What Is The Delicious Little Devil About?
The premise of The Delicious Little Devil in 292 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling streets of 1910s New York, a modest tenement frames the world of a determined young woman who has just lost the steady work of a hat‑check girl. Seeking a fresh start, she steps into the lively atmosphere of the Peach Tree Inn, a roadhouse celebrated for its music and late‑night sparkle. The venue pulses with the brass of a jazz band, the clink of glasses, and the promise of a stage where anyone might reinvent themselves, offering her a chance to trade uncertainty for rhythm and applause.
Mary McGuire discovers that the inn’s dance floor can be more than a job—it becomes a stage for hope. Amid the swirl of sequins and the sway of swing, she catches the eye of Jimmy Calhoun, the charismatic heir to a powerful business empire. Their connection glimmers with the thrill of a budding romance, set against the stark contrast of Mary’s humble background and Jimmy’s privileged world. Watching from the sidelines, Michael Calhoun, Jimmy’s father, balances protectiveness with suspicion, quietly questioning whether Mary’s allure is rooted in genuine affection or a desire for affluence.
The film’s tone weaves together the grit of working‑class perseverance and the glittering allure of high society, creating a mood that feels both intimate and grand. Its storytelling is anchored in the music that fills the roadhouse, the whispered ambitions of its patrons, and the subtle dance of class expectations. As Mary navigates the delicate line between performance and authenticity, the audience is invited to wonder how far she will go to secure a future that reflects both her dreams and her heart, all while the looming presence of a skeptical paternal figure adds a layer of tension that keeps the romance poised on the edge of revelation.
What Happens in The Delicious Little Devil?
The complete story of The Delicious Little Devil, from the first scene to the last, in 570 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Mary McGuire [Mae Murray] is a working-class young woman who lives in a New York tenement and supports her mother [Alice Knowland] and her shiftless father and uncle—Pat McGuire [Harry L. Rattenberry] and Uncle Barney [Richard Cummings]. Two items in the March 27, 1919 edition of The New York Star catch her eye: a report about the famous dancer Gloria du Moine going into hiding over a scandal with the Duke de Sauterne (a thinly veiled nod to real-life figures of the era), and a cheeky classified ad for the Peach Tree Inn, described as the “snappiest roadhouse this side of Monte Carlo,” which signals a fresh start for a girl with a past.
Mary decides to apply for the job at the Peach Tree, and to seal the deal she claims she is really Gloria du Moine. The Peach Tree’s manager, Larry McKean [William V. Mong], probes her about her appearance; Mary explains that her servant absconded with all her clothes, forcing her to wear her servant’s outfits—an evasive but clever lie that buys her an audition and a chance at a new life. The inn’s grand opening night stars Gloria du Moine, drawing the attention of Jimmy Calhoun [Rudolph Valentino], the young heir to the massive Calhoun fortune. Jimmy is instantly captivated, and he confides to his father, Michael Calhoun [Edward Jobson], that he hopes to propose to Gloria.
The elder Calhoun, wary of distractions and reputations, arranges a private dinner at the Peach Tree with Gloria—narrowing his eyes at the possibility of a scandal that could deride his son’s social ambitions. At the same time, the Duke de Sauterne [Bertram Grassby] shows up in New York to scout Gloria’s performances, and his arrival coincides with Michael Calhoun’s intimate dinner party. The Duke enters the private room and behaves with a quiet cordially, masking the fact that Gloria is an impostor.
As dawn breaks, the guests linger in the Peach Tree’s private suite. Gloria, or rather Mary, wakes and hurries upstairs to her lavish accommodations. The Duke also stirs and follows, with Jimmy close behind. A clash erupts between Jimmy and the Duke, and the Duke sends Jimmy tumbling down the staircase. Panicked, Mary bolts to the street, commandeers a car, and races back to her family’s tenement. The Duke and Jimmy pursue in separate cars, racing to catch up with the runaway.
The Duke reaches the tenement first, forcing his way inside and grabbing Mary in a bid to kiss her. Jimmy arrives moments later and lunges into another fight with the Duke. A detective finally arrives and/arrests the Duke for deportation to Europe on charges of being a swindler. In a turning point, Jimmy’s father—the elder Calhoun—arrives, sees Mary’s humble surroundings, and blesses Jimmy’s desire to marry her, sealing a future that blends ambition with affection.
Throughout the unfolding drama, the Peach Tree Inn’s music thickens the atmosphere: I.S. McVea leads his band, with Satchel McVea contributing as a musician, their performances underscoring the tension between illusion and reality. The film juxtaposes Mary’s scrappy perseverance with the glamorous promises of Gloria’s persona, highlighting a line between genuine connection and social climbing. In the end, the story resolves not merely as a romance, but as a portrait of a woman who seizes a chance at a better life while navigating the complexities of deception, loyalty, and family obligations, ending with a hopeful note on acceptance and matrimony.
The Delicious Little Devil Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Mary discovers Gloria du Moine scandal and Peach Tree ad” to “Conclusion: good future for a girl with a past”. 12 events name a place, across 5 locations.
- 1
Mary discovers Gloria du Moine scandal and Peach Tree ad
Mary McGuire, a working-class girl in a New York tenement, reads about Gloria du Moine's scandal and the Peach Tree Inn ad in The New York Star. The headlines foreshadow a chance to reinvent herself. Her mind begins to turn toward seizing a new life through a bold impersonation.
When:March 27, 1919 Where:New York City
- 2
Mary impersonates Gloria to win the Peach Tree job
To secure the position, Mary claims to be Gloria du Moine. The Peach Tree manager questions her shabby clothes, and Mary explains that her servant ran away with all her attire. The deception works, and she lands the hostess/dancer role.
When:Evening, March 27, 1919 Where:Peach Tree Inn, New York
- 3
Opening night features Gloria; Jimmy is smitten
The Peach Tree Inn stages its grand opening night with Gloria du Moine as the star. Jimmy Calhoun, heir to a contractor, is immediately enchanted and hints at proposing. Michael Calhoun hosts a private dinner in Gloria's honor to test her intentions and hopes she will slip up.
When:Opening night Where:Peach Tree Inn, New York
- 4
Duke de Sauterne arrives and observes Gloria
The Duke de Sauterne arrives in New York and learns of Gloria's Peach Tree performances. He is escorted into the Calhouns' private room during the dinner and watches Gloria without revealing his own identity. He presents no obvious sign that Gloria is an impostor, keeping his true plans hidden.
When:Evening, opening night Where:Peach Tree Inn, private room
- 5
Sunrise preparations unsettle the inn
At sunrise, the guests remain in the Peach Tree Inn, exhausted from the night’s revelry. Gloria wakes in her private suite and slips away, with the Duke and Jimmy waking to follow. A tense pursuit begins as the men shadow her through the inn.
When:Sunrise Where:Peach Tree Inn, New York
- 6
A fight erupts; Jimmy is knocked down the stairs
The chase leads to a corridor confrontation between Jimmy and the Duke. In the struggle, the Duke shoves Jimmy and sends him tumbling down the staircase in view of gawking guests. The inn erupts in chaos as the pursuit intensifies.
When:Sunrise Where:Peach Tree Inn, New York
- 7
Mary flees to her family's tenement
Mary bolts from the inn, hops into a car, and heads back to her family’s tenement in New York City. She hopes to escape the consequences of the masquerade by returning to her ordinary life. The two pursuers race after her toward her old neighborhood.
When:Morning Where:New York City streets and tenement
- 8
Duke follows to the tenement and grabs Mary
The Duke and Jimmy pursue Mary in their cars, with the Duke arriving first at the tenement. He forces his way inside, grabs Mary, and makes a crude advance. Jimmy arrives to intervene, leading to a gripping confrontation in the cramped rooms.
When:Morning Where:Mary’s tenement, New York
- 9
Detective arrests the Duke for deportation
A detective arrives and arrests the Duke de Sauterne on charges related to being a swindler and facing deportation to Europe. The immediate danger to Mary is removed by legal means, though the masquerade’s consequences linger.
When:Shortly after the confrontation Where:Mary’s tenement, New York
- 10
Jimmy’s father blesses the engagement
Jimmy’s father visits the tenement, sees Mary’s humble surroundings, and gives his blessing for Jimmy to marry her. The elder Calhoun’s approval seems to bridge class divides and affirm true affection. It marks a turning point from deception to legitimate love.
When:Shortly after the arrest Where:Mary’s tenement, New York
- 11
A hopeful future for Mary and Jimmy
With the legal threat resolved and the blessing secured, Mary and Jimmy begin planning a life together. The couple faces the future with renewed confidence, choosing love over social barriers. The tale closes on a note of upward mobility born from courage and trust.
When:Ending Where:New York City
- 12
Conclusion: good future for a girl with a past
The story ends by reaffirming the ad's promise that a good future is possible for a girl with a past. Mary’s audacious gambit yields a new life built on love and family acceptance. The film leaves audiences with a sense of hopeful escape from poverty through bold choices.
When:Ending Where:New York City
Who Are the Main Characters in The Delicious Little Devil?
5 characters, among them Mary McGuire / Gloria du Moine, Jimmy Calhoun and Duke de Sauterne: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- MM
Mary McGuire / Gloria du Moine
Played by Mae Murray
A working-class girl from a New York tenement who assumes the glamorous Gloria du Moine persona to land a job at the Peach Tree Inn. Her scheme blends audacity with desperation, driving the plot as love and danger collide with her deception.
- 🎭 Impersonator
- 👗 Showgirl
- 🏙️ Urban Life
- JC
Jimmy Calhoun
Played by Rudolph Valentino
The young heir of a wealthy contractor who is drawn to Gloria and becomes entangled in the deception surrounding her. His charm and impulsiveness propel the romance and amplify the stakes when class and truth collide.
- 🎩 Wealth
- ❤️ Romance
- 🕺 Dashing
- DD
Duke de Sauterne
Played by Bertram Grassby
European aristocrat who arrives in New York to pursue Gloria and expose the deception. His arrival sparks conflict, testing Mary’s facade and exposing the fragility of social masks.
- 👑 Aristocracy
- 🎭 Deception
- 🗺️ Europe
- MC
Michael Calhoun
Played by Edward Jobson
Jimmy’s father and a successful contractor who navigates the dinner-party world with a wary eye toward his son’s entanglements and the possibility of social climbing through a woman with a past.
- 🏗️ Builder
- 💼 Business
- 👔 Family
- LM
Larry McKean
Played by William V. Mong
Peach Tree Inn’s promoter and thoughtful schemer who uses the Gloria impersonation for a potential matchmaking play, while watching the consequences unfold for everyone involved.
- 💼 Manager
- 🕴️ Ambition
- 🗝️ Connection
Where and When Is The Delicious Little Devil Set?
The Delicious Little Devil is set in New York City tenement and Peach Tree Inn (Spring 1919). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Spring 1919
The narrative unfolds in the immediate post–World War I era, when New York’s social scene blends vaudeville glamour with precarious livelihoods. The press and gossip culture frame celebrities and scandals, mirroring Gloria du Moine’s fabricated fame. The mood sits at the dawn of the 1920s, a period of rapid urban change and shifting social mores.
Where
New York City tenement, Peach Tree Inn
Set in New York City, the story moves between a crowded tenement and the Peach Tree Inn, a flashy roadhouse. The tenement life highlights Mary’s humble origins and family obligations. The Peach Tree Inn serves as a glamorously dangerous stage for deception, romance, and social ambition.
- 🗽 New York City
- 🎭 Hustle & Glamour
- 🏚️ Tenement Life
What Are the Themes of The Delicious Little Devil?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Showbiz Glamour and Class & Money.
-
01
Identity
Mary assumes the Gloria du Moine persona to land a job and escape poverty, turning the Peach Tree Inn into a stage for performance and danger. The impersonation blurs lines between truth and performance, leaving characters exposed to consequences when the mask slips. The theme questions how far one will go for security and love, and what happens when appearances fail.
-
02
Showbiz Glamour
The Peach Tree Inn provides glittering spectacle and flirtation, where Gloria's fame hinges on a carefully crafted image. The setting allows for a clash between working-class ambition and showy display, revealing how talent and luck can open doors—and the price of keeping up appearances. Glamour here masks vulnerability and moral risk.
-
03
Class & Money
Economic need drives Mary’s deception as a means to a better life, while wealthier figures like Jimmy and the Duke symbolize social power and romance as incentives. The plot uses money to create tension between genuine affection and strategic unions. The contrast between poverty and privilege pushes characters toward risky choices.
-
04
Consequences
Deception triggers consequences that ripple beyond the immediate romance, including police action and deportation threats. The dawn after the night’s revelry reveals the fragility of new status and the possibility of social acceptance, tempered by the cost of the lie. The film resolves in a conflicted blessing that legitimizes a relationship built on disguise.
What Kind of Film Is The Delicious Little Devil?
Light in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A witty and fast-paced romantic comedy that follows a resourceful young woman's charming deception as she navigates high society, leading to chaotic chases and a happily-ever-after.
- playful
- romantic
- scrappy
- glamorous
- hopeful
- deceptive
- social climbing
- impersonation
- class divide
- family obligations
Content notes: attempted assault.
Quiz
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