Reverend John Burnside, American missionary in the Far East, prepares to return home after twenty years to take up the fight against Communism. The Reds imprison him and send in his place a spy who is his double, but who is instructed to come out for Communism. The spy is accepted in Burnside's home town, and he reports to local Communist headquarters, where James John, prominent local businessman but in reality a Red agent, has instructions to assist him in all details of his mission. He does a series of personal appearances and radio interviews and talk shows, using an anti-Communist approach.

Bing Bangs (Crosby) is a salesman for "Magic" washing machines and his demonstration of the machine at the beginning of the film results in disaster. Crosby later gains a transfer from Hoboken to California and he drives his wife Ethel and her Uncle Joe (who dislikes Bing) in an open car on the journey having many adventures en route. Uncle Joe presses Ethel to divorce Bing and marry a more desirable suitor called Percy Howard. Ethel, Joe and Percy are dining in a California night club when the announcer refers to the sponsor, the Magic Washing Machine Company and introduces their singer. It is Crosby and he sings "Just One More Chance" and he and Ethel reunite.

Not long after the Civil War, Texas cattle ranchers realize they have a problem--the Union Pacific railroad is bypassing their state and make it near impossible to get their cattle to market. Many ranchers are being forced to sell their land, and crooked state treasure Marvin Fletcher buys up the land at pennies on the dollar. However, Laguna del Sol Ranch owner Taisie Lockhart and her ranch hands are holding out. Cowboy Dan McMasters returns to the ranch and tries to rekindle his romance with Taisie, but she rejects him because he fought for the North during the war. But what she doesn't know is that Dan is on an undercover mission from the President to investigate Fletcher, and in order to do that he has to pretend to be sympathetic to Fletcher and goes to work for him, angering Taisie even more. Complications ensue.

A young actress hits Hollywood determined to be a movie star and runs into a lot of roadblocks along the way.

A boatload of Westerners is trapped in Manchuria as bandits led by Russian renegade Voronsky ravage the area. Seeking refuge in a fortified inn, the group is led by the boat's Captain Carson, who becomes involved with a woman who "belongs" to Voronsky. Carson must contend with the bandits outside and the conflicting personalities of those trapped inside the inn, as well as dealing with spies among the inn's personnel.