Everybody's Doing It (1938) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A troubled advertising artist, a determined fiancée, and a criminal scheme become entangled through a highly successful cereal contest.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Contest Takes Shape

Bruce and Penny work in advertising and develop a cereal-box pictogram contest. Willy approves the idea, and the company launches it with a $100,000 prize.

Key Events

• Advertising Department — Bruce and Penny work together in the company's advertising department. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton Location: Beyers and Company advertising department
• Drinking Impairs Work — Bruce's heavy drinking conflicts with the quality of his work. Characters: Bruce Keene Location: Beyers and Company
• Contest Idea Proposed — Bruce and Penny propose thirty pictograms printed on cereal boxes. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton Location: Advertising department
• Prize Contest Approved — Willy approves the pictogram competition and its large prize. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Willy Beyers Location: Beyers and Company
• Contest Is Launched — The company launches the cereal-box pictogram contest. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Willy Beyers Location: Beyers and Company

Success And Strain

The contest becomes very successful, but Bruce grows tired of producing pictograms near its end. His heavy drinking resumes and threatens his work and future.

Key Events

• Sales Campaign Succeeds — The contest becomes very successful and boosts attention around the cereal. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Willy Beyers Location: Beyers and Company
• Pictograms Continue — Bruce continues creating the pictograms over the contest period. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton Location: Advertising department
• Bruce Tires Of Work — As the contest enters its final weeks, Bruce grows tired of producing new pictograms. Characters: Bruce Keene Location: Advertising department
• Drinking Resumes — Bruce returns to heavy drinking in bars instead of completing the contest work. Characters: Bruce Keene Location: Bars

A Rescue Plan Unravels

Penny arranges a false kidnapping to make Bruce finish the pictograms in the countryside. The plan is transformed into a genuine kidnapping connected to Steve Devers.

Key Events

• Penny Fears For Bruce — Penny becomes concerned about Bruce's future and unfinished professional responsibilities. Characters: Penny Wilton, Bruce Keene Location: Beyers and Company
• Kidnapping Ruse Planned — Penny arranges a false kidnapping intended to take Bruce to the countryside to work. Characters: Penny Wilton, Bruce Keene Location: Countryside route
• Criminal Scheme Interferes — Steve's interest in manipulating the contest turns the planned ruse into a criminal operation. Characters: Steve Devers, Bruce Keene Location: Countryside
• Bruce Is Really Kidnapped — Bruce is genuinely kidnapped and taken to Steve's hideout. Characters: Bruce Keene, Steve Devers Location: Countryside

Messages From Captivity

Bruce is held at Devers' hideout but uses pictograms to communicate his situation. The messages reach Beyers, allowing Penny to understand that he needs help.

Key Events

• Devers Hideout — Bruce is held captive at Steve's hideout while the contest scheme continues. Characters: Bruce Keene, Steve Devers Location: Steve Devers' hideout
• Captive Draws Clues — Bruce draws pictograms that communicate his situation and expose his kidnappers. Characters: Bruce Keene, Steve Devers Location: Steve Devers' hideout
• Clues Reach Beyers — Bruce's pictogram messages are sent to Beyers, where Penny can examine them. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Willy Beyers Location: Beyers and Company
• Penny Deciphers Messages — Penny understands the clues and uses them to determine Bruce's location. Characters: Penny Wilton, Bruce Keene Location: Beyers and Company

The Hideout Confrontation

Penny traces Bruce's clues and leads the police to the hideout. A shootout ends with Bruce's rescue, followed by his promise to reform and his marriage to Penny.

Key Events

• Police Reach Hideout — Penny leads the police to the hideout where Bruce is being held. Characters: Penny Wilton, Bruce Keene, Steve Devers Location: Steve Devers' hideout
• Hideout Shootout — A shootout occurs at the hideout during the attempt to free Bruce. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Steve Devers Location: Steve Devers' hideout
• Bruce Is Rescued — Bruce is rescued after the confrontation at the hideout. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton, Steve Devers Location: Steve Devers' hideout
• Promise To Reform — Bruce promises Penny that he will reform his drinking habits. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton Location: After the rescue
• Bruce And Penny Marry — Bruce and Penny marry after his rescue and promise to change. Characters: Bruce Keene, Penny Wilton Location: Final resolution

Story Breakdown

• Workplace Foundation — Bruce and Penny are introduced through their advertising work at Beyers and Company.
  • Bruce's Drinking — Bruce's heavy drinking conflicts with his work output.
  • Advertising Partnership — Bruce and Penny collaborate in the advertising department.
• Pictogram Contest — Bruce and Penny create the cereal-box contest that Willy approves and launches.
  • Thirty Pictograms — Customers are challenged to solve a thirty-week pictogram series.
  • Large Prize — The contest offers a $100,000 prize to eligible competitors.
• Growing Professional Pressure — The contest succeeds, but its continuing demands become difficult for Bruce.
  • Campaign Success — The contest becomes very successful.
  • Creative Exhaustion — Bruce tires of creating new pictograms in the final weeks.
• Penny's Risky Solution — Penny tries to protect Bruce's future by arranging a false kidnapping.
  • Countryside Plan — The plan is intended to make Bruce finish the pictograms away from the city.
  • Unintended Consequence — The planned ruse becomes a genuine kidnapping connected to Steve.
• Criminal Contest Scheme — Steve seeks to manipulate the contest and obtain its prize while Bruce is held captive.
  • Prize Manipulation — Steve takes interest in controlling the contest for the $100,000 prize.
  • Hideout Captivity — Bruce is taken to Steve's hideout.
• Pictogram Resistance — Bruce turns the contest's communication device into a method of exposing his captivity.
  • Clues From Captivity — Bruce draws pictograms describing his situation.
  • Messages Reach Beyers — The pictograms are sent to Beyers, where Penny can interpret them.
• Rescue And Reckoning — Penny deciphers Bruce's clues, leads the police to the hideout, and helps bring the crisis to an end.
  • Hideout Shootout — A shootout occurs when the police reach the hideout.
  • Marriage Resolution — Bruce is rescued, promises to reform his drinking, and marries Penny.

Directed by

Christy Cabanne

Key Cast

• Preston Foster — Bruce Keene
• Sally Eilers — Penny Wilton
• Cecil Kellaway — Mr. Beyers
• Richard Lane — Steve Devers
• Lorraine Krueger — Bubbles Blane