Money and the Woman (1940)

Up and coming bank VP Dave Bennett (Jeffrey Lynn) goes to visit the branch that has an outstanding deposit record to figure out why. When he does he and the branch manager Jerry Helm (John Litel) witness the head of that department Charlie Patterson (Roger Pryor) exhibit extraordinary personal service. However when Bennett offers him a promotion Patterson declines the offer and doubles over in pain. Once Patterson (temporarily) recovers and exits Bennett and Helm learn that Patterson rarely leaves his deposits station. Helm suspects that there may be trouble.

Later at Bennett’s hotel while he and Helm are discussing the Patterson situation further the employee’s wife shows up. When Bennett meets Patterson’s attractive wife Barbara (Brenda Marshall) and it is obvious that he has become instantly infatuated with her the branch manager decides to excuse himself and leave. In fact she charms Bennett so completely that when she suggests that she could take over for her husband while he recovers from surgery because she used to work at the bank herself he agrees!

Shortly after she starts working at the bank and Bennett relieves her on her lunch break he discovers a discrepancy between the bank’s cards and the depositor’s bank books. When he confronts her later she admits that she had discovered the problem herself and found that the amount missing from the bank totaled more than $9000 (more than $120K in 2004 dollars). She convinces Bennett that she is not involved in the scam and not to have her husband arrested because there is a child involved. He is so enthralled with her that he agrees and offers to help her correct the situation using his own money!

With the skeptical bank manager’s reluctant approval Barbara and Bennett work together to correct the situation. Of course the minute they complete the task the now recovered Patterson shows up at the bank. What happens next if you can believe it is even more implausible! But that is nothing compared to the way the film ends!

Henry O’Neill plays the bank President; Lee Patrick plays another bank employee involved in the film; Guinn “Big Boy” Williams plays the bank branch guard.