Summary
In the combustible twilight of Prohibition-era Manhattan, Theodora ‘Teddy’ Hayden—heiress, aviatrix, racetrack demon—tears through silk-stocking society like a comet trailing gasoline. Refusing the gilded cage offered by childhood flame Gerry Rhinelander West, she dives head-first into the bohemian crucible of Greenwich Village, where the air tastes of turpentine and tub gin. There she collides with Ruby Joyce, a mannequin-turned-siren, and Ruby’s pugilist paramour ‘Gunboat’ Dorgan, whose fists are as blunt as his metaphors. Under the tutelage of Raoul Uhlan, a portraitist who paints women the way lepidopterists pin butterflies, Teddy’s swagger curdles into fury when the master’s gaze becomes a grope. One whispered commission later, Gunboat’s knuckles rearrange Raoul’s anatomy; one misread thank-you later, Gunboat’s lips attempt the same on Teddy. Repulsed, she loans him her roadster—an act of careless rebellion that ricochets into a three-ring legal circus: a fender-bender becomes a lawsuit, Raoul’s bruises become another, and Ruby’s broken heart becomes the third. Bankrupt and abandoned by her bloodline, Teddy crawls back to Gerry, who buys her freedom with ink, influence, and an engagement ring—leaving the audience to wonder whether the transaction is rescue or revenge.
Synopsis
Tomboy socialite Theodora Hayden, known to friends as "Teddy," is an amateur aviatrix and racing car enthusiast. Relishing her freedom, Teddy spurns lawyer Gerry Rhinelander West, her childhood sweetheart, and runs away to Greenwich Village. There she meets model Ruby Joyce and Ruby's lover, boxer "Gunboat" Dorgan. She becomes the student of portraitist Raoul Uhlan, who tries to make love to her. Infuriated by the artist's audacity, Teddy has him beaten by Gunboat, who misinterprets her gratitude. Gunboat kisses Teddy, who repulses him, then borrows her car and strikes another auto. After tracing the car to its owner through the license plate number, the driver of the injured vehicle sues Teddy. Raoul then sues Teddy for injuries inflicted by Gunboat; and Ruby sues her for alienation of Gunboat's affection. When her family refuses to help her, Teddy turns to Gerry, who settles the suits and wins her hand.
