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Society matron Mrs. Rittenhouse is hosting a lavish party at her home on Long Island. The guest of honor is renowned explorer Captain Geoffrey (or Jeffrey) T. Spaulding, just returned from Africa. Also, the famous art collector Roscoe W. Chandler will unveil his recently acquired painting, After The Hunt, by an artist named Beaugard.
Capt. Spaulding makes a grand entrance and announces that he cannot stay and must leave immediately (singing "Hello, I Must Be Going"). Signor Emanuel Ravelli, hired to provide music for the party, arrives followed a few moments later by his "partner" the Professor.
Mrs. Rittenhouse's daughter Arabella devises a scheme for Chandler to notice her fiancé John Parker's artistic talent and sponsor him: they'll replace the Beaugard painting with an almost perfect copy of it John painted as an art student. Arabella asks Ravelli to switch the paintings. Meanwhile, another weekend party guest, the socially prominent Grace Carpenter, thinks up the very same idea with her older sister, Mrs. Whitehead, as a means of humiliating Mrs. Rittenhouse. Grace also copied the painting as an art student and asks Hives to replace the Beaugard with Grace's poor copy, unaware that they are removing John's copy.
Ravelli and the Professor run into Chandler and recognize him as "Abie the fish man", who really hails from Czechoslovakia. Later that night, a thunderstorm has put out the lights and Ravelli and the Professor attempt to replace the Beaugard. In the middle of the job, Capt. Spaulding and Mrs. Rittenhouse wander in.
During the party, the painting is unveiled. Chandler immediately notices the poor quality and realizes someone has stolen his painting. John feels discouraged, thinking the painting is still his copy. Suddenly the lights go out again, and when restored, the imitation Beaugard is missing as well.
The next day, the police arrive to search for the missing painting. John finds Grace's copy of the Beaugard and reveals to Arabella that someone else must have had the same idea to switch paintings. After getting the painting back from the Professor, John and Arabella bring it to Capt. Spaulding. The Professor is apprehended, and the three paintings are returned. Chandler momentarily mistakes John's copy for the genuine Beaugard. Realizing his talent, Chandler hires John to do a series of portraits for him. The Professor, escaping arrest, sprays the guests with a knockout substance from a Flit gun. After everyone is laid out on the floor and fully subdued, the film concludes with the Professor knocking himself out.
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