No Man of Her Own 1932
Directed by
Wesley Ruggles
Made by
Paramount Pictures
No Man of Her Own Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for No Man of Her Own (1932). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Card sharp Jerry “Babe” Stewart, [Clark Gable], and his cronies Kay Everly, [Dorothy Mackaill], Charlie Vane, [Grant Mitchell], and Vargas, [Paul Ellis], cheat an unsuspecting Mr Morton, [Walter Walker], at poker. Afterward, when Babe breaks up with his girlfriend Kay Everly, she threatens to turn him in to the police, but he is not worried. Police officer “Dickie” Collins, [J. Farrell MacDonald], who has been following Babe, then drops in to inform him that he has told Morton the truth. Worried, Babe decides to leave New York City for a while. He chooses the small town of Glendale, purely by chance.
There he meets librarian Connie Randall, [Carole Lombard], who is bored to death of Glendale, and tries to get better acquainted with her. She plays hard to get, figuring it is the best way to interest someone as experienced as Babe, but finds it difficult to hide her attraction to him. When he is ready to return to New York, she appeals to the gambler in him, getting him to flip a coin to decide whether or not to get married. The coin comes up tails, and they do get married.
Babe continues his cheating ways, while letting Connie think that he has a regular job. To fill the daytime hours when he is supposedly at his job, he persuades a stock broker friend to let him work as his assistant. He turns out to be good at it. Connie does not suspect anything until she sees Babe hide a stacked deck of cards in a secret compartment in the side of their card table prior to a fixed game one evening. She shuffles the cards and puts them back without anybody noticing. Babe and his confederates lose thousands of dollars as a result.
Afterwards, Babe is surprised when Connie is willing to stay with him, even knowing what he does for a living. He decides to take a trip to South America with Vane and Vargas, but without her. At the last minute, he realizes that he loves her, so he does not board the ship. Instead, he tells Collins to charge him with something, and, in return for a confession, he will serve 90 days in jail to pay for his past misdeeds and “come clean.” However, in order to keep Connie from discovering that he is in jail, he gets Vargas to send weekly cablegrams in his name to her from South America.
A pregnant Connie receives a visit from Kay just before Babe’s “return” from his travels. Kay starts to tell Connie about her husband’s shady past, but is surprised to find that Connie already knows and still loves Babe. After informing Connie that Babe is in jail, Kay gives up trying to get Babe back and wishes Connie luck. When Babe gets out of jail, he purchases some South American “souvenirs,” including a caged bird, from a local shop before he comes home to Connie. She asks him to tell her about where he has been. The film ends with Babe describing his fictional voyage to South America.
No Man of Her Own Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of No Man of Her Own (1932) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Babe and cronies cheat Morton at poker
Card sharp Babe Stewart and his partners pull off a crooked poker game against the unsuspecting Mr Morton in New York City. They manipulate the play and win big through deception, establishing Babe's pattern of cons. This early score sets the tone for his reckless life of crime and charm.
Kay breaks up with Babe; Collins informs him
Babe ends his relationship with Kay Everly after their quarrel. Kay threatens to turn him in to the police, and Officer Dickie Collins reveals that Morton has been told the truth. The revelation forces Babe to consider leaving town to escape the consequences.
Babe heads to Glendale to start over
Feeling cornered, Babe chooses the small town of Glendale as a new refuge, hoping to lose himself in a quieter life. He ends up in a place far from his poker games and scheming. The move marks the transition from the city swindler to a chance at something resembling stability.
Babe meets librarian Connie Randall
In Glendale, Babe encounters Connie Randall, a bored librarian who seeks excitement beyond Glendale’s confines. Connie plays hard to get, testing Babe’s persistence, but she is visibly drawn to him. The meeting sparks an attraction that shifts Babe’s plans.
Connie and Babe marry after a coin flip
When Babe is ready to return to New York, Connie challenges him to flip a coin to decide whether to marry. The coin lands tails, and they marry, tying Babe to Connie despite his past. The impulsive union sets up the double life that follows.
Babe continues cheating while feigning a normal job
Babe keeps up his cheating ways while telling Connie he has a regular job. He even convinces a stock broker friend to let him work as an assistant, proving to be good at the deception. Connie remains largely unaware as the lie grows more elaborate.
Connie discovers Babe’s stacked deck
Connie stumbles onto Babe’s secret stacked deck hidden in a side compartment of their card table before a fixed game. She quietly shuffles the cards back, not wanting to expose him. The crew then loses thousands of dollars in the rigged game.
Babe contemplates South America but stays for Connie
Babe plans a trip to South America with Vane and Vargas, intending to leave Connie behind. At the last moment, he realizes he loves Connie and chooses not to board the ship. He asks to be charged so he can serve a jail sentence and 'come clean' about his past.
Babe goes to jail; Vargas sends cables from SA
To prevent Connie from discovering his jail term, Babe is arrested and agrees to a 90-day sentence to pay for his misdeeds. Vargas arranges weekly cablegrams in Babe's name from South America to Connie, keeping up the illusion of his travels. Connie stays in the dark about the true situation.
Kay visits Connie; Connie already knows
Before Babe’s return, Kay visits Connie and tries to warn her about Babe’s shady past. To her surprise, Connie already knows the truth and remains devoted to Babe. The moment cements Connie’s belief in their love despite his flaws.
Babe is released and buys South American souvenirs
Babe is released from jail and heads to a shop to buy South American souvenirs, including a caged bird. He returns home to Connie with the trinkets as a symbol of his journey. The gifts prompt Connie to press him for the truth about his travels.
Ending: Babe fabricates his South American voyage
Connie asks Babe to tell her where he has been, and he responds by describing a purely fictional voyage to South America. The ending reveals Babe’s habit of spinning stories to protect his relationship and avoid vulnerability. The story closes on their complicated, yet enduring bond.
No Man of Her Own Characters
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Jerry 'Babe' Stewart (Clark Gable)
A smooth-talking card sharp whose charm masks a life built on deception. He thrives on risk, using wit and nerve to manipulate others while presenting a respectable exterior to Connie. His arc moves from reckless conman to someone capable of confession and love.
Connie Randall (Carole Lombard)
A bored Glendale librarian who pretends indifference to test Babe's resolve, then becomes sincerely drawn to him. She embodies patient, skeptical intelligence and persistence, and she ultimately seeks a stable, honest bond.
Kay Everly (Dorothy Mackaill)
Babe's ex-girlfriend who exposes his past and his capacity for scheming, yet still navigates her lingering emotions. She embodies rivalry and the urge to reclaim a lost relationship.
Dickie Collins (J. Farrell MacDonald)
A dogged police officer who has traced Babe's trail. He represents the law's steady, patient approach and acts as the moral counterweight to Babe's charm.
Vargas (Paul Ellis)
One of Babe's confederates who helps run the poker game and plan mistakes. He is a steady ally in the con and adds pressure to Babe's choices.
Charlie Vane (Grant Mitchell)
A fellow gambler and partner-in-crime who shares Babe's schemes. He embodies the jaunty, unscrupulous sidekick aspect of the con.
Mr Morton (Walter Walker)
A trusting, wealthy mark who becomes a target of Babe's cheating. His role triggers the central consequences Babe faces.
No Man of Her Own Settings
Learn where and when No Man of Her Own (1932) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1930s
The events unfold in the early 1930s, a period marked by economic hardship and social tension. The Depression-era mood colors Babe's risky lifestyle and the allure of quick fortune, while Connie's longing for stability grounds the romance in a fragile reality.
Location
New York City, Glendale, South America
From the bustling streets of New York City, where Babe's gambling schemes unfold, the story shifts to the quiet, insular town of Glendale. Glendale provides a safe, ordinary backdrop that highlights Babe's double life and the precarious balance between crime and domesticity. The film uses these locations to contrast glamour and consequence, showing how a gambler's lifestyle can disrupt the rhythms of small-town life.
No Man of Her Own Themes
Discover the main themes in No Man of Her Own (1932). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Deception
The film centers on a charismatic con artist whose charm masks a life built on lies. Hidden decks, fixed games, and staged jobs drive the plot and test every relationship. Deception creates constant suspense and drives the characters toward risky choices.
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Love and Redemption
Babe's romance with Connie unfolds under the shadow of his criminal life. Connie's trust persists despite ongoing deceit, and Babe's decision to confess signals a possible path to redemption. The romance acts as a catalyst for honesty and personal change.
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Confinement and Consequence
Babe seeks freedom through crime but encounters the limits of the law and personal responsibility. His plan to escape to South America collides with reality, culminating in jail time and a reconsideration of his choices. The ending implies accountability and a chance at rebuilding life within boundaries.
No Man of Her Own Spoiler-Free Summary
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In a sleepy Mid‑western town where the rhythm of daily life is measured by the ticking of the clock in the library, a restless gambler arrives on a whim, hoping to escape the tangled web of his city‑side exploits. Jerry “Babe” Stewart carries a reputation as smooth‑talking as the cards he once handled, yet he presents himself as an ordinary traveler seeking a brief reprieve. The town’s quiet streets and unpretentious residents stand in stark contrast to the high‑stakes world he left behind, setting the stage for a collision of two very different lives.
Connie Randall, the town’s librarian, spends her days among shelves of stories while yearning for a spark that her predictable existence cannot provide. Bored with the monotony of Glendale, she finds herself drawn to the stranger who exudes a mixture of danger and charm. Their first encounters are marked by playful banter and a mutual curiosity that hints at deeper currents beneath the surface of their ordinary surroundings.
The film balances light‑hearted romance with an undercurrent of secrecy, as both protagonists conceal facets of themselves while navigating a growing attraction. Babe’s knack for improvisation and Connie’s willingness to step beyond the familiar create a dynamic that feels both spirited and precarious. Their relationship unfolds amid the town’s modest social scene, where whispers of hidden pasts mingle with the promise of new beginnings.
Against a backdrop of modest Americana and subtle humor, the story invites the audience to wonder how long a carefully crafted façade can endure when genuine affection begins to surface. As the pair grapple with their respective truths, the film captures the delicate dance between deception and desire, hinting at choices that will test the limits of love and identity.
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