The day WWII ends, Jimmy Doyle (Robert De Niro), an aspiring saxophonist, meets and is at first rejected by singer Francine Evans (Liza Minelli). When they continue to bump into each other, a friendship blossoms, followed by romance, and then marriage. All the while, both musicians struggle to succeed at their craft, which begins to put an unbearable strain on their relationship. Eventually, this weight becomes too heavy to handle, leading the couple into a traumatic separation.

Scorsese's love of the MGM musical is clear in this sparkling hommage to a golden era of the studio's output; featuring a sensational performance from Judy Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli.