Tina Balser is a bored New York housewife-mother married to Jonathan, a pompous, social-climbing lawyer who ridicules her in front of their children, criticizing everything she does or wears. She begins an affair with George Prager, a dashing, successful, and blatantly sadistic writer.
A young man asks a hat check girl to pose as his fiancée in order to make his dying father's last moments happy. However, the old man's health takes a turn for the better and now his son doesn't know how to break the news that he's engaged to someone else, especially since his father is so taken with the impostor.
Petty con artists Slicker Smith and Herbie Brown mistakenly join the Army evading the cops. The cop chasing them winds up as their drill instructor. A rich young man and his former working class chauffeur are not only in the same unit, they're vying for a pretty girl who seems attracted to both.
A humble cantor, Oysher yearns to be an opera singer. He deserts his tiny village to pursue his dream, but when his voice breaks he sheepishly returns, resigned to attending but not singing at the Yom Kippur services. Upon his return, Oysher is informed that his son has died. Out of grief is wrought a miracle: Oysher's voice returns, more powerful than ever. After performing the Day of Atonement services, Oysher suddenly collapses, peacefully joining his son in death. If you wish to see the touching Overture to Glory, by all means seek out a decent print; many extant copies are so washed out that, not only are the English subtitles unreadable, but it's extremely difficult to tell one actor from another.