergyman and officiated Alberto and Dale’s wedding. Now free to choose, Dale joyfully accepts Jerry’s proposal and, back in the nightclub, they dance together with uncontainable happiness, reveling in their love across the dance floor.