Nightclub singer Joan Gordon (Barbara Stanwyck) has grown weary of her married racketeer boyfriend, Eddie (Lyle Talbot), and to escape him, runs off to Montreal, taking on the name Francine LaRue. Despite the name change, Joan knows Eddie has ways of tracking her down, so, with the help of a hotel maid, she comes up with the perfect plan to be rid of him forever.
It seems the maid, Emily, is about to become a bride---a mail-order bride, that is---to a man she has never even met. Through a matrimonial agency, Emily was matched with wheat farmer Jim Gilson (George Brent), and she is due to leave immediately for his home in Elks Crossing, North Dakota. When Emily mentions that instead of sending a photo of herself, she sent one of Joan, the desperate-to-disappear young woman realizes she has just been given the perfect escape route---she, not Emily, will take the train to North Dakota and become the farmer's wife. After all, since Jim is expecting to marry the woman of the photograph, he will never even know a switch has been made.
Things don't go as smoothly as either the bride or groom expected; for one thing, the wedding ceremony is more like a circus...complete with a bargained-for ring which doesn't even come close to fitting Joan's finger. Also, a heavy mortgage and a merciless banker are nipping at Jim's heels; to make matters even worse, Joan intends the marriage to be in name only...an arrangement Jim is none too happy about. Slapping him when he makes advances towards her, Joan succeeds in building a wall between the two of them....and just as the wall begins to show signs of toppling, the old gangster boyfriend shows up at the farm, alerting Jim to the fact that his wife isn't the "good girl" he thought she was.
Do Jim and Joan find love together? Or does Joan go back to Eddie? Are they able to save the farm from foreclosure? These are the questions which play out in the balance of this sweet little film.
While I enjoyed The Purchase Price, I have to admit, it was beyond odd to see George Brent in this kind of role. Instead of the dapper, distinguished, suit-wearing gentleman he generally portrays (and which I prefer), here, he was a bit on the socially awkward side...and wearing long johns and jeans which were too big in the rear end. Not his usual elegant self, that's for sure. Plus, he wasn't sporting a mustache at this point in his career, and I must say, Mr. Brent is one of the few actors I love with a bit of facial hair (Clark Gable too). Also, at one point, his character got down on all fours to look for something, and there was at least a 10-second shot of his backside. Not exactly a dignified pose!! Just as uncomfortable to watch was the scene in which a mentally-challenged young man howls at the newlyweds. Still, though, despite the strange casting and the lack of sophistication, the story was sweet. Additionally, it was loads of fun seeing the lovely Miss Stanwyck way back at the tender age of 25. She's young and beautiful here, and in the very early stages of her career. What a pleasure to see her in the days before her star began to rise...we even get an opportunity to hear her sing. I know very little about Lyle Talbot, but he was quite a good-looking man...not sure why he wasn't more of a star. Finally, the scene in which the ladies are talking on the train is a definite clue that this is a pre-code film. Their conversation is filled with innuendo which would not have gotten by the censors a few years later.
This film is out on DVD as part of the Forbidden Hollywood Collection, so you might be able to track it down that way. I've been unable to locate either the entire film or even a trailer on YouTube. So...best of luck seeking this one out.
Happy viewing!!
