David Shayne, a neurotic playwright, has just found a way to have his play produced. Mob boss Nick Valenti has faith that the play will bring in big bucks. Nick is a little stubborn, and demands that his wannabe actress girlfriend, bimbo Olive have a large part, but Olive is a terrible actress and a conceited moron. Above all that, David is caught in an affair with lead actress Helen Sinclair and constantly at odds with the cast and crew. Soon he finds himself taking writing tips from Olive's bodyguard Cheech, who turns out to be a great writer himself. When the cast is introduced to Cheech's rewrite (thinking it's David's) David starts getting amazing compliments. Knowing whom the real writer is, David starts to question whether or not he is a true artist.

When David Shayne and Julian have just seen Olive for the first time and are discussing putting her in the play at Nick Valenti's apartment building, the hallway which they walk down was also used in the movie The Godfather (1972) when Lucca Brasi goes to visit the Tatalia family.

Rita:
For me, love is very deep, but sex only has to go a few inches.

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Helen gives David a gift on his birthday, she calls him a Scorpio, but two scenes later it is only September 24th. The Sun does not enter the sign of Scorpio until the end of October. David is a Virgo or a Libra.

Written by Dan Russo, Ernie Erdman and Gus Kahn
Performed by Al Jolson with the Vitaphone Orchestra
Courtesy of Academy Sound and Vision Ltd.