Jonathan Pride is a mild-mannered dance instructor in 1820 Boston. En route to visit relatives, Jonathan is shanghaied by a band of zany pirates and forced to work as a galley boy. When the pirate vessel arrives at the port of Las Palomas, Jonathan, clad in buccaneer's garb, makes his escape. Everyone in Las Palomas, including Governor Alcalde (Frank Morgan) and fetching senorita Serafina (Steffi Duna), assumes that Jonathan is the pirate chieftain, leading to a series of typical comic-opera complications.

In the Spanish town of Magdalena live María and her sweetheart, Pancho, son of the governor. When the town is captured by brigands led by Ramírez, the governor is deposed, and Don Domingo Maticas is appointed in his place. Ramón, son of the new governor, becomes infatuated with María. She repulses him, but he is encouraged by her mother.

A man involved in a crime (Nolan) kills his key witness by mistake and resigns himself to death. He changes his name so as not to harm his family. The law is not content with his explanation, however.

An ambitious Mexican-American gets mixed up with the neurotic wife of his casino boss.

FBI Agent Kendall Gaige goes undercover on a South Seas island in order to expose the underhanded and exploitative business practices of Steve Landrau. In the course of his investigation Gaige is introduce to the Paris-educated native princess Tahia, who believes that he has arrived to save her people from poverty. A romance, of course, ensues as Gaige attempts to expose Landrau before his cover is blown.

Bradley and sidekick Sharpe are sent west to investigate the murders of pony express riders who are being killed to prevent the Spanish Land Grant papers going to Washington for registration.

A molly-coddle son of wealthy parents whose regeneration is brought about through being hit on the head and shipped off in a freight car in dress clothes. In this attire he hits a border town just at the time that his former sweetheart has been carried off on a transcontinental train by a band of Mexican bandits. He goes to her rescue, establishing his manhood when he manages to rescue her from the hands of the hold-up men.

When a leopard escapes during a publicity stunt, it triggers a series of murders.

The villainous Marsden plans to sink a ship owned by Mr. Wingate to collect the insurance money, while also hoping to win over Wingate's daughter, Marian. Suez Canal Company detective Bannister tracks the criminals through the dangerous streets of Port Said and eventually lures the culprit out by arranging a shipment of $1,000,000 in gold. Marsden accompanies Marian and Wingate on the voyage to seize the gold and the girl. Bannister sneaks aboard at the last minute to protect them.