The Purchase Price (1932)

This is a pre code film starring Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent. Its not nearly as seedy as the title sounds, its the classic story of a city girl who makes good in the country. Torch singer Joan Gordon (Barbara Stanwyck) runs away from her gangster boyfriend (Lyle Talbot) and becomes a mail order bride. Yes it sounds preposterous. Joan's maid had planned to be the mail order bride, eager to land a hubby she pretends to be Joan by sending in a photo of her. Joan ends up by paying her maid; Emily $100 to replace her. Emily expresses her gratitude and says with the money she'll be able to find a husband in town and she'll even get the chance to: try the goods, before she buys it,  she giggles and puts the money in her striking striped stockings. It's with wonderful "shocking" lines like this that made Pre Codes such a brief time in cinema history.
 If you liked F.W Murnau's City Girl (1930) and The Wind (1928) with Lillian Gish, you will like this. The Purchase Price has a similar story line to the two films mentioned but with elements of comedy and 30s gangster, quite unusual, but as a whole the film manages to work, only because of the strong performances by the leads. George Brent plays Jim, a down on his luck farmer, I would describe Jim as a sensitive buffoon. He picks up Joan at the train stop and admittedly is surprised that the woman in the picture is really the mail order bride. They immediately get married, but their relationship is rocky, that is right until the very end. Joan settles into the labouring duties that come with being a farmers wife quite well, and falls for Jim. However, since their wedding night Jim was not able to shake off Joan's rejection of him, he is stubborn and quickly regrets having her live with him. 
Its refreshing to see George Brent play a personality, usually I see him in films as just George Brent = straight, well mannered, classy guy, he even played a murderer once, but he still had the same polished manner.
William A. Wellman directed this snappy little drama/comedy, snappy because everything shapes up rather quickly for instance: wham! one minute Joan flees from her gangster boyfriend to Montreal and next minute she's in North Dakota and shacked up with a total stranger. It moves a little to quickly, so the story seems a little ridiculous. Sure its flawed, it has an abrupt ending and the supporting players are one dimensional but its still enjoyable.  
So watch this film as the city girl discovers self worth and promise in North Dakota, definitely worth a look, its a good example of pre code style and is good entertainment. 

The first time Barbara sang on screen, not to shabby.

 

(I really want this jumper) stills Via Anonymous Emily