What Is Havana Widows About?
The premise of Havana Widows in 267 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the glittering backrooms of a New York City burlesque house, two vivacious chorus‑line performers dream of more than applause. Mae Knight dazzles with a quick smile and a knack for improvisation, while Sadie Appleby couples her sharp wit with an unshakable confidence. Their world is a blend of neon lights, toe‑tapping routines, and whispered conversations about wealth beyond the stage. Together they hatch a daring notion: if fortune favours the bold, perhaps a trip to far‑off Havana could turn their sparkling routines into genuine riches.
Fuelled by the tale of a former showgirl who walked away with a handsome settlement, the pair resolve to chase millionaires under the Caribbean sun. With a little financial encouragement from their well‑meaning but hapless friend Herman Brody, and the indirect backing of his boss Butch O’Neill, they set off for Havana armed with charm, determination, and a willingness to reinvent themselves. The city’s sultry streets, pastel facades, and bustling casinos provide the perfect backdrop for two seasoned performers to test the limits of luck, allure, and a little creative entrepreneurship.
The film shimmers with a breezy, screwball energy, mixing snappy banter with the exotic allure of 1940s Havana. As Mae and Sadie navigate elegant soirées and the genteel world of wealthy horse‑breeders like Deacon R. Jones, their partnership is a study in contrasting styles—one impulsive, the other calculated—yet bound by a shared hunger for more than a paycheck. Supporting characters such as the scheming Mr. Duffy and the ever‑optimistic Otis add layers of humor and intrigue, turning a simple pursuit of wealth into a lively dance of chance and camaraderie.
What Happens in Havana Widows?
The complete story of Havana Widows, from the first scene to the last, in 399 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 7 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Mae Knight, Joan Blondell, and Sadie Appleby, Glenda Farrell, are chorus line dancers in a New York City burlesque show. When an old showgirl acquaintance—who got a rich settlement for breach of promise from a married man she met in Havana—drops by with tales of easy money, the two women decide to imitate her bold move. They wheedle Herman Brody into lending them $1500 by pretending Mae’s mother in Kansas is gravely ill, but Herman can’t supply the cash himself and convinces his boss, Butch O’Neill, to loan it. A twist of fate follows: Herman loses the money gambling in Butch’s own casino. Insurance salesman Otis is chasing a $5000 bonus and offers Herman a deal—$1500 to buy a life policy on Mae, with Herman named as the beneficiary. The plan spirals into a tangled web of deception and risk, as the trio edges toward a get-rich-quick scheme that could bring scandal or ruin.
In Havana, Sadie and Mae pose as wealthy widows and discover they may have luck after all when they encounter Deacon R. Jones, a wealthy horse breeder who cannot stand a scandal. Mae becomes enamored of Deacon’s handsome son Bob, Bob Jones, only to learn that Bob has no money of his own. Their fortunes seem to tilt when they meet Deacon’s wife, but the notion of a genuine marriage quickly fades. Their alcoholic adviser, the scheming Mr. Duffy, counsels them to trap Deacon in a scandal and blackmail him instead, turning their improvised con into a dangerous game of leverage.
Back on their home turf, the pressure mounts as the bank calls to verify the forged check. Herman discovers that Sadie and Mae aren’t where they claimed to be, and he trails them to Havana. There, he reconnects with Duffy in a smoky bar and succumbs to the lure of playing Mae’s outraged husband. Duffy schemes to have Deacon kidnapped, a plan that meets resistance from Deacon himself. Meanwhile, Butch appears, pressing for Herman to return to work, since luck has stalled since Herman vanished. The caper takes another turn as Bob decides to pursue a steady job in New York to marry Mae, while Sadie settles into a wary partnership with Herman that seals their fate for the moment. The story closes on a note of uncertain romance and improvised loyalty as the trio navigates love, money, and the ever-present risk of exposure.
Havana Widows Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Dancers hear about a rich settlement temptation” to “Bob heads to New York and Sadie marries Herman”. 14 events name a place, across 4 locations.
- 1
Dancers hear about a rich settlement temptation
Mae Knight and Sadie Appleby, two chorus line dancers in a New York burlesque show, are visited by a former showgirl acquaintance who describes a lucrative breach-of-promise settlement she obtained from a married man in Havana. The encounter plants the seed of emulating that fortune. They leave inspired to pursue a similar scheme.
When:before Havana trip Where:New York City
- 2
They decide to imitate the breach-of-promise scam
Motivated by the acquaintance's success, Sadie and Mae resolve to copy the scheme and profit from scandal. They start planning how to stage a scenario that could lead to money or protection later. Their ambition is grander than their means, but the plan takes shape.
When:immediately after meeting Where:New York City
- 3
Herman helps arrange a loan by faking illness
They recruit Herman Brody to borrow 1500 by pretending Mae's mother in Kansas is sick. Herman cannot fund it himself but convinces his boss, Butch O'Neill, to loan the money. This marks the first collapse of the plan as it depends on others' cooperation.
When:shortly after Where:New York City
- 4
Herman loses the loan money gambling
Herman gambles away the borrowed 1500 in Butch's own casino, destroying the initial funds and jeopardizing the ruse. The plan teeters on the edge of collapse as soon as the money disappears. The losses also begin to strain his associates.
When:soon after Where:Butch's casino, NYC
- 5
Otis offers a life policy to cash in on the plan
Insurance salesman Otis needs one more sale to reach a 5000 bonus and offers Herman 1500 to buy a policy. Herman agrees and insures Mae's life with himself as the beneficiary, tying a potential payout to Mae's survival. The policy becomes a central element of the scheme.
When:soon after Where:New York City
- 6
Mae's life is insured with Herman as beneficiary
Herman finalizes the policy, naming himself as Mae's beneficiary, which sets up a future claim dependent on Mae's fate. The arrangement makes Herman complicit in the deception and heightens the stakes for everyone involved. The plan now rests on a life-and-death scenario.
When:after policy purchase Where:New York City
- 7
Sadie and Mae go to Havana as pretend wealthy widows
The two set off for Havana, posing as affluent widows who should be able to secure favorable connections. They believe they have it made when they encounter Deacon R. Jones, a wealthy horse breeder, and his son Bob, who lacks his own money. The trip marks a shift from planning to real-world risk.
When:in Havana Where:Havana
- 8
Mae falls for Bob while facing Deacon's marital reality
Mae is attracted to Bob, Deacon's handsome son, but discovers Bob has no money. They also realize that Deacon's wife makes a marriage to him unlikely, complicating any potential union. The emotional entanglements risk blowing the plan apart.
When:during Havana stay Where:Havana
- 9
Duffy advises blackmail to trap Deacon
Their alcoholic lawyer Duffy counsels them to trap Deacon in a scandal and blackmail him to secure funds. The plan pivots from romance to ruthlessly exploiting vulnerability in Havana. The moral line becomes increasingly blurred.
When:during Havana stay Where:Havana
- 10
Bank calls to verify the forged check; panic ensues
Back in the States, the bank contacts to verify the forged check that started the whole scheme. The possible exposure triggers panic among the conspirators. The timeline accelerates toward a confrontation and potential fallout.
When:after initial loan attempt Where:New York City
Show the other 4 events of Havana Widows Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Herman learns Otis has lost his job and left town
Herman attempts to track Otis only to learn he has lost his job and vanished. He also discovers that Sadie and Mae are not in Kansas but are instead in Havana. The missing contact compounds the tension and demands new decisions.
When:after bank call Where:New York City / Havana
- 12
Herman follows them to Havana and meets Duffy
Herman travels to Havana, where he reunites with Duffy in a local bar. Duffy encourages him to participate more directly in Mae's 'outraged husband' act and to assist with the Deacon trap. The plan becomes more hands-on and risky.
When:after learning the truth Where:Havana
- 13
Butch confronts Herman and demands his return to work
Butch locates Herman and urges him to go back to work, warning that his bad luck since leaving is harming both their positions. The warning marks a return to the original economic framework of the con. The tension between loyalty and ambition peaks here.
When:after Havana misadventures Where:New York City
- 14
Bob heads to New York and Sadie marries Herman
Bob decides to move to New York to pursue Mae and seek employment, while Sadie concludes the arrangement by marrying Herman. The two marriages close the circle, though the scheme's moral implications linger. The story ends with new partnerships setting future ties.
When:finale Where:New York City
Who Are the Main Characters in Havana Widows?
8 characters, among them Mae Knight (Joan Blondell), Sadie Appleby (Glenda Farrell) and Herman Brody (Allen Jenkins): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Mae Knight (Joan Blondell)
Played by Joan Blondell
A chorus line dancer from New York who is quick-witted and hungry for a fortune. She slides into schemes with Sadie, using charm and bravado to chase a bigger lifestyle. Her resilience keeps the con going, even as danger nears.
- 🎭 Dancer
- 💰 Ambitious
- SA
Sadie Appleby (Glenda Farrell)
Played by Glenda Farrell
Mae’s partner in crime, equally bold and impulsive. She improvises bold plots to escape the drabness of chorus life and secure wealth, driving the duo’s most audacious moves. Her boldness challenges Mae’s caution.
- 🎭 Dancer
- 💰 Ambitious
- HB
Herman Brody (Allen Jenkins)
Played by Allen Jenkins
A crafty, gambling-prone friend who schemes to get money through dubious means. His gullibility and habit of chasing luck fuel the escalation of the plot. He’s protective of his own skin, yet quick to talk his way into trouble.
- 💼 Gambler
- 🧠 Schemer
- G'
G.W. 'Butch' O'Neill (Ralph Ince)
Played by Ralph Ince
The boss at the casino whose bad luck and control over the purse influence the financial dominoes. He represents the hard-edged world of risk that fuels the con. His interest lies in steadiness of profit rather than romance.
- 🎲 Boss
- 💰 Grasping
-
Deacon R. Jones (Guy Kibbee)
Played by Guy Kibbee
A wealthy horse breeder who becomes entangled in the women’s scheme. His public image as a respectable, scandal-averse man clashes with the bed-trap setup. His sense of honor and wealth strain under pressure.
- 💼 Wealth
- 🏇 Respectability
-
Mr. Duffy, the Lawyer (Frank McHugh)
Played by Frank McHugh
The shrewd, unscrupulous attorney who counsels the women and orchestrates legal cover for their deception. His professional slyness helps pivot the plan around potential exposure. He’s pragmatic and opportunistic.
- ⚖️ Lawyer
- 💡 Schemer
-
Mr. Otis, Invincible Insurance (Hobart Cavanaugh)
Played by Hobart Cavanaugh
An insurance salesman driven by a potential $5,000 bonus who unknowingly becomes part of the con. He’s pragmatic and pushy, embodying the era’s sales culture. His offers push the plot toward its risky payoff.
- 🧰 Insurance
- 💰 Opportunist
- BJ
Bob Jones (Lyle Talbot)
Played by Lyle Talbot
Deacon Jones’s son—handsome but penniless—whose romance with Mae drives emotional stakes. He represents a possible stable future, yet his lack of wealth complicates the con’s payoff. He seeks a job in New York and a legitimate life.
- 💘 Romantic
- 🧭 Ambitious
Where and When Is Havana Widows Set?
Havana Widows is set in New York City and Havana (1933). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1933
The story unfolds in the early 1930s, a period of economic hardship and urban glamour. Depression-era constraints drive characters toward risky get-rich-quick schemes and extravagant disguises. The cross-Atlantic movement from New York to Havana highlights the era's appetite for escapism.
Where
New York City, Havana
Two distinct settings frame the comedy: the bustling New York City burlesque circuit and Havana's glittering, casino-filled nightlife. The NYC scenes focus on showgirls, backstage schemes, and the pressure to turn a quick profit. In Havana, opulent hotels, nightclubs, and a volatile mix of wealth and temptation become the backdrop for the cons.
- 🗽 New York City
- 🏝️ Havana
What Are the Themes of Havana Widows?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Deception, Gambling and Romance & Ambition.
-
01
Deception
Mae and Sadie masquerade as wealthy widows, weaving a web of lies to trap money and social standing. Forged checks, staged scandals, and blackmail propel the plot and test loyalties. The film uses deception to critique surface-level glamour versus real intentions.
-
02
Gambling
Gambling acts as the engine of the plot, driving decisions and risk-taking. Characters gamble with money, reputations, and futures, blurring the line between luck and schemes. The casino world in Havana mirrors the characters’ volatile fortunes.
-
03
Romance & Ambition
Romance is tethered to ambition as Mae longs for financial security and Bob’s affection. Relationships become bargaining chips in the quest for status, revealing how desire can fuel shady plans. The film links personal affection with the drive for social ascent.
What Kind of Film Is Havana Widows?
Light in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A fast-paced, mischievous comedy that follows two spirited chorus girls as they weave a tangled web of lies and seduction in Havana, filled with energetic scheming and lighthearted risk.
- mischievous
- energetic
- risky
- opportunistic
- deceptive
- romantic
- gold digging
- con artists
- show business
- deception
Content notes: gambling, deception, kidnapping.
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