Cafe Society 1939

Christopher West, Madeleine Carroll is a wealthy member of the cafe society who, to win a bet, marries Crick O’Bannon, Fred MacMurray — a sharp-witted reporter who believes she married him for love. When Crick overhears Chris describing the wager to a close friend, he decides to get even by crafting a story about her supposed betrayal. In response, her grandfather, Old Christopher West Claude Gillingwater, intercedes and asks that the couple live together while the divorce is quietly finalized to avoid a scandal; Crick, however, refuses and chooses to keep his distance.

As they remain technically married, their constant bickering reveals a fragile pride on both sides. Chris resents Crick’s growing closeness to Bells Browne, the nightclub singer portrayed by Shirley Ross. She resolves to sail for Europe, only to be surprised when Crick appears on the ship, having learned of her departure from her grandfather. He explains that Bells is merely a friend, and Chris returns to shore with him.

Yet jealousy flares again when Chris sees Bells performing at the club. In a moment of impulsive temper, she convinces the club owner to fire Bells. The bartender Bill, played by Paul Hurst, voices a blunt truth about Chris’s behavior, and this serves as a reality check. Crick and Chris repair their relationship when Chris apologizes, asks Bells to be rehired, and admits to Crick that she has been an awful fool, signaling a turning point in their rocky marriage.