| Director | Ron Shelton |
|---|---|
| Budget | $22 million |
| Box office | $19.1 million |
Fannie Belle Fleming moves from rural West Virginia to Washington, D.C. in the hopes of becoming a singer. Promoter Red Snyder convinces her to strip during a performance. She becomes successful burlesque performer Blaze Starr and catches the eye of Louisiana governor Earl Long. He invites her to a dinner party with his colleagues. She accompanies him to campaign stops. He brings her to his house, where he suffers erectile dysfunction, so she sings to him until he is able to perform.
Long's staff don't support his relationship with Blaze or his civil rights policies, including his opposition to literacy tests for voters of color. He pontificates in the Louisiana state house, which is against the rules, and is confined to a state mental hospital in Mandeville.
After Long's release, he speaks at a campaign rally. His staff convinces Blaze to break up with Long. She visits her family. Long loses the gubernatorial primary election. He makes a scene at Blaze's club, and they reconcile. Long proposes marriage. Blaze convinces Long to run for congress. He wins the election but dies of a heart attack. Blaze places a rose in his casket and moves to Baltimore, Maryland.