Pre Code: The Naughty Flirt(1931).

The Naughty Flirt(1931). Dir: Edward Cline Cast: Alice White, Paul Page and Myrna Loy.

After a wild party, all the party goers end up before the judge, Jack Gregory asks Kay Elliott, to marry him that night in the courtroom. Alan Ward, a young lawyer, who works for Kay's father, lectures her on her bad behavior that she decides to marry Jack out of spite. Alan telephones Kay's father John, who demands that he bring her home. Kay, begins to take interest in Jack and invites him to several events, but he never shows up.

Finally, she tricks him into thinking he is invited to a birthday party for her father. When she gets him alone, Kay tells him that she likes him and he realizes that he likes her too, but.. when he overhears one of her friends say that she bet him she would have Alan eating out of her hand by midnight, he turns her over his knee and spanks her, then quickly marches out of the party.

The spanking, is the turning point for Kay, she decides to make something of her life by taking a job as a secretary in her father's law firm. Still angry Alan, calls her a failure and she quits in anger. Alan, later apologizes, telling her that he loves her and they announce their engagement.

Linda, Jack's sister, will stop at nothing to break them up so that Jack can marry Kay for her money. Linda makes it seem as if Alan was in her room that evening. Will Kay believe her and break off her engagement to Alan and marry Jack?


 

Myrna, doesn't have many scenes in this fun film. The spotlight is mostly on," new to me actress" Alice White. She reminded me a little of a Clara Bow. Myrna Loy's,  performance is wonderful as the snooty little trouble maker...

Alice White (August 24, 1904 - February 19, 1983). Her mother, a former chorus girl died when Alice was only three years old. She attended Roanoke College in Virginia and then took a secretarial course at Hollywood High School also attended by future actors Joel McCrea and Mary Brian.

After leaving school she became a secretary and "script girl" for director Josef Von Sternberg. White left his employment to work for Charlie Chaplin, who decided before long to place her in front of the camera. She was often compared to Clara Bow.

 After playing flappers and gold diggers in films, she attracted the attention of the director and producer Mervyn LeRoy who saw potential in her. Her first sound films included Show Girl (1928) and Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), both based on novels by J. P. McEvoy. In these two films, White appeared as "Dixie Dugan". In October 1929, McAvoy started the comic strip Dixie Dugan with the character Dixie having a "helmet" hairstyle and appearance similar to actress Louise Brooks.

White also used the services of Hollywood 'beauty sculptor' Sylvia of Hollywood to stay in shape. She left films in 1931 to improve her acting abilities, returning in 1933 only to have her career hurt by a scandal that erupted over her involvement with boyfriend actor Jack Warburton and future husband Sy Bartlett. Although she later married Bartlett, her reputation was tarnished and she appeared only in supporting roles after this. By 1937 and 1938, her name was at the bottom of the cast lists. She made her final film appearance in Flamingo Road (1949).

She was Warner Brothers answer to Clara Bow.