A modern love story is the framework for a costume love story, based on Boccaccio's "The Falcon."

John R. Bradley, a wealthy ship builder, seeks a title for his daughter, Miriam. Mr. Bradley introduces Baron de Coverly, a fortune hunter to Miriam. The baron becomes an ardent suitor and after a short courtship Miriam consents to be his wife. They start for a long cruise on Mr. Bradley's new schooner, Carpathia. Captain Hastings is taking his son, Gilbert, a rising young artist, on the cruise. Miriam and Gilbert become friends and the jealousy of the baron is aroused. During a drunken frenzy the baron sets fire to the schooner.

This whodunit bears no relation to the 1918 picture of the same name, but both films coincidentally had the same director, Tom Terriss. When sleazy theatrical agent Maurice Beiner (Arthur Donaldson) is found stabbed to death in his office, just about everybody is a suspect -- there's aspiring actress Clancy Deane (Eileen Huban), who was one of the last people to see him alive, and Sophie Carey (Alma Rubens) who knows he has some love letters she wrote to Judge Walbrough (George MacQuarrie) before she married her alcoholic husband, Don (Henry Sedley). Or is it Marc Weber (Norman Kerry), who had a falling out with Beiner, or Weber's devoted wife, Fay (Ethel Duray)?

John Howland travels to the frozen North to build a branch of the Hudson Bay Railroad. There he meets and falls in love with Meleese Thoreau who warns him that her three bloodthirsty brothers, Max, Pierre and François, have sworn vengeance against a man named John Howland, the son of a man who killed their mother, and that torture and death await him along the route to his station.

General Wolfe, appointed commander of the expedition against Quebec, comes to bid his mother goodbye. Before sailing, the general calls upon his sweetheart, Katherine Lowther. She presents him with a locket containing a miniature of herself. Wolfe places the jewel on a chain about his neck. Mignon Mars and her brother, Hubert, of a Canadian family, are captured by a body of men attached to the Royal Americans. Lieutenant Arleigh, the officer in charge, secures their release. Mignon loses her heart to the young officer. General Montcalm arrives at Quebec and takes command of the French forces.

Paul, a blind basket weaver, plies his trade at a small seaside village. Anna, a cripple, is madly in love with the handsome young man. He does not know of her deformity and Dolly, who also loves him, is too tender-hearted to tell.

John Dickson, millionaire candidate for mayor, is in love with Dora Malcom, a society girl. He finds, however, that she is engaged to marry Frank Stevens. He hides his grief and promises to be best man at the wedding.

Tony Vallenci, just over from Italy, is offered a job by Pietro Valli, an unscrupulous padrone. Ignorant of American money, Tony signs a contract calling for a wage of sixty cents a day. He goes to work in a quarry owned by Dodge. The following day Tony is knocked down by an auto containing Mrs. Dodge. He is uninjured, but the kind lady takes him to his home.

Old Lace is a 1931 Musical short.