Working Girls 1931

Two sisters from Indiana, Mae and June Thorpe, move into the Rolfe charity apartment building for homeless girls in New York City. June Thorpe, Judith Wood, is eager to land a steady job, but the interview with the educated scientist Dr. Joseph Von Schrader, Paul Lukas, quickly exposes a mismatch between ambition and formal schooling. During the tense moment, June concedes she never even started high school, prompting Mae to rush downstairs to fetch her. Mae, who boasts a “good education,” struggles to demonstrate any real experience with dictation. The surprised Von Schrader, seeing their predicament, softens and decides to hire Mae, a decision he makes with a practical hope for a steady income rather than perfect credentials. Mae, however, mispronounces his name at first, calling him something close to “von Schrahhder,” a small comic stumble that nonetheless earns him a smile and a chance to prove himself.

June’s quest to find a place in the bustling fashion world proves tougher. She tries at a chic fashion house but isn’t accepted because, as one editor bluntly puts it, being stylish is not the same as possessing real style. Undeterred, she reinvents herself and lands a job as a telegraph operator, carving out a new social niche. Her social wings begin to spread as she enters a relationship with Pat Kelly, a successful saxophonist who performs on the radio. In the meantime, Mae crosses paths with Boyd Wheeler, a polished attorney, in the shoe department and the two end up dining together. The sisters both stay past the Rolfe House’s midnight curfew, entering a world of new possibilities that glimmer at the edges of their lives.

Mae’s heart is drawn toward a future that seems increasingly fragile. She even turns down a marriage proposal from Von Schrader, choosing independence over security for a moment, though she remains emotionally attached to the idea of a life with him. The professor, with genuine concern, gently fires her “for her own good,” emphasizing that she deserves a future that matches her potential. Mae confides in June about her choice, and June senses that Boyd—who is not as steadfast as he appears—has arranged a double date at a ritzy friend’s apartment to test the waters.

“Donkey-shane” and “Wee Wee, monsure,” learned from a veteran of the War.

When Mae learns that Boyd has arranged a date with another woman in a social circle of influence, she urges June to seize the moment and keep Boyd’s interest by making him take her out to eat. A little later, Boyd’s friend cancels and the night ends with Mae and Boyd sharing a kiss, a moment that feels both hopeful and risky. The next morning, Mae arrives home to find June crying softly; Mae hasn’t spoken about marriage, and June wonders why Mae remains so unsettled by the prospect of commitment. The disparity between Mae’s longing and Boyd’s unpredictable behavior becomes a central tension between the sisters.

As time passes, Boyd leaves town for a month, and Mae spends money on new clothes while waiting for news that never comes. In a cruel twist, a telegram informs Mae not to meet the train; Boyd has quietly become engaged to another woman, a socialite. Meanwhile, June confides in Von Schrader, and he offers to rehire Mae, a gesture that rekindles a quiet hope. The two share a Chinese dinner, and Von Schrader sketches a portrait of June that rests on his desk, a tangible sign that he has fallen in love with her. He nurtures a patient, protective feeling toward June, even as Mae’s life seems to be navigating a different course.

After Mae’s return, she bravely requests a renewed commitment from Von Schrader, and she reveals that she is pregnant. He responds with grace and a willingness to assume responsibility, a decision that reframes their relationship in a serious, hopeful light. Boyd, chastened by his flirtation with another life, is suddenly torn between pride and love as he learns of Mae’s pregnancy. He is rejected by the fiancée who spurned him and ends up returning to Mae, who finds support from her circle of friends as her life takes a decisive turn toward marriage.

June, meanwhile, watches and weighs her own path. When she discovers that Boyd’s prideful decisions have led him to court Mae, she tries to intervene, but Mae insists on following her own truth. A dramatic culmination unfolds as Kelly, Mae, and June confront Boyd at the apartment where he has been confessing his love to Mae. Boyd, facing the reality of his own vulnerability, agrees to marry Mae, abandoning the pretenses of his earlier life. The moment carries both relief and a hint of uncertainty about how the future will unfold.

In a final turn, June and Pat Kelly reconnect with Von Schrader at a bustling Chinese restaurant. After quietly excusing Pat, June shares the news with the man she respects most—Von Schrader—that she and he share a mutual affection. Rather than respond with disappointment, he reveals that he is in love with her as well, and she reciprocates. The film closes on a note of cautious, hopeful romance, anchored by the choices the two sisters have made and the men who have walked through their lives.

This tender, character-driven story unfolds against the backdrop of New York’s social scenes, exploring themes of class, education, ambition, and the complexities of love and responsibility. Through Mae and June’s parallel journeys, the film examines how dreams collide with practicality, and how chance encounters—whether through work, romance, or friendship—can redirect two ordinary lives toward unexpected, lasting commitments. The supporting cast threads in moments of light humor and social critique, while the central relationships between Mae, June, and their loves carry the emotional weight of the film.