Tropical Heat Wave

Singer Estelita Rodriguez has come from Cuba to perform at the Club Maraca, a New York nightclub owned by her uncle, Ignacio Ortega. There she is romanced against her wishes by racketeer Norman "Normie the Knife" James, who, unknown to Estelita, has forced himself into partnership with Ignacio by threatening to harm her. One evening, thinking the mobster is following her home, Estelita sets a trap of garbage cans and other objects to impede his ardor, but catches instead Stratford E. Carver, a rural Clanton College professor who has rented an apartment in her building hoping to interview New York crooks for his research on criminal behavior. When Estelita sees the dazed professor and hears bells ring, just like one of her nightclub love songs describes, she becomes instantly infatuated and decides to pursue him. By posing as his cleaning lady, who needs time off for a family event, she secretly learns more about Stratford and his research.