Mississippi Rhythm

1949-05-29

On board a riverboat bound for Creek City, singer Jimmie Davis, who is going to become half-owner of a land development company willed to him by his uncle, shares a cabin with traveling salesman Dixie Dalrymple. After Dixie invites Jimmie to perform in a concert he is putting on for the other passengers, Jimmie is persuaded to participate in a crooked card game run by Judge Homer Kenworthy and his associates. However, with Dixie's intervention, Jimmie wins handsomely, then accuses the gamblers of trying to cheat him. A fistfight breaks out and Jimmie beats them. When the boat docks at Creek City, Jimmie is disturbed to see Kenworthy and his cohorts welcomed by Stan Caldwell, Jimmie's uncle's partner, and Jeanette, who runs the Round-Up Saloon. Jimmie decides to take a job with the Sunshine Band, which has been booked at the saloon, in order to find out more about Caldwell. After town developer Caldwell installs Kenworthy as judge, and his associate, Samuel W. Beale, as city marshal, Jimmie discovers that his uncle was killed during a purported holdup and suspects that Caldwell was behind it. He also finds out that Caldwell has been cheating the settlers by selling them dry land and forcing them to buy water from him. Then, when they cannot pay, Caldwell forecloses and resells the land. Still not revealing who he really is, Jimmie challenges Caldwell about a claim belonging to Pop Lassiter. As a result, Caldwell tells Jeanette to pay Jimmie off, but Jimmie turns her down. After Jimmie discovers that Caldwell's men have roughed up Pop, he confronts Caldwell and reveals that he is his partner. Caldwell offers to buy Jimmie out, but he refuses to sell. Jeanette, who is falling in love with Jimmie, warns him to beware of Caldwell. As Caldwell controls the town's lawmen, Jimmie plans to incorporate the town and hold an election to fill the posts. He stages a minstrel show to enlist the support of the citizens and the judge's eighteen-year-old daughter Dorothy, who has just arrived in town, becomes part of the show. During the performance, Jimmie urges the audience to incorporate the town and elect their own officials, but is interrupted by gunfire from Caldwell's men, who try to break up the event. Jimmie tells Dorothy that her father is involved in Caldwell's crooked activities. On election day, Caldwell's men intimidate potential voters from entering the polling booth. Meanwhile, Jimmie rounds up the outlying land owners, who must then deal with barricades tha