This wild song-and-dance extravaganza, based on a book by Anita Loos, focuses on Lorelei Lee, a tall blonde from Little Rock, who seems at first to be calculating and only interested in material possessions; but she is in fact a curious combination of incredible innocence and genuine generosity. To her almost grim instinct for security in the form of expensive jewelry, she brings a definite flair and a friendliness that are altogether difficult to resist.

As the story begins, Lorelei and Dorothy Shaw, her friend from the Follies, are sailing on the Ile de France to Paris, a gift, it seems, from Lorelei’s generous “sugar daddy,” button tycoon Gus Esmond. While Dorothy, tired of Prohibition and its effects on life in the U.S., is eager to get going to the old continent (“It’s High Time”), Lorelei seems unhappy at the idea of leaving her fiancé behind (“Bye Bye Baby”). Once out at sea, however, she becomes easily convinced that Mr. Esmond has left her and that she must find a new protector. After all, she explains to Dorothy, she is only “A Little Girl From Little Rock.”

In the confined environment of the liner, there are in fact many opportunities to meet suitably accommodating gentlemen, and in no time Lorelei finds herself the object of the interest manifested by several of them. Although Dorothy claims that she could love any man, rich or poor alike (“I Love What I’m Doing”), she finds it difficult to resist Henry Spofford, a wealthy Philadelphia bachelor, whom Lorelei introduces to her. Soon Dorothy and Henry find they are very much in love (“Just a Kiss Apart”).

Meanwhile, Lorelei has become very attracted to a diamond tiara worn by Lady Beekman, another passenger, and, in a carefully planned and executed maneuver, she wheedles Sir Francis Beekman into lending her the $5,000 she needs to buy it (“It’s Delightful Down in Chile”).

Once in Paris, Dorothy continues to enjoy the changes Henry has brought into her life (“Sunshine”), though she expresses some misgivings about becoming a Philadelphia matron (“You Say You Care”), and Lorelei discovers a potential new sugar daddy in Josephus Gage, a zipper manufacturer and ruddy character (“I’m A-tingle, I’m A-glow”). Meanwhile, Lady Beekman, having learned how Lorelei obtained the money to buy the tiara, immediately sets French lawyers after her. And to add to Lorelei’s complications, Mr. Esmond suddenly arrives and finds her entertaining Mr. Gage.

Miffed over what he considers Lorelei’s infidelity, Mr. Esmond arranges for the nightclub debut of another dancer, Gloria (“Mamie is Mimi”), while Lorelei is left to muse despondently on life and love (“Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”). All’s well that ends well, however, and in no time Lorelei makes up with Mr. Esmond and is able to repay Sir Francis’s loan (“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”). Now, Dorothy, Henry, Mr. Gage and Mrs. Spofford start dreaming about dear old New York (“Homesick Blues”), but Dorothy snaps out of the melancholy mood and leads them into a happy finale as they sail back to the U.S. (“Keeping Cool With Coolidge”).