Summary
Chuck and Molly are young lovers working at a department store who decide to tie the knot, but their domestic bliss is almost immediately derailed by a corrupt store detective, a sudden layoff, and a scheme to steal fur coats. It is a messy mix of 1930s romantic drama and low-stakes crime thriller.
Synopsis
Sweethearts Chuck Evans and Molly Roberts work at Blair's Department Store and plan on marrying when Chuck gets a raise. They dine one evening with Molly's friend and fellow salesgirl, Dottie Wade, and her unemployed husband Billy, of whom Chuck is very critical. After dinner, Molly and Chuck decide to marry immediately, and Chuck dictates that Molly quit her job so that their marriage will be harmonious, as opposed to that of the Wades. The next day, store owner W. O. Blair and Dolan, the crooked store detective, discuss the necessity of staff layoffs. Dolan, who dislikes Chuck and openly exhibits his desire for Molly, suggests that there have been complaints about Chuck and he should therefore be fired. Mary Shane, the women's personnel director and Chuck's friend, defends his integrity, but Dolan nonetheless marks Chuck's name for dismissal when no one is looking. The day after Molly and Chuck get their marriage license, Molly goes to Mary's office to quit her job, but the secretary, Daisy, informs her of Chuck's impending dismissal. Molly returns home, where she tells Dottie the news and admits her fear that Chuck will not want to get married. Chuck arrives with flowers, however, unaware of his dismissal. Despite Dottie's advice to tell Chuck the truth, Molly keeps the news secret, and the couple are married. The next day, Chuck finds the closing notice in his pay envelope. Although he is angry that Molly did not tell him, he is determined to find another job quickly. There are no jobs available, however, and as time passes, Chuck becomes depressed about Molly supporting him. Molly reluctantly accepts a ride home from Dolan one evening, and when they arrive, they find Chuck in the kitchen cooking dinner. Chuck is humiliated that Dolan has seen him as a househusband, and he refuses Dolan's offer to help him find work. The next day, Dottie, who is now pregnant, is fired after a fussy customer complains about her, and she then tries to poison herself. Molly blames Billy, but Chuck, now a comrade in unemployment with his neighbor, defends him and the couple fight. Afraid that their marriage will similarly disintegrate, Chuck leaves after saying that he will return when he has a pay envelope. Later, Dolan puts into action his plan to steal the store's fur coats by hiring his girl friend, Trudie Holmes, and Molly to do a sham inventory one night, and Chuck and Billy to unwittingly drive the contraband away. Dolan arranges with his mugs for Chuck to be the fall guy if anything goes wrong and, as the evening progresses, explains to Molly that Chuck will be blamed for the theft when she becomes suspicious. Chuck also becomes suspicious of the shady characters aiding Dolan, and he rushes to Molly's aid as she struggles to escape from Dolan. Molly activates the alarm while the men fight, and just as Chuck is about to be shot, the police arrive with Blair and Mary, who reveal that they have been watching Dolan since they discovered the trick he pulled to get Chuck fired. Blair appoints Chuck the head of the shipping department, and Chuck hires Billy to fill Dolan's job. Chuck then embraces Molly after telling her that she also has a new job: staying home and taking care of children.
Review Excerpt
"If you're looking for a breezy, slightly confused relic from the early 1930s, Hold Me Tight might actually hit the spot. It is definitely for people who enjoy watching old studio dramas where the morality feels a bit... shifted. If you hate movies where the male protagonist decides, 'I am the provider, you must quit your job,' you are going to be rolling your eyes every five minutes.
The whole setup at Blair's Department Store feels like a stage play that someone accidentally filmed. Everything..."
