Plot

A triangle romance involving Gloria Hudson (Virginia Bruce), a gold-digger from the wrong side of the tracks, a socialite, Carol Coulter (Leona Maricle), and Richard Stark (Melvyn Douglas), a wealthy artist. Fritz Eagan (Reginald Denny), a well-bred drunk and a pert soubrette, Nan LaRugue (Pert Kelton) also get involved.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>

Artist Richard Stark gets drunk at his gallery exhibit and leaves early to drive to the beach. On the way, Dick's car gets a flat and, unable to continue, he watches as gold digger Gloria Hudson rows ashore to escape a yacht party. Dick offers Gloria a ride home, but noticing his condition, she gets behind the wheel. Dick awakens the next morning to find that Gloria has driven him home and is asleep on his couch. Dick's fiancée, Carol Coulter, arrives, but does not become jealous of Gloria, so Dick asks her to pose for a painting. Gloria agrees to sit for Dick for the modest sum of two dollars, even though she is accustomed to being paid $100 for a dinner date. In Dick's studio, Gloria meets the wealthy Fritz Eagan, who takes an immediate liking to her. Dick then shows Gloria some of his earlier works, but after he stops to phone Carol, Gloria becomes angry. Dick spends the next two weeks trying to impress Gloria, while Carol busies herself with wedding preparations. After Gloria attends an opera with Dick and his parents, she tells him that her father was an alcoholic who, despite his joblessness, was loved by her mother to the end. When Gloria brings her roommate, Fan La Roque, to the museum to see Dick's painting of her, they run into Carol. After returning from a trip to Maine, Dick tells Carol that he wishes to forego their elaborate wedding and elope, but Carol promptly ends their engagement, telling Dick that he is in love with Gloria. Dick waits for Gloria at her apartment, and after they kiss, they make plans for a wedding and then a honeymoon in Arizona. The next morning, however, Carol convinces Gloria to give up Dick by telling her that the rumors of her past will cripple his social ties. As Dick packs for his honeymoon, Fritz tells him that he is planning an around-the-world voyage with Gloria. On the boat, however, Gloria realizes her unhappiness and leaves Fritz a note that she is deserting him. Dick arrives and reads the note before Fritz, then catches up to Gloria. As Gloria and Dick leave the ship arm in arm, Fritz drinks alone.

AFI