In the summer of 1941, Lisbon-based foreign correspondent Jeff Seabrook, who has been away from home for two years, turns down a job to head the Berlin bureau of his newspaper, in the hope that he and his wife Julia can spend more time together. In New York, Julia, who is a concert violinist in an all-female orchestra, has a hard time concentrating on her work because she has filed for divorce and is nervous about letting Jeff know. When Jeff learns about the impending divorce, he goes to their home to effect a reconciliation, but finds that several of Julia's fellow musicians are houseguests and hence they have no time to be alone. Soon Jeff learns that Julia, who is fed up with his long absences and broken promises, is being pursued by two men, the orchestra's manager, David Torrance, and music critic Philip Barrows. Jeff's boss, Johnny Girard, convinces him that the best way to win Julia back is to pretend to go along with the divorce, and to prove his acceptance, Jeff tells her that he will help her select his successor. Despite his pretense, Jeff finds every opportunity to pit David and Philip against each other so that he can win Julia back. Meanwhile, the orchestra works hard with its new conductor, refugee Anton Ottoway, who is chagrined to find that he is reduced to dealing with an all-female orchestra. One afternoon, Jeff picks Julia up at the concert hall, ostensibly to drive her to their lawyer's office, but instead "kidnaps" her and takes her to a country retreat where she can think things over. The next morning, Jeff gets word that he is being called up for active duty in the Army, but does not tell Julia. While Jeff is outside, Julia finds the cabin's hidden telephone and calls Philip to come and get her. When Philip arrives, he sees Julia's slippers in Jeff's room and assumes the worst, not knowing that she had actually thrown them at Jeff the night before. Now even more angry at Jeff, Julia goes through with the divorce and stops seeing Philip. On the day that they are to sign the final divorce papers, Jeff goes to see Julia at the concert hall, and they argue, then passionately kiss. Julia still will not take him back, and he leaves without telling her that he is going into the Army the next day. After the concert, Ottoway goes to a local bar to unload his troubles with the female musicians and meets Jeff, whom he immediately likes. After they play a duet on a saw, Ottoway takes an intoxicated Jeff to his place to spend the night. The next morning, as Jeff leaves for active duty, he tells Ottoway that he will be staying with "his uncle" at Fort McHenry. When Ottoway later learns what Jeff meant, he determines to help reunite him with Julia. After hearing that the USO is seeking musicians, Ottoway insists on taking the orchestra on tour and arranges for them to stop at Fort McHenry when he learns that David and Julia plan to marry at the end of the tour. Just before the performance at Fort McHenry, Julia confides in Ottoway, and he tells her that she is still in love with Jeff. She takes his advice to see Jeff, but learns from his commanding officer that it is impossible because Jeff is leaving the next day for overseas. As the concert is about to begin, Julia argues with David over playing what he considers "low-brow" music and breaks off her engagement. During the concert, Julia spontaneously bursts into a solo of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" as Jeff, who is in the wings, happily blows kisses to her.
