In the 1930's Texas farmer Dove Linkhorn travels to Louisiana in search of his lost love, Hallie Gerard. Along the way he meets Kitty Twist, a saucy young tramp, and Teresina Vidaverri, a sex-starved Mexican widow who operates a cafe. Eventually Dove finds Hallie in the Doll's House, a bordello in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Although he learns she is a prostitute being kept by Jo Courtney, the lesbian madame of the Doll's House, Dove tries to persuade Hallie to come back to him. At first she refuses but the warmth and sincerity of Dove's love gradually win her over. Infuriated by the turn of events, Jo has Dove savagely beaten into unconsciousness. He is found by Kitty, who is now also working in the Doll's House. She takes him to Teresina's cafe and then tells Hallie what has happened. When Hallie goes to the cafe, she is followed by Jo and her bodyguard, Oliver. In the ensuing melee, Oliver shoots at Dove but hits Hallie by mistake. The still-bandaged Dove crawls across the room to her and takes her in his arms as she dies. [Another version has Schmidt, an amputee and Jo's spurned husband, beating Dove and killing Hallie.]