Paramount Pictures

Clara Bow (Betty Lou), Antonio Morneo (Cyrus Waltham), William Austin (Monty), Priscilla Bonner (Molly), Jacqueline Gadsdon (Adela Van Norman), Julia Swayne Gordon (Mrs. Van Norman), Madame Elinor Glyn (herself)

Betty Lou Spence is a shopgirl in the "Waltham's ­ World's Largest Store." She and all the other shopgirls are crazy about the owner's son, young Cyrus Waltham.

Cyrus has a friend, Monty, who is rich and unemployed. He reads an article one day on "It," a mysterious quality that women or men may have that attracts the opposite sex. Monty informs Cyrus he has checked all the female employees in the store and cannot find one that has "It" that is, until he runs across Betty Lou. He asks Betty Lou to go out with him that evening, and Betty Lou agrees on one condition ­ they go to the Ritz. What she doesn't tell Monty is that she wants to go there because she knows Cyrus will be dining there that evening.

Cyrus is dining at the Ritz with his long-time friend Adela and her mother. According to Monty, it is assumed that Cyrus and Adela will one day marry. However, after Monty introduces Cyrus to Betty Lou, he becomes smitten with her and eventually asks her out. They spend a wonderful evening at Coney Island and all seems to be well between them.

However, Betty Lou's roommate, Molly, has a baby and is not allowed for medical reasons to go back to work for a month. Because of a nosey landlady, the authorities come to take the baby away until Molly is well and able to work again. Betty Lou comes rushing in from work to save the day claiming he is the baby's mother. Monty is there and confirms that Betty Lou is indeed employed at Waltham's, although he is shocked about the baby.

The next day, he rushes in to tell Cyrus what he has learned about Betty Lou. Later, when she comes into Cyrus' office, he is very cool towards her. He admits that he's "crazy" about her and says he will give her anything she wants if they can have a "relationship." Betty Lou bristles at the suggestion of being a "kept woman," and leaves the office in tears. Cyrus determines to leave on a yachting trip for a week to get away from his troubles.

When Monty comes to visit Betty Lou at her apartment, he learns the baby actually belongs to Molly and tells Betty Lou about the misunderstanding with Cyrus. She vows revenge and says she will make Cyrus propose to her and then laugh in his face. She tells Monty he will help her, too. However, Monty says he's leaving with Cyrus on his yachting trip, but Betty Lou invites herself along.

On the trip, Cyrus does indeed propose to her, and Betty Lou laughs in his face. However, she has regrets later, and the two are eventually reconciled.

copyright 2000 by Tim Lussier, all rights reserve