Summary
“The Unfair Sex” meticulously charts the calculated dismantling of a young woman’s provincial innocence and romantic security by a sophisticated urban manipulator. The narrative commences with Shirley Chamberlain's engagement to her childhood sweetheart, Billy Emerson, an event subtly disrupted by the presence of Don Calvert, a man whose charm masks a predatory nature. Recognizing Billy's naive ambition, Calvert orchestrates his relocation to the vibrant, yet corrupting, milieu of New York City. There, Calvert deliberately engineers Billy's infatuation with Blanchita D'Acosta, a captivating revue star, thus severing his ties to Shirley. The manipulation deepens as Calvert then summons Shirley to the city, subjecting her to his own insidious flirtations. This tangled web of deceit is further complicated by Blanchita's fierce jealousy and Shirley's desperate, misguided attempt to adopt a facade of urban gaiety. The plot culminates in a dramatic confrontation within Calvert's apartment, where the full extent of his villainy, and Shirley’s unexpected resilience, are starkly revealed.
Synopsis
On the night that Shirley Chamberlain's father announces her engagement to Billy Emerson, her childhood sweetheart, Don Calvert, a stranger from the city, is present. Learning that Billy is to spend a year establishing himself before the marriage, Calvert invites him to New York; and following a tearful farewell he sets out. Calvert arranges for Billy to become infatuated with Blanchita D'Acosta, a revue star, then summons Shirley to the city; but when Calvert undertakes a flirtation with Shirley, Blanchita becomes violently jealous. At a nightclub with Calvert, Shirley pretends to be gay and frivolous, shocking Billy and provoking his wrath. Drugged by Calvert, she is taken to his apartment; Billy arrives to find her defying him for stealing her jewels, rescues her, and takes her home.
