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Drama

The Toy Wife (1938): Cast & Plot

The Toy Wife (1938) movie poster

The Toy Wife is a 1938 drama directed by Richard Thorpe, starring Alma Kruger as Madame Vallaire, Robert Young and Barbara O'Neil. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes.

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The Toy Wife (1938) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m (96 min)
Director
Richard Thorpe
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Toy Wife About?

The premise of The Toy Wife without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Gay . . Rich In Romance A Southern belle finds herself torn between two suitors.

The Toy Wife Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • cheating wife
  • frivilous teenager
  • seduction
  • pre civil war
  • fickle woman
  • sickness
  • racial stereotype
  • plantation owner
  • deception
  • steals sister's fiance
  • antebellum south
  • trip to france
+38 more
  • homecoming
  • jury trial
  • bad mother
  • post civil war
  • slavery
  • plantation foreman
  • unfaithful wife
  • toy shop proprietor
  • pistol duel
  • marital infidelity
  • sister sister relationship
  • prologue
  • black stereotype
  • lawyer
  • underage drinking
  • romantic rivalry
  • kiss
  • husband wife relationship
  • flash forward
  • mother son relationship
  • father son relationship
  • implied sex
  • aunt nephew relationship
  • household management
  • unrequited love
  • wife elopes with lover
  • horseback riding
  • gunshot
  • prayer
  • bracelet
  • sister sister reconciliation
  • husband wife reunion
  • deathbed scene
  • death of wife
  • slave
  • horse and carriage
  • 16 year old girl
  • wife
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Cast & crew

The Toy Wife Cast & Characters

Alma Kruger leads the cast as Madame Vallaire, with Robert Young as Andre Vallaire and Barbara O'Neil as Louise Brigard. Directed by Richard Thorpe; 14 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Toy Wife

· 10 more
From the director

More from Richard Thorpe

More films directed by Richard Thorpe, best-rated first: Ivanhoe, Jailhouse Rock, How the West Was Won and The Last Challenge.

Full filmography
Plot

The Toy Wife Plot Summary

What happens in The Toy Wife from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

*Set before the American Civil War, The Toy Wife follows Frou-Frou, a 16-year-old who has spent years in France at a prestigious school and now returns to her family’s Louisiana plantation. She longs for the excitement of New Orleans and, to get there, fakes a toothache that leads her to a dentist in the city. Chaperoned by Madame Vallaire, she slips away from the routine of the plantation to attend a dazzling ball, where she is instantly drawn to a charming yet reckless young man, Andre Vallaire.

Full summary

The whole story of The Toy Wife, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Toy Wife?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the 16‑year‑old heroine who returns to her family's plantation?

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FAQ

The Toy Wife FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Toy Wife, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Toy Wife?

The Toy Wife runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).

When was The Toy Wife released?

The Toy Wife was released on June 10, 1938.

Who directed The Toy Wife?

The Toy Wife was directed by Richard Thorpe.

More films by Richard Thorpe

Who is in the cast of The Toy Wife?

The Toy Wife stars Alma Kruger as Madame Vallaire, Robert Young as Andre Vallaire and Barbara O'Neil as Louise Brigard, among 14 credited actors.

Does The Toy Wife have a post-credit scene?

No. The Toy Wife has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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