- A woman tricks a playboy into marrying her and then tries to make him legitimately fall in love with her.
- Of the adult Colby sisters of San Francisco, older Joan is considered the sensible i.e. boring one, and younger Val the frivolous i.e. fun-loving one. When Val is imminently to be married, Joan, while not in love, wants to do the same, but go into it in having a more modern, businesslike view of the institution not including the notion of love. Who she chooses is her longtime friend, playboy John Fletcher, who doesn't place much effort into work as president of his family's shipping business, only working enough to afford his carefree lifestyle. Two problems are that John has no intention of marrying anyone ever in enjoying his playboy life, and even if he did it is widely known that Monica Paige is the woman most frequently on his arm. While not telling John her intention, Joan is able to get him to marry her, albeit under less than ideal circumstances. The questions then become if a marriage under such a shaky foundation can last regardless of Joan going into it to test her theory of marriage, and if it can last if the circumstances change, which it does for Joan in truly falling in love with John.—Huggo
- Two sisters and their father are in an expensive designer clothing store to purchase a wedding dress and trousseau for the younger sister Valerie Colby (Lucile Browne) who is to be married. Colonel Sam Colby (Henry Stephenson) who has suffered some financial losses, has set a limit of $5,000 total for the two sisters for their weddings and Valerie selfishly adds additional items to a total of $3,088. Her older and more mature sister Joan (Ann Harding) allows her to get away with it. Leaving the store Joan runs into wealthy playboy John Fletcher (William Powell) who had to miss out on a polo match to attend his one annual business meeting for his family's shipping line. Fletcher had given Joan a ride home in the early morning from a party the previous night and they arrange to go out again that night. On the ride home Valerie warns Joan that John Fletcher is involved with another woman, Monica Paige, and is not the marrying kind. Her father is unsure of her dating 'playboy of the west', and calls him a lazy beggar because he has neglected his family's shipping business that was successful previously to play polo rather than work. Joan says that her father has given her an idea and sets out to marry John Fletcher. Joan approaches the wedding as a business arrangement, not because she is in love, but because she is ambitious to accomplish something and plans to marry a man with a future and make his future hers. Valerie is engaged to be married to Dennis Moore (George Meeker) and can't understand her sister's plan to marry without love. John Fletcher sends Joan a gardenia corsage to wear for dinner. After dinner, John and Joan end up going to his apartment as Joan had predicted to Valerie earlier. The butler Freeman is soon excused for the evening. John embraces Joan and crushes her corsage. While out for lunch at a seafood restaurant on the bay Joan notices a ship going by and engages John in a discussion of his interest in the shipping business. John has enough money to live his life of leisure. John doesn't want the business and its headaches. Joan tells John he could be a tremendous success if he chose to be. After several weeks of dating when he shows no interest in marrying her, Joan decides to force the issue. To Joan's annoyance, she finds herself falling in love with him. She arranges to call her sister Valerie and have her send her father, Colonel Colby, to find Joan in a compromising position at John's apartment. When the couple arrive at John's apartment his butler Freeman advises him that Mrs. Paige has been calling him repeatedly. Joan asks John why he hasn't married Monica Paige (Lilian Bond) and he states he has no interest in marrying her. The couple engage in light banter about marriage and John expresses that he is satisfied with their arrangement as it is. Monica drops by and attempts to talk John into going with her and some friends to the beach but John claims he is tired and declines stating he has some work to do. Monica spots Joan's hat on a chair and excuses herself. Joan who is changing in the other room places the call to her sister. Colonel Colby arrives, is indignant and disappointed in Joan, and John graciously agrees to do the honorable gentlemanly thing and marry Joan if that's her choice. Joan tells her father she is in love with John and advises John that she does wish to marry him. The couple set out on their honeymoon cruise and while sitting on the deck John lets Joan know that he expects her to grant him a divorce after a decent interval in good sportsmanship. Joan casually suggests six months to give her time to prove their relationship. Joan gets John to take an interest in his family business and he finds he enjoys the work and to such an extent that he has no time for polo and his golf game is suffering. John finds that his butler is enjoying working for the married couple and that Mrs. Fletcher has shown the cook how to properly prepare his toast. Joan is reading the paper and sees an article that Monica Paige is returning to town. The Postmaster General (Wallis Clark) is a friend of her father's and Joan invites him to dinner when he is in town. Joan's plan is to land the government mail contracts for John's company. John credits his success on Joan's nagging and acknowledges that she has been instrumental in his newfound interest in the business. Valerie has gone $1,000 into debt due to her extravagant spending habits. Joan has lent her money repeatedly. Joan tells Valerie she has given her all she can afford without touching John's money. Finally, Joan offers to pawn her mother's ring. While at lunch with her friend Eleanor Weston (Kay Hammond), they wonder why Valerie would go for lunch with Denny's friend Farley Drake (Hugh Huntley). Joan also confides that her and John are to be divorced. At the restaurant, they spot John out for lunch with Monica. Joan approaches them and invites Monica to spend the weekend at their ranch and then leaves. In the subsequent conversation with Monica John finally realizes that he loves his wife. Driving in the car with Farley, Valerie asks him as a successful financier, how she can earn $1,000. Farley offers to let her have it and Valerie confirms there are strings attached. John stops at the florists and orders a gardenia corsage for that evening's dinner party. Joan meanwhile has pawned the ring for $500 or half of what Valerie needs, but tells her that it is the last time. The spoiled Valerie is not pleased with the amount and after confirming Farley is invited for dinner, confides that he wants to make love to her. While leaving, Valerie meets John and behind Joan's tells him she needs the funds for back rent and cons him into giving her a check. Joan catches them and tears up the check and explains to John that Valerie has lied about her need for money. Both Joan and John ask Valerie to talk to Denny. In a fit of temper Valerie states she can get other men to give her the money and then blurts out how Joan had set up the plan to trap John into marriage. Joan admits that it is true and John walks out. Disillusioned, John goes back to Monica. Joan is waiting for them at Monica's apartment and calmly admits she is ashamed she tricked him and glad that Valerie blurted out the truth. Joan states that she believed marriage was a business and that she could be useful to him and help him. Joan goes on to admit she has fallen in love with him and thought she had a chance to win him over. Monica informs Joan that she is sailing to Europe in a week and John is going with her. Joan asks if John wants the divorce beforehand and leaves. Joan returns home to the planned dinner party with Valerie, Denny, her father, Eleanor and Leonard Weston, Farley Drake and the Postmaster General Oliver Lane. Valerie gets drunk and plans to admit to her husband that she had an offer from Farley. The Westons get a call about a sick child and leave to go home and Farley offers to drive them to avoid the confrontation. Joan arranges with the butler to announce that John is stuck out of town and will be late. Denny and the Colonel are out on the porch with the drunken Valerie. Only Joan and Mr. Lane are at the table for dinner and Joan is advised that the Fletcher line is to receive the government mail contract. At the last moment, John shows up and makes an excuse he had to stop to pick up the gardenias. John explains that this is their four month anniversary and the couple embrace.
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