Design for Scandal (1941)

     Walter Pigeon is a newspaper photographer. He is trapped in a mine, but has phone contact, so he calls his boss (Edward Arnold). Since he thinks he is going to die, he tells Arnold exactly what he thinks of him. Then he is rescued.  Arnold's young wife is Mary Beth Hughes, who is spending his money at a high rate of speed. They have a fight and end up in court in front of judge Rosalind Russell, who grants Hughes the divorce, with a stiff alimony. When Hughes comes to her chamber after the trial to thank her, her roses trigger Russell's allergies.
     Arnold assigns Pigeon to get next to Russell to get the judgment fixed. Pigeon enlists his girlfriend, Jean Rogers, to help him with the gag. Russell leaves on a train trip, and Pigeon contrives to go along and show attention to her nephew. He pretends to be a sculptor, which is Russell's hobby, and cons Leon Belasco out of his studio. Then he begins to court Russell, getting absolutely no where at first. But finally he touches the desire in her to be exotic. But her boyfriend, Lee Bowman, shows up and throws a wrench into the works. But he does not notice her attempt to be more glamorous, and thus Pigeon begins to make headway. He is getting pictures of all their outings for Arnold to use as blackmail. In the meantime Rogers is getting impatient and jealous. She has been charging lots of expensive items to Arnold.So is Bowman jealous.
    Pigeon begins to make progress on her insecurity due to her over-professionalism. Russell tells him she is the first man she ever met she could trust. Then Belasco comes back, and starts packing up his statues as Russell walks in. He unknowingly spills the beans, and Russell is devastated. She has Pigeon and Arnold arrested. Pigeon defends himself and calls Russell as a witness. He gets her to admit that she loved him at one point. And they all live happily ever after. Cute movie.
     



Arnold


Hughes