Summary
Augustus 'Gusty' Gale is the architect of his own suburban nightmare. On the morning of his first wedding anniversary, he doesn't wake up to romance, but to a crushing hangover and the lingering guilt of a tryst with Linda Betts, the wife of his wealthy neighbor. His professional life is in even worse shape; in a moment of monumental incompetence, Gusty trades ten blocks of prime Peerless Park real estate for twenty blocks of 'Paradise Garden'—a literal swamp. His employer, reaching a breaking point, decides to pay Gusty’s commission with the very swampland he foolishly acquired. As the plot thickens, a bizarre social swap occurs: while Gusty continues his dalliance with Linda, his wife Honey finds herself spending the evening with Frederick Betts, listening to the radio in a domestic standoff. The film culminates in a chaotic family gathering with the Barkers—Honey’s parents—leading to a financial miracle where the 'worthless' swamp becomes the essential right-of-way for a new railroad. It is a cynical look at marriage and money, resolved by the sheer luck of industrial expansion.
Synopsis
On the morning of his first wedding anniversary, Augustus Gale, known as "Gusty" to his friends, awakes with a headache from an evening spent with Linda Betts, wife of Frederick Betts, his wealthy neighbor. Gusty sells 10 blocks of Peerless Park real estate in exchange for 20 blocks of Paradise Garden, a bit of worthless swampland; and his employer is so enraged that he gives Gusty the swampland in lieu of a commission. Following an amusing sequence with Mr. and Mrs. Barker, his wife's parents, Gusty again goes out with Linda, while his wife (Honey) and Betts spend the evening together listening to the radio. Following matrimonial recriminations, Barker offers to buy Gusty's land, which he needs for the right-of-way of his railroad. The couple are happily reconciled.
