Two sisters of differing temperaments, the younger's milquetoast fiancé, and a free-spirited artist in an auto trailer are all experiencing romantic complications.
Waldo and Irene have been living with Margit for the four years that they have been engaged. Margit has planned the wedding and the honeymoon - in fact, Margit plans everything down to what they will have for breakfast every day. The only problem is that Waldo is a milquetoast and Irene does not want to be married to a milquetoast. So she says she is in love with Charlie, a bohemian artist/producer who lives in a trailer behind Spike's Place. When Margit confronts Charlie about giving up Irene, Charlie sees that she is the one for him. To make everyone happy, Charlie will have to help Waldo get a backbone.—Tony Fontana <[email protected]>
Irene Agnew (Florence Rice) is engaged to the nice but meek Waldo Beaver (John Beal), with whom she was set up by her controlling older sister, Margit (Myrna Loy), and their mother. Irene aspires to become a Hollywood actress, so she and Waldo begin taking acting lessons from Charlie Lodge (William Powell), a free-spirited artist living in a trailer. Margit, a hard-working businesswoman, disapproves of Charlie's carefree lifestyle.
Irene falls in love with Charlie after becoming fed up with Waldo's lack of initiative and Margo's insistence on organizing everything for them. Charlie seemingly returns her feelings, but he is only pretending to do so in order to get closer to Margit. When Margit learns of her sister's infatuation, she confronts Charlie. He agrees to stop seeing Irene if Margit will let him paint her portrait, to which Margit reluctantly agrees. As they spend more time together, Margit begins to warm to Charlie's bohemian charms. Meanwhile, Charlie tries to help Waldo stand up for himself so he can win back Irene, but with little luck.
Margit spots Irene in Charlie's trailer; she had showed up unexpectedly and Charlie was trying to get her to leave. Margit believes Charlie lied about giving Irene up and angrily smashes his portrait of her over his head. However, Charlie has one last trick up his sleeve: he arranges for a wedding ceremony to be held in his trailer, apparently to marry Irene, but really a plan to simultaneously reconcile Irene and Waldo and win Margit's hand. As Charlie and Irene are saying their vows, Irene realizes she does still love Waldo. Charlie confesses to Margit that he loves her; she finally admits that she reciprocates his feelings. A drunk Waldo then shows up, knocks Charlie out with a punch, and carries off Irene, much to her delight. As Charlie regains consciousness, he kisses Margit, only for an Academy Award statuette to fall from above and knock them both out as a wreath falls over them.
