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states it requires a good education, with college preferred. During the interview, June reveals that she never even started high school, then runs downstairs to fetch Mae, who has “a good education.” Von
Schrader asks if Mae speaks French or German. Not much she replies, just “Donkey-shane” and “Wee Wee, monsure” , which she learned from a veteran of
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June tries for work at a fashion house but loses out because of the way she dresses and behaves. Being stylish, she is told, is not the same as having style. She gives herself a makeover and gets a job as a telegraph operator. She begins dating Pat Kelly, a successful saxophonist who performs on the
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Two unsophisticated and undereducated sisters from
Indiana, Mae (age 20) and June (age 19) Thorpe, move into the Rolfe charity apartment building for homeless girls in New York City. June applies for a job as a stenographer with scientist Joseph von Schrader, even though his advertisement clearly
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After her first week back at work, Mae asks von
Schrader to renew his proposal. With some difficulty, she conveys the fact that she is pregnant. He agrees, graciously. Boyd is jilted by his fiancée and returns to Mae while her girlfriends celebrate her engagement. June sees him waiting outside the
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Mae turns down a marriage proposal from von
Schrader, making it clear she has a beau, and he fires her with the best of intentions, thinking that her future is secure, adding that he would be hurt by having her around. Mae tells June that Boyd—who is actually pretending to be sick—has arranged a
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Arzner later described the film (described later as a feminist work) as one of her favorites, but the movie did not receive much attention on a limited release. The film toiled in obscurity without a home video release from its rightsholder (which was
Universal Pictures after the studio bought a
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Boyd's friend cancels. After dinner, Mae tells him she will always trust him and kisses him, Dissolve to Kelly on the bandstand and June dancing. In the morning, June returns to find Mae—who sneaked in—weeping. Mae did not even raise the issue of marriage with Boyd because “it would have seemed
263:. She completed two whole years of high school, and has no real experience taking dictation. Seeing her feet are wet and she cannot afford rubbers, von Schrader takes pity on her and hires her. His name is pronounced “von Schrahhder”, but Mae starts her job by mispronouncing it with a long A.”
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radio. At her prompting, Kelly lavishes gifts—candy, orchids and perfume—on her. Mae meets Boyd
Wheeler, a successful lawyer, in the shoe department and goes on to dinner with him. Both sisters barely make the midnight curfew at the Rolfe House..
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Boyd goes out of town for a month. Mae spends money on new clothes, anticipating his return, but he telegraphs to tell her not to meet the train. She waits in vain to hear from him. In fact, Boyd has just become engaged to a beautiful socialite.
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Later, June and Kelly run into von
Schrader at a Chinese restaurant, and after sending Kelly away, June tells von Schrader the news. Far from being disappointed, he reveals he is in love with her, and she reciprocates.
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Kelly, Mae, and June—wielding Kelly's gun—go to the apartment where Boyd has been telling Bill how much he loves Mae. Boyd takes a moment to salve his pride and eagerly agrees to marry Mae.
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June unburdens herself to von
Schrader, who kindly offers to rehire Mae. He takes June out to a Chinese dinner and draws her portrait, which he places on his desk. He is in love with her.
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number of
Paramount's old library). Prints exist of the film, which included a screening at UCLA in 2015 alongside bootleg prints. The film is often available on
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double date at a ritzy friend's apartment. June has already signed out for an overnight—actually a date—and tells Mae to make Boyd take her out to eat.
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apartment and tells him to leave. When she tells Mae what she has done, her sister is distraught and finally tells June why she must marry.
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fresh…. How could a nice girl mention it if he doesn't?” June is mystified that Boyd is the only thing her sister is so simple about.
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423:"Working Girls review"
315:Charles "Buddy" Rogers
232:Charles "Buddy" Rogers
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646:Merrily We Go to Hell
487:The Criterion Channel
401:Turner Classic Movies
377:The Criterion Channel
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199:is a 1931 American
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717:1931 films
711:Categories
383:References
353:as Loretta
321:Paul Lukas
236:Paul Lukas
216:Blind Mice
204:drama film
172:77 minutes
156:1931-12-12
121:Production
76:Paul Lukas
359:as Violet
212:Zoë Akins
100:Edited by
43:Zoë Akins
16:1931 film
201:pre-Code
185:Language
110:Music by
64:Starring
49:Based on
347:as Jane
261:the War
188:English
177:Country
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697:(1943)
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