Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are silent film stars who have to pretend to be romantically involved with each other. It is decided that their silent romantic drama, The Duelling Cavalier, will be changed into a sound picture, but there is one problem - the egotistic and volatile Lina has a shrill and screechy accent! Don's ex-partner, Cosmo, suggests that the doomed film should be turned into a musical, with Don's girlfriend, aspiring actress Kathy Seldon, dubbing behind the scenes for Lina.
A happy resolution s established when the jealous Lina is exposed, and Kathy is placed in the limelight instead.