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Helen Brandt and her mother have moved from their small town
of Ellsworth Falls to New York City, where Helen is employed as a perfume
clerk at a department store and Mrs. Brandt works for the war relief effort.
Jerry, a hometown boy who has just returned from serving in France, is
trying to woo Helen, but she only thinks of him as a "pal."
While eating at a café one day, Jerry meets his college
buddy, Lieutenant Hank Travers, a pilot in the Air Force, and begins to
rhapsodize about Helen. Hank, a cynical philanderer, is intrigued by
Jerry's description and insists upon accompanying him on his date with Helen
that night. To monopolize Helen's time, Hank invites Mrs. Brandt to
join them dancing and she accepts.
At the club, Mrs. Brandt begins crying when the band plays
the song "Those Endearing Young Charms," and Helen realizes that her mother
is crying for her long-lost love, Jerry's father. After taking Helen
and Mrs. Brandt home that night, Hank waits for Mrs. Brandt to retire, then
tries to romance Helen. Although she is attracted to Hank, Helen
realizes that he is not serious about her and asks him to leave.
The next day at work, however, Helen is distracted by
thoughts of Hank and, when he leaves a message for her to phone him later
that night, she eagerly returns his call. When Mrs. Brandt warns her
daughter that Hank is dishonorable, Helen reminds her that she lost Jerry's
father because she was afraid to pursue him.
The next day, Hank convinces Helen's supervisor to give her
the day off and drives Helen to the army airfield. There, Hank learns
that he has a two-day reprieve before leaving for the front but, to put
pressure on Helen, he tells her that he is leaving right away and bids her
farewell.
That night, Helen returns home distraught and tells her
mother that she is in love with Hank. Soon after, Hank calls to inform
Helen that his mission has been fogged in, and Helen agrees to meet him at
the club. From the club, Hank drives Helen to the seashore, where her
loving endearments force him to admit that he lied about leaving in order to
manipulate her into falling in love with him. Dejected, Helen returns
home and Hank goes back to his hotel room, where he learns that his leave
has been canceled. Realizing that he is in love with Helen, Hank
rushes to her apartment to beg her forgiveness, but Helen orders him to
leave. Recognizing Hank's sincerity, Mrs. Brandt urges Helen to go
after him and, as they embrace on the airstrip minutes before Hank is to
take off, Helen promises to wait for him. |
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