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A week before her wedding, Texas oil heiress Mary "Mame"
Carson learns that her fiancée, Phil Barton, wants out of their
engagement because he finds her ever-increasing wealth emasculating.
Mame takes the breakup well, but lets her guardian, Waco Mosby, talk her
into sailing to Paris for a vacation. Waco and Mame fly to New
York; there Mame reunites with Annie Farrell, a childhood friend now
known as Madame Firelle, world renowned couturier. After lamenting
to Annie that every man she meets is either afraid of her money, or
after it, Mame gets the idea to switch identities with one of Annie's
models, newlywed Myrtle Brown. Mame plans to pay Myrtle to
impersonate her on the Europe-bound ship while Mame pretends to work for
Annie, who is mounting a fashion show in Paris. Mame also decides
to ask the talkative Waco not to come to Paris, as she fears he will
expose her deception.
Before she can speak with Waco, Mame is forced to pose as
a guest of Pierre DuQuesne, a French entertainer whose hotel room is
across from hers. Pierre is instantly smitten with Mame, despite
the presence of dozens of other beautiful women at his party. Mame
runs out before Pierre can get her name; later the money-strapped
Frenchman runs into Waco in the hall while looking for his mysterious
guest. Unaware that he is searching for Mame, Waco befriends
Pierre and offers to pay his back taxes if he sails with Mame and keeps
a protective eye on her, and Pierre agrees.
As Pierre is boarding the ship, the Liberté, he
sees Mame. After identifying herself as Myrtle Brown and Myrtle as
"Mary Carson," Mame accepts Pierre's dinner invitation. Mame then
cautions Myrtle and her husband, Bill Harris, not to sneak into each
other's rooms and ruin her reputation.
That night Pierre romances Mame with great ardor and
hires a steward to spy on "Mary Carson." Although Annie advises
Mame not to take Pierre too seriously, Mame meets him the next day at
the ship's bar and allows him to ply her with a potent seasickness
cocktail. Tipsy with drink and seduction, Mame stumbles back to
her cabin, where Annie again warns her about the playboy. As a
test, Annie suggests that Mame introduce Pierre to Myrtle and see how he
reacts to "her" money. Pierre, meanwhile, learns from the steward
that Bill has been trying to get into "Mary Carson's" cabin, then calls
Waco in Texas and receives permission to "cut in on" Bill.
That night in the dining room, Mame introduces Pierre to
Myrtle and is annoyed when he lavishes her with attention. Myrtle
insists later that Pierre did not make a pass at her but instead
lectured her about "wolves." Despite Myrtle's assurances, Mame is
cool to Pierre after he suddenly cancels a lunch engagement. When
he then announces he cannot make dinner, Mame asks him about his
feelings for "Mary Carson," but he declares that he loves only Mame.
Despite Pierre's pronouncements, Mame continues to be
annoyed, especially after seeing him dining with Myrtle. After she
and a jealous Bill overhear Pierre in Myrtle's cabin employing his
favorite lines on the intoxicated model, Mame is furious. When she
then hears Pierre telling Waco over the phone that he is marrying "his
ward," Mame accuses Pierre of being a fortune hunter. Confused and
hurt, Pierre breaks off with Mame, who runs crying to her cabin.
Later, upon docking in Paris, Mame goes into hiding and
Myrtle is arrested for impersonating the heiress. Waco, who has
flown to Paris, finally tells Annie about his deal with Pierre and
promises to get Myrtle out of jail, while Pierre confesses to Annie that
Myrtle had admitted her impersonation and he had always intended to
marry Mame.
Just before Annie's fashion show is to start, Mame shows
up, having promised to perform a number. As Mame is singing,
Pierre rushes the stage, but she pushes him away. Waco, Bill and
Myrtle then arrive, and Pierre assures Waco of his intention to marry
Mame. As soon Mame finishes her number, Pierre grabs her backstage
and carries her to a taxicab. Mame finally gives in and, after
Pierre pledges his eternal love, they kiss. |
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