Woman Against Woman

Lawyer Stephen Holland (Herbert Marshall) is awakened to the problems in his marriage when his long-term nanny resigns.  His wife, Cynthia (Mary Astor), is selfish and manipulative, and there is no love in his marriage.  Braced with this new knowledge he refuses to give in to her next demand, but finds himself at loggerheads. He decides she will never change and divorces her, winning weekend visitation with their five-year-old daughter, Ellen.  A few months later Stephen meets Maris (Virginia Bruce) on a business trip to D.C.  He falls in love and marries her, and they return to his hometown where Cynthia still has the sympathy of the social set.  Maris is given the cold shoulder by the women of the town and Cynthia continues to play the wronged woman to make sure it stays that way.  Cynthia seems to be winning the war against Maris when she finally goes too far in using daughter Ellen against her husband.  Cynthia is exposed and Maris negotiates an armistice.

Mary Astor plays her part perfectly but as such is not very likeable.  Virginia Bruce is very likeable but does not look nearly as pretty when she has to stand next to Mary Astor.  Mary is quite the looker.  Herbert Marshall's character is a brilliant and confident lawyer, but he just gets batted around like a ping pong ball where women are concerned.