Virtue (1932)

A relationship gradually develops between a savvy New York street girl and a good-hearted cab driver–who first meet when she stiffs him for the fare–but other matters keep getting in their way, including financial problems and a murder.

Director: Edward Buzzell
Cast: Carole Lombard, Pat O'Brien, Ward Bond, Shirley Grey, Mayo Methot, Jack La Rue, Willard Robertson, Lew Kelly, Fred Santley, Arthur Wanzer, Jessie Arnold, Edwin Stanley, Vance Carroll, Jack Cheatham, Sherry Hall, Charles McMurphy, Lew Meehan, King Mojave, Field Norton, Paddy O'Flynn, Buddy Roosevelt, Harry Semels

Mae is sentenced by a New York City night court judge to serve ninety days at Welfare Island for solicitation, but her sentence is suspended by the judge, who thinks that such girls should be given another chance if they can return home. Instead of going home to Danbury, however, Mae leaves the train on which police officer Mackensie has placed her and takes a cab driven by Jimmy Doyle, a steadfast bachelor. Although she abandons the taxi without paying, Mae decides to go straight. Some time later, Jimmy is humiliated when Mae tries to repay him, but they eventually discover a mutual attraction. Believing her to be an unemployed stenographer, Jimmy helps Mae secure a cashier's job at Tony's, a small restaurant where Gert Hanlon, another former prositute, works as a waitress. Happily in love, Mae and Jimmy are married after a three-week romance. After honeymooning at Coney Island, they return to Mae's apartment, where Mackensie is waiting to arrest Mae. Although disappointed in his wife, Jimmy shows Mackensie their marriage license so she can remain free. The newlyweds agree to give their marriage a try and soon have saved $432 toward half-interest in a service station. Then Gert pleads with Mae for $200 for an operation, pledging to repay the loan. After taking the money from the bank, however, Mae learns from Jimmy's former roommate, Frank, that Gert has used a fake illness ruse before. Jimmy berates Frank for being such a sucker, while Mae is unable to tell Jimmy that she has also been conned. When Flanagan, the service station owner, wants to complete his deal with Jimmy early, Mae decides to retrieve the money. Mae searches for Gert until she chances to see her enter the apartment building where Lil, another former prostitute lives. When Mae slaps Gert, she agrees to repay the money the following night. Convinced that his wife is having an affair, Jimmy "borrows" another taxi and, without revealing his identity, drives Mae to Gert's the next evening, when it is revealed that Lil's callous boyfriend Toots is the person behind Gert's scheme. After Gert steals the money from Toots' wallet when he is not looking, he pushes her to the ground, which causes a fatal blow when her head hits the radiator. As Toots hides with the corpse in the bedroom, Mae enters. Thinking that the apartment is empty, she retrieves her $200 from the table and departs, leaving her purse and gloves behind. When Jimmy sees the silhouettes of Toots and Mae in the window, he thinks it is Mae and another man embracing. Later, Jimmy accuses Mae of reverting to her old tricks, and after he storms out, Mae is arrested for Gert's murder. Jimmy then goes on a three-day drinking binge, but sobers up when he see Mae's picture on the front page of the newspaper. After Mae refuses to see him, Jimmy goes to Lil's, where he recognizes Toots's silhouette against the glass bedroom door and realizes that he is the killer. Lil convinces Toots to stay calm and let Jimmy tell the district attorney, because she will provide him with an alibi. After tricking the two-timing Toots to go to the district attorney and refute Jimmy's statement, Lil reneges and Toots is arrested. At the service station, Jimmy apologizes to Flanagan before he realizes that Mae is at work, pumping gas. The couple is then reconciled and looks forward to a peaceful future together

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