Virtue 1932

Mae leaves New York and meets Jimmy in a suburban cab

The film opens with Mae being told by police to leave New York. She disembarks at a suburban station and hires a cab driven by Jimmy Doyle, who claims he knows women well. She slips away from the fare, penniless, starting a precarious new chapter.

Lil counsels Mae to seek honest work

Fellow prostitute Lil advises Mae to change her life and find honest employment. The suggestion plants the seed for Mae's eventual entry into a different, more legitimate life. Mae begins to consider a path away from streetwalking.

Mae borrows to pay Jimmy and starts working

Mae receives a loan to cover Jimmy's fare and the pair share a tense but fateful connection. Jimmy helps her find a legitimate job, setting the stage for their growing romance. This marks Mae's transition toward a more respectable life.

Mae and Jimmy marry

Mae and Jimmy marry, but Mae has not revealed her past as a streetwalker. The secret weighs on their relationship as they begin their life together. Jimmy hopes for a fresh start, unaware of Mae's former life.

Jimmy sets conditions after a bail-arrest scare

A policeman arrests Mae for breaking bail conditions, prompting Jimmy to step back and evaluate their future. He resolves to make the marriage work on the condition that Mae gives up prostitution and avoids her old circle.

Jimmy pursues a dream of partnership in a gas station

Jimmy saves money with the aim of becoming a partner in a gas station, a plan that symbolizes financial stability. The dream creates tension as Mae's past continues to loom over their security.

Mae takes money from Jimmy to aid Gert's plea

Gert asks for money for a doctor, and Mae takes it from Jimmy's savings. She later discovers Gert has lied about the need, and when Jimmy demands repayment, Mae confronts Gert, who promises to recover the funds.

Gert's deception leads to a fatal turn

Gert has given the money to her boyfriend Toots, Lil's pimp. When Gert tries to reclaim it, Toots catches her and accidentally kills her, then hides the body. Mae arrives, finds the money, and leaves, unaware of the full stakes.

Mae is arrested over a bag left behind

Mae is arrested because she left her bag at Gert's apartment. Jimmy, who has been following Mae, confirms that a man was with Gert, hinting at a larger conspiracy. Lil's involvement initially muddies the investigation.

Lil manipulates Toots toward the DA, then flips

Lil pushes Toots to the DA's office to lodge a complaint against Jimmy. She then betrays Toots by revealing he murdered Gert, supplying the key accusation that shifts the case toward Mae's exoneration.