Small-town barber Max Haber ( Adolphe Menjou ), is the pride of his father, Johann, who owns an antiquated barbershop. Max adores Kitty Laverne ( Louise Brooks ), the manicurist, who loves him but is ambitious to be a dancer, so she heads for New York, hoping that he will follow in pursuit of better things. Mrs. Jackson-Greer, a New York society matron, has occasion to note Max styling the hair of a town girl and induces him to come to New York and pose as a French count. There he meets April, Mrs. King's niece, and loses his heart to her, as well as to Kitty, now a showgirl. At the theater where Kitty is appearing Max is the best-dressed man in April's party, but later at a nightclub Kitty exposes him, and he is deserted by his society friends. Disillusioned, Max returns home at the request of his father. Soon Kitty follows, realizing that he is miserable without her.