The Man I Marry

• Watchlist

• 1936
• 1 hr 19 mins
• Drama

• Watchlist

• Watchlist

Rena Allen is late for her own wedding rehearsal to the dismay of her aunt Eloise Hartley, who sees the match with stuffy Throckton Van Cortland as highly desirable. Rena has been kept late reading a play for her employer, Eloise's husband, Robert Hartley, a well-known theatrical producer. Despite Rena's insistence that she wants to marry, when Throckton throws a temper tantrum during the rehearsal, she realizes that she cannot go through with the marriage. She runs away to her aunt's boarded-up summer home, reasoning that Eloise would never think to look for her there. When she arrives, however, she discovers someone already in residence there. Ken Durkin, a playwright, has broken in, looking for a quiet place to write away from the domineering women of his household. Without identifying herself, Rena spends the night at the house. The next morning, Rena learns that Ken has sent his play to Hartley. When Rena picks up the mail, she finds Ken's returned play. Before he sees the rejection, she reads the play, and when Hartley comes to the house to beg her to return, she recommends it to him. Ken and Rena have fallen in love and are dreaming about getting married when a telegram arrives from Hartley accepting the play and warning Rena that Eloise is on her way. When Rena explains who she is, Ken is furious that she interfered in his work, saying that all his life he has tried to break away from domineering women. They quarrel and Rena rushes to town to charge Ken with unlawful entry. When Eloise learns that Ken's grandmother is from a desirable social class, however, she withdraws the charges, but the sheriff takes him to jail anyway. Ken is happy to stay in jail until Eloise informs him that Rena is marrying Throckton. He escapes and heads for the theater where he learns that Rena has made his play into a musical, completely changing the ending. Although he is angry, he stops Rena's marriage to Throckton and marries her himself.