The Model and the Marriage Broker

A female marriage broker attempts to do a little freelance matchmaking for her friend who is a beautiful unattached model. Marriage broker Mae Swasey, who somewhat cynically arranges her loser clients' affairs, meets model Kitty Bennett and can't resist meddling in her life, by disentangling her from a married man and fixing her up with a nice radiologist. Of course things go wrong... —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu> Mae Swasey works as a notary, but her primary business is as a matchmaker, the notary sign on her office door to provide some anonymity to her matchmaking clients, some who would be embarrassed to use such a service. As her matchmaking clients are generally the types of people who would not be able to find a partner on their own, she often needs to act the counselor and advisor as well to reach her and her clients' ultimate goal of matrimony. She is providing a freebie to Matt Hornbeck, a radiologist who initially doesn't know what she does or that she is trying to set him up with one of her true clients. After finding out what she was doing and being burned by the experience, Matt decides he would rather be a confirmed bachelor. Meanwhile, by chance, Mae meets Kitty Bennett, a department store model who also doesn't know what Mae does for a living. Mae learns that Kitty has just found out her boyfriend is married. Being a good judge of human character in such situations doing what she does for a living, Mae knows that he will do or say anything to keep Kitty, she the type of girl who probably doesn't have the willpower to say no to him. So Mae takes it upon herself to help Kitty, both by getting rid of the married boyfriend, and setting her up with who she thinks would be Kitty's perfect match, namely confirmed bachelor Matt who may not fall for Mae's scheming the second time around despite the catch being beautiful Kitty. Kitty, too, may view a relationship with Matt differently if she knew she was being manipulated, especially by someone in Mae's profession. Through it all, Mae deep down realizes that she herself is missing out on love, she feeling that it may have passed her by based on her own romantic history. —Huggo In a genuine Cukor sleeper, Thelma Ritter is Mae Swasey, the marriage broker. Mae handles affairs of the heart for the "plain Janes" and balding clients, too awkward or shy to find love without a little helpful push. Mae knows all about loneliness, but she also knows that no one "scratching around to keep other people from getting lonely" is ever lonely, herself. When she meets Kit Bennett, a lovely young model young enough to be her daughter, Mae saves her from making the worst type of mistake. Then, Mae introduces Kit to Matt Hornbeck, a handsome x-ray technician... but Kit does not know what Mae does for a living. When Kit does find out, she is horrified. But as Kit soon learns, there is a little marriage broker in everyone... or at least, there should be. —LA-Lawyer Middle-aged New Yorker Mae Swasey (Thelma Ritter) is dedicated to her "Contacts and Contracts" business, through which she arranges marriages for lonely, shy and sometimes unattractive people. It is not very rewarding financially, and Mae is in debt, as her friend and business associate Doberman (Michael O'Shea) reminds her periodically during their regular games of Pinochle. One afternoon, Mae consults with new client Hazel Gingras (Nancy Kulp); Swedish bumbler Hjalmer Johannson (Frank Fontaine); and optician George Wixted (Zero Mostel), to whom she wants to introduce Hazel. Mae then discovers that wealthy client Ina Kuschner (Shirley Mills) has become engaged to handsome x-ray technician Matt Hornbeck (Scott Brady), although Matt is unaware that Mae arranged their romance. When Mae leaves Matt's office, she accidentally is given the purse of model Christina "Kitty" Bennett (Jeanne Crain), and cannot resist reading a letter to Kitty from her married boyfriend, who promises to treat her better. When Kitty reclaims her purse, Mae gently advises her to end the relationship, and Kitty storms off. Later, Ina's snobbish mother Mrs. Kuschner (Kathryn Card) refuses to pay Mae's commission, but is quick to blame Mae when Matt jilts Ina at the altar. Mae finds Matt soon after, and he explains that he could not bear to tie himself down, even though Ina's father Mr. Kuschner (Ken Christy) had promised to fund his x-ray clinic. Mae reveals that she is a marriage broker and had set him up with Ina, but her humor and pragmatism overcome his brief fit of anger. On Sunday, the day when Mae fixes up couples at her home, she successfully introduces Wixted and Hazel, and Johannson and another client, Delia Seaton (Maudie Prickett). Kitty also visits Mae to apologize for her rude behavior, and informs Mae that her boyfriend has proposed. Mae subtly questions Kitty about her boyfriend's wife, and makes her understand that she cannot find happiness by breaking the heart of another woman. Mae's sympathy encourages Kitty to end the relationship, and she stays the night at Mae's apartment. The next morning, remembering a story told to her by a client, Mae pretends that she has lost an earring and that Kitty has swallowed it, in order to take her to meet Matt. Matt x-rays Kitty and does not find the earring, but is attracted to her when Mae insists that she is not trying to set them up. Mae and Kitty become good friends, although Kitty is still unaware of what Mae does for a living. Mae's secretary Alice (Bunny Bishop) is confused when Mae turns away a prospective client, also named Mrs. Swasey, for business has not been good and Mae is behind in her bills. Mae refuses to explain her reaction and instead helps two children who want to find happiness for their widowed father. That evening, Kitty goes out with Matt, and the couple quickly fall in love. Mae plots to make Matt jealous by sending flowers to Kitty, and her scheme works as the two spend more time together. Mae assures Matt that she has had nothing to do with his romance with Kitty, and taunts him about his declarations that he would never get married. Soon after, Hazel, who is engaged to Wixted, is selecting her trousseau at Kitty's shop, when her sister-in-law unwittingly informs Kitty about Mae's profession. Infuriated that Mae has meddled in her life, Kitty confronts her and calls her business despicable. Mae is heartbroken by Kitty's rejection, as is Matt, whom Kitty refuses to see. Feeling like a failure, Mae decides to take a vacation, but her departure is interrupted by the re-appearance of the other Mrs. Swasey, Emmy (Helen Ford). Mae is cold toward Emmy, for 20 years earlier, Emmy had stolen Mae's husband Frank. Emmy confides in Mae that since Frank's death, she has been terribly lonely, and because she is no longer young and cute, she needs help finding another man. Mae is comforted by Emmy's confession but refuses to help her, then leaves for a health resort called Sharon Springs. As the weeks pass, Kitty begins to regret her harsh words to Mae and goes to find her at her her office. There, Mae's longtime friend, newspaper advertising executive Doberman, informs Kitty how badly she hurt Mae, who performs a much-needed service by helping socially inept people find happiness. Hoping to atone, Kitty arranges for fishing fleet owner Dan Chancellor (Jay C. Flippen) to meet Mae at Sharon Springs, and a romance between the two blossoms. Kitty also reconciles with Matt, who proposes, and they share their good news with Mae upon her return. Matt inadvertently reveals that Kitty arranged Mae's romance, however, and Mae realizes that the staid Dan is not right for her. Mae fixes Emmy up with Dan, however, and happily returns to her office, where business associate Doberman reveals his romantic interest in her, presenting himself as a suitor for her. She's absorbing all this, as the film ends.