In a Paris salon in the 1920s, Cole meets Linda for the first time. They fall in love immediately, admiring each other’s grace and beauty and enjoying one another’s witty company at the glittering parties of the Jazz Age. Linda sees genius in Porter’s songs and is willing to maintain that genius at all costs – she loves his talent as much as she loves him. Porter sees in Linda a steadfast companion and indulgent supporter of his work and lifestyle, someone who sees who he really is and still loves him. They get married despite Cole’s warnings that he won’t be able to completely fulfill her. She doesn’t mind – and is fully aware of his affairs with men – but tells him as long as he’s there for her and loves her she can live with that knowledge.

Throughout the marriage, Cole is torn between the very genuine love he feels for Linda and his love of wild parties, drink, and handsome men. As Cole’s fame begins to grow, and with each successive theatrical hit, Linda becomes increasingly concerned that the balance in their lives is tipping in favor of the high life. When she miscarries their long hoped for baby, they decide to move to Hollywood to make a new start. Feted by studio chief L.B. Mayer during MGM’s golden age, Cole writes uninspired but commercially successful film musicals.

Cole’s very public cavorting around town (and a subsequent threat of blackmail) causes Linda to leave Cole and return to Paris. While horseback riding one morning, feeling carefree and over-confident, Cole lets his horse gallop away uncontrollably. The horse falls, throwing Cole, then crashing down on top of him, leading to severe injuries which will affect him the rest of his life. Linda returns from Paris to look after him and is told by the doctor that amputating one or maybe even both legs is the best solution. She tells the doctor with certainty that Cole would rather live in pain and on constant medication than have the shame of losing his legs. With his pride intact, he might be able to overcome the pain and continue working – if he can’t write music, then his life is not worth living.

Cole and Linda move to the peace and quiet of Williamstown where he writes unsatisfying stage musicals. Undeterred by this, nor by the unbearable agony of his condition, Cole sets to work on what will become his greatest hit during his lifetime: “Kiss Me, Kate.” At the musical’s opening night, Cole receives overwhelming applause – but Linda is forced to stay at their home, suffering from a fatal illness and missing her beloved’s greatest triumph.

As Linda utters her final words to Cole, they talk of their love for each other. Despite the many obstacles along the way and Cole’s regret he could never make her happy enough, their love is as pure and tender as when they first met. After Linda’s funeral, Cole sits in the music room of their house with his closest friends, referencing his relationships through his songs. The stage version of Cole’s life which he’s been helping to direct with Gabe merges together with the stories in his head, and once again all the characters from his life are present, singing together onstage.

Suddenly Cole is alone again, an old, disabled man in his dark New York apartment. Still searching for that quintessential love song – one that can finally express how he feels about Linda – Cole sits at the piano and starts to play “In the Still of the Night” softly to himself. A hand reaches out to give him a rose. It’s Linda – young and beautiful once more, as he is, too. They hold each other one last time, reunited as young lovers, as the lights fade slowly to black. In olden days, a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking, But now, God knows, Anything goes.