In the 1890s, Sgt. Major John Philip Sousa, leader of the Marine Corps Band, discovers an innovative instrument called the Sousaphone invented by Private Willie Little and his showgirl girlfriend Lily. To support his family, Sousa leaves the Marines and forms his own band, with Willie and Lily joining him. Despite his desire to write ballads, Sousa's marches propel him to fame, and the band enjoys great success from their debut in 1892. However, Sousa's "no wives" rule poses a threat to Willie and Lily's romance, which is further complicated by the outbreak of the Spanish-American War.
Stars and Stripes Forever
The life of John Philip Sousa is brought to the big screen in this film, tracing his journey from his early days in the Marine Corps Band to his service during the Spanish-American War in 1898.
