Hired Wife 1940
Directed by
William A. Seiter
Made by
Universal Pictures
Hired Wife Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Hired Wife (1940). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
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.
Hired Wife Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Hired Wife (1940) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Injunction threat and a desperate plan
Competitors threaten to obtain an injunction against Stephen Dexter the next day, aiming to cripple his cement business. Stephen refuses to cooperate, risking bankruptcy rather than yield. Van Horn, his lawyer and longtime friend, proposes a drastic workaround: marry immediately and transfer assets to a new wife to shield them from the injunction.
Kendal's manipulation and Phyllis's suspicions
Kendal Browning tries to steer events in a way that damages Stephen's chances with Phyllis. Her remarks plant doubt that Phyllis suspects a trap designed to expose her alleged greed. Phyllis ultimately rejects the idea of a hurried marriage to someone she does not fully trust.
A marriage proposal and a South Carolina journey
With time running out, Stephen asks Kendal to marry him, and she accepts the proposal. They head to South Carolina to see a justice of the peace in hopes of making the marriage legally binding quickly. The plan moves forward despite the looming injunction against Stephen.
Kendal confesses and living under the same roof
Kendal confesses to Stephen that she engineered Phyllis rejection to sabotage him, a revelation that infuriates her husband. To avoid suspicion that their marriage is a sham, they must live under the same roof. Van Horn becomes a reluctant chaperone, moving in to supervise the arrangement.
Van Horn as reluctant chaperone
Van Horn's role tightens as the reluctant chaperone, bridging the line between friend and investigator. He rooms with Stephen to keep appearances and monitor the evolving situation. The domestic setup heightens the farce of the plan.
Nightclub visit and the Jose introduction
Stephen slips away to a nightclub to speak with Phyllis and clear the air. Kendal follows and encounters her friend Jose, who is curious about Stephen. The meeting lays the groundwork for Jose to be used as part of the deception.
Jose planned as a wealthy diversion
Kendal devises a scheme in which Jose poses as a wealthy man to divert Phyllis away from Stephen. Jose agrees to the deception, drawn to Kendal and willing to play the part. The ruse tightens the tangle surrounding the couples.
Rivals drop tactics; divorce request
As rivals drop their underhanded tactics, Stephen asks Kendal for a divorce. Kendal refuses to grant the divorce, keeping the marriage in place. The web of deception continues to entangle them as loyalties shift.
Invalid marriage due to expired license
The justice of the peace who married them arrives at the office and reveals that his license had expired, making the marriage invalid. The revelation forces the characters to reevaluate their positions and relationships. This legal snag derails the original plan and creates new tension.
Revealing the fraud; Jose exposed
Phyllis and Jose converge on the office where the deception will be exposed. Jose is revealed as a fraud financed by Kendal to entangle Stephen and Phyllis. The exposure upends alliances and nudges the characters toward truth.
Love shifts and new loyalties
Kendal and Jose depart, while Stephen and Phyllis admit that they truly love Kendal and Jose respectively. The pairings shift from manipulation to genuine affection. The emotional turn sets the stage for happier unions.
Happy reunions
In the final turn, the three couples are happily reunited: Stephen with Kendal, Phyllis with Jose, and Kendal with Jose. The film ends on a note of enduring commitment replacing the prior schemes. Love reconciles the tangled web of mistaken intentions.
Hired Wife Characters
Explore all characters from Hired Wife (1940). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Stephen Dexter (Brian Aherne)
A determined boss of Dexter Cement who faces bankruptcy threats and negotiates through calculated moves. He treats marriage as a strategic lever to protect assets, while wrestling with genuine romantic complications. His confidence hides a readiness to bend rules for the company's survival.
Kendal Browning (Rosalind Russell)
A driven executive who engineers a web of schemes to safeguard her position and influence Stephen. She manages relationships with precision, exposing others' motives while becoming entwined in the company’s fate. Her actions mix manipulation with reluctant trust.
Phyllis Walden (Virginia Bruce)
Stephen’s girlfriend who senses a trap in the rapid marriage plan and questions social climbing. She values independence and security, yet her feelings evolve as events unfold. By the end, she recognizes genuine affection amid the chaos.
Jose de Briganza (John Carroll)
A penniless, charming friend used as a ruse to fool Phyllis by posing as a wealthy suitor. He embodies allure without wealth, and his impostor role creates the central misdirection. His involvement adds a twist to the romantic dynamics.
Roger Van Horn (Robert Benchley)
Stephen’s lawyer and loyal confidant who nudges the marriage ploy to skirt the injunction. His wit and practical perspective keep the plan afloat until reality intrudes. He provides comic relief and steady judgment amid chaos.
Martin Peabody – Justice of the Peace (Chester Clute)
The local justice who marries the couple, only to have his license expire and invalidate the union. He serves as the pivotal figure whose action exposes the fragility of social rituals and prompts the eventual reversal of the scheme.
Hired Wife Settings
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Location
South Carolina, Dexter Cement offices, Swan Club, Nightclub
The story unfolds around the Dexter Cement offices and a South Carolina legal venue where a justice of the peace presides. It weaves between a bustling corporate environment and social locales like a nightclub and a swank club, highlighting the era’s blend of wealth, power, and charm.
Hired Wife Themes
Discover the main themes in Hired Wife (1940). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Marriage of Convenience
A rapid marriage is proposed to maneuver around a legal injunction and protect assets. The plot hinges on deception, social maneuvering, and the tension between calculated schemes and genuine feelings. As the truth emerges, characters must decide what they truly value in love and loyalty.
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Power and Rivalry
Dexter Cement faces pressure from industry giants, turning business rivalry into personal theater. The threat of bankruptcy and asset transfers pushes characters to trade favors and manipulate relationships. The comedy lies in how personal ambitions collide with corporate strategy.
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Deception and Identity
Disguises and imposture drive the narrative: a penniless suitor poses as a wealthy man, and a marriage proves legally dubious. Revelations unravel the ruses, testing trust among friends and lovers. The ending hinges on discovering true affection beneath the masks.
Hired Wife Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Hired Wife (1940). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the high‑stakes arena of corporate advertising, the pressure to outmaneuver rival conglomerates is relentless. Stephen Dexter, the charismatic head of a fast‑growing cement‑supply firm, feels the weight of an imminent injunction that could unravel everything he has built. The atmosphere is suffused with a blend of sleek office polish and an undercurrent of desperation, where boardroom decisions carry the gravity of a legal battle and every handshake hints at hidden agendas.
Amid this frantic pace, Kendall Browning serves as the executive’s incisive right‑hand, her sharp intellect matched only by her dry humor. Their professional rapport has long teetered on the edge of something more, and when a clever, if unorthodox, solution to the looming financial threat emerges, she finds herself drawn into a scheme that blurs the line between business strategy and personal compromise. Adding to the mix is Roger Van Horn, a longtime friend and trusted lawyer whose pragmatic counsel often leans toward the absurd, and Phyllis Walden, Stephen’s alluring girlfriend, whose presence injects both warmth and tension into the already fragile dynamic.
The core of the story rests on a daring, marriage‑by‑convention plan that promises a temporary shield against the corporate peril threatening Stephen’s empire. What begins as a calculated partnership quickly spirals into a delicate dance of secrecy, entitlement, and unexpected attachment, turning a simple legal loophole into a labyrinth of emotional stakes. The tone oscillates between sly wit and earnest drama, inviting the audience to watch as professional ambitions collide with personal desires, leaving everyone involved questioning where the line between duty and love truly lies.
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