Character Relationship Map: Lady Behave!

Characters

• Paula Kendall (played by Sally Eilers) — protagonist

  A sensible and conservative woman who impersonates her wild sister Clarice to avoid bigamy charges. She travels to New York, maintains her integrity while managing complex schemes, and ultimately wins...

• Stephen Dorchester Cormack (played by Neil Hamilton) — supporting

  A wealthy and fun-loving playboy who accidentally marries Clarice while drunk. He initially attempts to divorce her but becomes entangled in a scheme involving his children and a fake lover. Ultimatel...

• Michael Dimitri Andrews (played by Joseph Schildkraut) — supporting

  Clarice's actual husband, a skilled gigolo who conspires with Burton to sabotage Clarice's accidental marriage to Cormack. He demands payment from the children and engages in a physical altercation wi...

• Burton Williams (played by Grant Mitchell) — supporting

  The sisters' godfather and legal advisor. He helps Paula navigate the bigamy crisis, devises the plan to have Michael pose as a fake lover, and travels to New York to oversee the annulment and resolut...

• Patricia Cormack (played by Marcia Mae Jones) — supporting

  One of Stephen Cormack's spoiled children who initially wants to break up his marriage. She is later won over by Paula's virtue and genuinely desires her to become their stepmother.

• Clarice Kendall Andrews Cormack (played by Patricia Farr) — supporting

  A fun-loving but irresponsible sister who marries Stephen Cormack drunk and forgets her existing marriage to Michael. Her absence and eventual return with annulment papers trigger the final resolution...

• Alfred (played by Robert Greig) — supporting
• Innkeeper (played by Spencer Charters) — supporting
• Butch (played by Warren Hymer) — supporting
• Howells (played by Charles Richman) — supporting
• Henry "Hank" Cormack (played by George Ernest) — supporting
• Cook (played by Mary Gordon) — minor

Story Analysis

A comedic legal and romantic entanglement resolved through deception and familial guidance.

Plot Progression

1. New Orleans Prelude — Burton Williams and the sisters enjoy a holiday in New Orleans before their planned move to Haiti. Clarice's impulsive Mardi Gras night leads to a shocking morning revelation.
2. Crisis and Deception — A bigamy scandal emerges when Clarice reveals her secret marriage. Burton Williams and Paula devise an impersonation scheme to avoid prison and manage the legal fallout.
3. New York Intrigue — The plan unfolds in New York as Michael plays a fabricated lover to provoke Cormack. Paula navigates the deception while securing funds and winning the children's affection.
4. Resolution and Union — Clarice returns with an annulment, files for divorce, and clears the path for Paula and Cormack. Burton Williams successfully guides the family through the legal storm.