Synopsis: In the 1800s, American inventor Robert Fulton travels from Europe to New York intent on building a steamboat that will revolutionize river travel between waterfront boroughs, but instead gets a rude welcome from a vicious shipyard boss at a local tavern owned by salty beauty Pat O'Day. Pat takes a shine to Fulton and offers to help him out, but her jealous boyfriend -- sailor Charles Brownne -- fears the new vessel will put him out of work.