Two jilted lovers decide to marry each other with detachment
and are tested by their former lovers getting divorces and coming
back.
On a ship Steve Porter (Pat O'Brien) tells Jeff Hunter (John
Halliday) and guys how much he likes Elaine. Steve goes to Elaine
(Myrna Loy), who says she is married. Steve gets drunk and finds
Jeff. Mary (Irene Dunne) says good-bye to Aubrey (Lester Vail),
who is getting married even though they love each other. Jeff
tells Steve to find someone else and points to stranger Mary.
Jeff leaves, and Steve talks to her. They learn they are in similar
situations. Steve borrows a car, and police arrest them. Jeff
gets them out and takes them to her shop. Steve accepts a job
on Jeff's paper. Steve finds Mary at a piano singing a love song,
and he returns her Romeo and Juliet. Mary goes with Steve
to a dog show.
Steve and Mary get married. In their home Mary gets a clock from
Aubrey, and Steve reads the card saying he misses her. Mary and
Steve have a pillow fight. Elaine in Algiers writes to Steve she
is being divorced and is going to London to see him. Steve tells
Jeff, who finds Mary home alone. Jeff fires Steve to keep him
from going to London. Steve comes home to Mary, who says she is
going to have a baby. He says he lost his job. In the hospital
Mary shows her baby to Steve.
On their third anniversary Steve gets a telegram that Elaine
is arriving and tells Mary. He says he is going to a barber, and
Aubrey calls on Mary, saying it didn't work out. Aubrey says he
is going to Vienna and asks her to go with him. Mary says she
couldn't take the baby away from Steve. Mary tells her maid Kate
to pack her bag, writes a good-bye note to Steve, and leaves with
Aubrey. Steve calls Elaine. Aubrey stops Mary from calling, and
she tells him she is going home. Jeff and the Colonel (Matt Moore)
wait with the note for Steve as Mary rushes to see her baby. Mary
tells them she is very happy. Steve comes home, and Jeff reminds
him it is his anniversary, giving him flowers for Mary. Steve
announces he is going to see Elaine; but they all agree that Jeff
and the Colonel can bring her there. Mary greets Elaine and watches
her put on makeup as Elaine assumes that Steve and Mary are not
in love. Mary tells Steve that Elaine is beautiful, and Elaine
tells Steve that Mary understands. Mary cries and tells Jeff that
she realizes now how much she loves Steve while Jeff implies he
likes her. Elaine asks Steve to kiss her, and he says they are
just good friends. Steve tells Elaine about his baby. Steve tells
Mary that he was blind and is crazy about her. They kiss.
This romantic drama makes sense, because the two disappointed
lovers remain true to each other while the partners that jilted
them end up divorced and rejected by their former lovers too.