Hired Wife 1940

Stephen Dexter, head of Dexter Cement, finds himself squeezed by the giants of his industry who strike back with a looming injunction that could cripple his business by the very next day. Refusing to bow, he faces the threat of bankruptcy with quiet resolve, trusting that his independence is worth more than a quick concession. His loyal lawyer and longtime friend, Roger Van Horn, proposes a drastic, almost comic-tragic workaround: marry immediately and transfer his assets to a new wife to dodge the injunction and buy time to fight another day.

Stephen’s plan casts a shadow over his relationship with his girlfriend, the blonde Phyllis Walden, who stands at the crossroads of love and practicality. Meanwhile, Kendal Browning, his sharp-witted second in command, has her own agenda. In the early chapters of their working relationship she pushed back against his romantic overtures, and now she harbors doubts about his sudden marriage scheme. When Stephen sends Kendal to see Phyllis, Kendal frames her approach in a way that makes Phyllis fear a trap aimed at exposing her supposed gold-digging motives. Phyllis, sensing deception, rejects the ploy, and Stephen, pressed by time, asks Kendal to marry him. She agrees, and the pair set off for South Carolina to consult a local justice of the peace.

As the ceremony looms, Kendal’s plan spirals into confession. She reveals to Stephen that she engineered part of the ruse to push Phyllis away, a revelation that strains their alliance and threatens to derail everything. Yet the two must continue living under the same roof to avoid arousing suspicion that their marriage is a sham, and Van Horn steps into the role of reluctant chaperon, sharing a room with Stephen as the situation grows increasingly delicate.

Stephen’s attempt to clear the air leads him to a nightclub, where he tries to explain things to Phyllis. Kendal tails, and there she encounters her handsome friend Jose de Briganza, a man with no means who becomes a unique figure in the unfolding plot. Kendal’s quick-witted mind conjures a new gambit: Jose would pose as a wealthy suitor to divert Phyllis’s attention from Stephen, turning a difficult situation into a test of affections and appearances.

As outside actors suspend their schemes and the tide shifts away from underhanded tactics, Stephen asks Kendal for a divorce. She refuses, and the office is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the very justice of the peace who had previously performed the wedding. He apologizes, explaining that his license had expired, rendering the union invalid. Phyllis and Jose converge on the office, and the truth comes to light: Jose is a fraud financed by Kendal. Kendal and Jose depart, leaving the scene charged with the shock of exposure.

In the wake of the revelation, Stephen and Phyllis come to a quiet, sobering understanding of their own feelings. Stephen realizes he truly loves Kendal, while Phyllis discovers her heart belongs to Jose. The story closes on a hopeful note, with both couples finding happiness through genuine emotion and mutual respect: Kendal and Stephen, and Phyllis and Jose, are happily reunited.