Cocktail Hour (film)

Cocktail Hour
Lobby card
Directed byVictor Schertzinger
Screenplay byGertrude Purcell
Richard Schayer
Based onPearls and Emeralds story
by James Kevin McGuinness
Produced byRobert North
Victor Schertzinger
StarringBebe Daniels
CinematographyJoseph H. August
Edited byJack Dennis
Music byVictor Schertzinger
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 5, 1933 (1933-06-05)
Running time
73 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Cocktail Hour is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures and starring Bebe Daniels. This film was directed by Victor Schertzinger.[1]

A copy of the film is preserved in the Library of Congress.[2]

Plot

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Cynthia Warren is an attractive and talented illustrator for major magazines, living the high life in a fashionable New York City penthouse. Proud of her accomplishments and her independence, she has no interest in marriage or children despite her many suitors seeking her hand in marriage. Prior to leaving on a vacation to Europe, she throws herself a going-away party and plans to leave on the ship at midnight, but her boss, Randolph Morgan, calls and insists she bring over her latest leggy cigarette ad illustration before her departure. He professes his love for her and locks her in the bathroom when she attempts to leave through the wrong door; a watchman hears her screams and lets her out in time for her to make it to her ship. In her suite, she gives one last party. Randolph turns up just before the ship sets sail and tells Cynthia he wants to marry her, to which she objects again.

During the trip, Cynthia falls for William Lawton, a fellow wealthy passenger who takes her for a "sporting girl"; they spend a rather intimate night together. While getting off the ship, he informs her he is married and can only see her on the sly. She and another friend she made on the ship, Olga Raimoff, decide to go out to a bar and get drunk to celebrate Cynthia's newly-free status—and wake up several days later. At a party given by her friend, Princess de Longville, William shows up with his wife who publicly insults her. Lawton follows her to her hotel, as does de Longville's son Philippe; a fight breaks out between the two of them, resulting in Philippe pushing Lawton out a window and leaving him for dead. Cynthia takes the blame for the spat. Eventually Randolph arrives and pretends he doesn't care about her, saying he only wants illustrations for his magazine. She realizes her love for him and finally consents to marry him.

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ Cocktail Hour notes, afi.com; accessed July 24, 2015.
  2. ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress, p. 32, c. 1978 by The American Film Institute
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