Gentlemen Are Born

Gentlemen Are Born is a 1934 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Franchot Tone, Jean Muir and Margaret Lindsay . The film's pre-release title was Just Out of College. A news item in Daily Variety notes that Warner Bros. was sued for $250,000 by Ronald Wagoner and James F. Wickizer who contended that the film was based on their story "Yesterday's Heroes." Plot Four friends, Bob Bailey (Tone), Tom Martin (Ross Alexander), Smudge Casey (Dick Foran) and Fred Harper (Robert Light), are certain that upon their graduation from college, they will conquer the world. They face disappointment when they look for jobs, however. Because of the Depression, jobs are scarce and each one has many applicants. Fred goes to work for his father, Mr. Harper (Henry O'Neill), a prominent stockbroker. Eventually Bob, who intends to become a journalist, manages to sell occasional articles to the newspaper, and Tom also finds work. Smudge, a star athlete, unsuccessfully looks for work as a coach. Tom is in love with Trudy Talbot (Jean Muir), who moves to New York to be near him. She shares a room with Susan Merrill (Ann Dvorak), a librarian. Tom invites Bob to double date with him and Trudy, hoping that he will become interested in Susan, but Bob is in love with Fred's sister Joan Harper (Margaret Lindsay), even though they are of different social classes. When Bob attends a boxing match on assignment from the paper, he sees Smudge fighting for a few dollars. Realizing that Smudge is broke, Susan and Bob invite him for Sunday breakfast. Soon Susan and Smudge fall in love. Shortly after, Tom and Trudy marry, as do Susan and Smudge. Joan and Bob date despite her mother's wishes that she only go out with men of her class. Smudge is fired from his job as a truck driver because there is not enough work and Susan loses her job because she is married. Meanwhile, Tom and Trudy have a baby. Mr. Harper is implicated in a trust failure and kills himself, leaving his family in reduced circumstances. To ensure the financial security of her family, Joan decides to sacrifice her own happiness and set her love for Bob aside to instead accept a proposal from wealthy Stephen Hornblow (Charles Starrett).