Engineer and inventor Robert Fulton comes to New York City in 1807, where he meets tavern and inn keeper Pat O'Day. O'Day comes to strongly believe in Fulton and his dream after he lodges at her establishment. He pursues the investment capital he needs to build his visionary steam-powered ship. O'Day's longtime suitor, Charles Browne, opens his own shipyard to assist the dapper engineer in building his steamboat after Fulton receives initial financial investment from Chancellor Robert L. Livingstone. Additional funds are raised by O'Day' from her business acquaintances. Fulton eventually acquires the remaining funds needed to complete his revolutionary paddle steamer. After a shipwright named Regan has a run-in with Fulton, Regan attempts to turn every local deck hand and sail-powered passenger boat operator against the engineer, exploiting their fear of losing their livelihoods to a steam-powered vessel. In the end, despite adversity, bad luck, and additional interference from Regan, Fulton is able to complete the steamboat, now named Clermont, at Charles Brown's shipyard. She is successfully launched on her first voyage, silencing the local critics and doubters who had previously labeled the venture "Fulton's Folly".
This is one of Faye's few nonmusical features, and her fans complained about her not singing in the film while it was still in production. A song was later added during an outdoor political rally set in a festive beer garden; Faye's participation in the added song proved minimal. Both a 12-foot Clermont shooting miniature and a full-size mock-up were built in Hollywood for the Fox production. Both were based on the original full-sized Clermont replica built for the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration, which was eventually broken up for scrap by her New York owners, a result of financial hardships brought on in the 1930s by the Great Depression. North River Steamboat is the actual name of the historic steamboat upon which this film is based; the vessel was never known as Clermont in its era. Little Old New York is a sound remake of a silent film of the same title made in 1923, directed by Sidney Olcott and starring Marion Davies, Stephen Carr, and J. M. Kerrigan.
Soundtrack
"Who Is the Beau of the Belle of New York", music and lyrics by Mack Gordon; performed by Tyler Brooke, joined by Alice Faye and other dancing patrons of Krausmeyer's Pavilion
"Ach Du Lieber Augustine", traditional German folksong played as dance music at Krausmeyer's Pavilion
"Du, du liegst mir im Herzen", traditional German folksong played as dance music at Krausmeyer's Pavilion
