The Duke Is Tops (1938)

In the vibrant world of the T.O.B.A. circuit, Duke Davis, a seasoned performer, pours his entire savings into backing his sweetheart, Ethel, for a road show that promises to dazzle. Their childhood dreams are within grasp, until a suave New York talent scout, Marshall, swoops in with an enticing solo offer for Ethel. Duke, driven by love and a desire to see Ethel succeed, deceives her with a counterfeit check for $5000, convincing her he's sold their shared contract to Marshall. Heartbroken yet resolved, Ethel takes the leap and ascends to stardom in New York. However, when Marshall attempts to orchestrate her performance at the prestigious Century Club, it culminates in a catastrophic flop. Simultaneously, Duke exhausts his remaining assets on a fresh show that falls flat without Ethel's charm. Finding himself at a crossroads, he aligns with Doc Dorando's medicine show, selling quack elixir with a silver tongue and reviving the show's fortunes. With a troop of entertainers in tow, including the likes of Willie Covans, The Basin Street Boys, The Cats and the Fiddle, "Rubberneck" Holmes, and Joe Stevenson, Duke begins to amass wealth. However, when news of Ethel's misfortune reaches him, he abandons his newfound prosperity, rushing back to her side. Simultaneously, Ethel learns of Duke's selfless deception from her loyal companion, Ella. Stirring a nostalgic blend of guilt and gratitude, Duke manages to convince the Century Club owner, Fenton, to give him a shot at resurrecting Ethel's career. With an elaborate show built on the foundations of a medicine show concept, he calls upon Doc Dorando and his band of entertainers for one last grand spectacle.

The Duke Is Tops is a music movie featuring Ralph Cooper and directed by William L. Nolte.

The Duke Is Tops is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Crackle, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, Public Domain Movies, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel, FilmBox+, FlixFling, MGM Plus Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Pure Flix, TCM, The Film Detective and fuboTV.

It is also possible to buy The Duke Is Tops on Amazon Video and FlixFling.