Four Girls in Town 1957

Leading lady drops out; Manning seeks a new star

With the New Orleans shoot looming after the leading lady drops out, James Manning searches for an unknown star. He identifies four potential leading candidates and hires aspiring director Mike Snowden to conduct screen tests. The aim is to revive the project by finding a fresh, bankable face.

Mike Snowden conducts screen tests for four candidates

Mike Snowden is tasked with testing the four candidates: Kathy, Ina, Vicki, and Maria. He conducts the screen tests to evaluate their screen presence and potential chemistry with the project. The process sets the stage for rivalries and romantic entanglements to come.

Kathy Conway from Minnesota tries acting to please her mother

Kathy Conway is a Minnesota girl who agrees to try acting to satisfy her mother’s expectations. She participates in the screen tests and reveals her mix of nerves and ambition. Her effort foreshadows the personal stakes behind the auditions.

Ina Schiller from Vienna, recently widowed

Ina Schiller arrives from Vienna, where she was widowed recently. Her background adds emotional nuance to the screen tests. She becomes one of the four potential leading ladies.

Vicki Dauray from Paris, leaving husband and child

Vicki Dauray comes from Paris and is separating from her husband and child to pursue acting. Her personal sacrifice underscores the high stakes of pursuing an acting career. She brings a mature sensibility to the competition.

Maria Antonelli from Italy, beauty with allure

Maria Antonelli is a beauty from Italy whose talent lies mainly in alluring men. Her screen presence emphasizes charisma and temptation. She quickly becomes one of the standouts in the tests.

Kathy develops a personal interest in Mike; he leaves a party with Ina

Kathy develops a personal interest in Mike, but is disappointed when he leaves a party with Ina. The moment highlights the tension between professional testing and personal attraction. It foreshadows conflicts that could affect the selection process.

Tom Grant pursues Vicki; Ted Larabee promotes her

Tom Grant, a handsome actor, shows interest in Vicki, while publicist Ted Larabee promotes her prospects. Neither is aware that she is a married woman. These entanglements complicate the path to the new star.

Ina meets Mike's moody composer friend

Ina is introduced to Mike Snowden's moody composer friend, Johnny Pryor. The interaction adds another personal thread to the auditions. It hints at possible relationships forming off the screen tests.

Maria is seduced by Spencer Farrington Jr.

Maria is seduced by Spencer Farrington Jr., a playboy hotelier. The flirtation adds another layer to the candidate dynamics. It signals how suitors may shape career opportunities.

Kathy's mother arrives to push for recognition

Kathy's mother arrives and expects everyone to recognize her daughter as a future star. Her presence underscores family pressure and the climate of ambition surrounding the auditions. It also creates a distraction for Kathy.

Kathy fails her screen test

Kathy fails her screen test. The setback reshapes the competition and pushes the project toward supporting candidates. It also deepens Mike's interest in pursuing something beyond a professional relationship with Kathy.

Kathy realizes Mike wants a personal relationship

Kathy realizes that Mike wants to pursue a personal relationship with her rather than just testing her. This realization reframes the auditions and heightens tension between professional and romantic ambitions.

Original actress returns to the role; Ina and Maria get contracts

The original actress changes her mind and takes back the film role she had dropped. In response, the studio offers Ina and Maria movie contracts, and extends marriage contracts with their new suitors. The casting shifts finalize the competition's outcomes.