LOVE BEFORE BREAKFAST (1936)
Black and White, 70 min
Character: Kay Colby
Director: Walter Lang
Cast: Preston Foster, Janet Beecher, Cesar Romero, Betty Lawford
Studio: Universal Studios

Synopsis:
Kay Colby is engaged to "Bill" Wadsworth, whose chief concern is his job with the oil company. Bill's rival for Kay's affection, Scott Miller, buys the oil company he works for and has him sent to Japan. Scott also sends his girl friend, Countess Campanella, to Hawaii with her Pekinese dogs, so the way will be clear for him to romance Kay. Kay is devastated by Bill's departure, however, and is only irritated by Scott's persistence, and angered by the fact that he sent her fiancé away. Kay's mother, Mrs. Colby, heartily approves of Scott and assists him in his creative schemes to make Kay want to marry him. One night in a bar, Scott tries to fend off a group of college football players who are flirting with Kay, and they all get into a brawl. During the fight, Scott accidentally hits Kay and gives her a black eye. The next day, Kay goes to her beautician for treatment, and Scott pays him off and works on her instead, once again invoking her ire. Lonely and not having received any word from Bill, Kay agrees to marry Scott on the condition that he accept the fact she is not marrying for love. At first Scott accepts this limitation, but later regrets his decision and breaks the engagement. He is still in love with her, however, and on the advice of Brinkerhoff, his friend and partner, he has Bill return from the Orient and makes every effort to befriend him. Bill's friends invite Kay and him for a weekend on their yacht, but the friends never show up and the couple is stuck on a dinghy. Scott, the countess and their guest, Mrs. Colby, are on a nearby yacht and invite Bill and Kay over to dine with them, but Kay furiously rejects the invitation. Bill realizes that Kay is in love with Scott and becomes drunk just as a storm approaches. Kay refuses assistance from Scott's yacht until they forcibly take her and Bill aboard. When Scott orders Kay to rest, she defiantly charges into his party in her bathrobe. Kay and Scott finally become embroiled in an argument, in the midst of which, being truly in love, they are married.

 

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