Leathernecking

Film version of the 1928 Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical 'Present Arms' concerning Chick Evans, a Marine private in Honolulu who falls for society girl Delphine Witherspoon and schemes how to to win her .His first plan involves impersonating an officer to get invited to a society party. However, when his Marine buddies decide to crash the party as well, his real rank is revealed, which has the opposite of the desired effect on Delphine. Despondent, he bares his soul to mutual friend Edna, who arranges to have the two meet on Delphine's yacht at sea. However, this meeting goes terribly wrong as well, and a desperate Chick convinces the yacht's captain to fake a shipwreck to give him time to win Delphine over. Unfortunately, a real storm arises and the ship is actually wrecked, coming to rest on a desert island. While on the island, Chick's persistence pays off, and he gets the girl; then on their return to Honolulu, he is hailed as a hero and promoted to captain.