Smart Woman (1931)

Mrs. Nancy Gibson (Mary Astor) sets out to regain the affections of her cheating husband Donald Gibson (Robert Ames), after she returns from a trip to Paris, where she had to look after her sick mother. To welcome her in her beautiful house are her servants and husband and wife Billy (Edward Everett Horton) and Sally Ross (Ruth Weston) - Don's business partner and Don's sister. Nancy learns that Don is with his mistress, Peggy Preston (Noel Francis), who very often is accompanied by her mother Mrs. Preston (Gladys Gale), whom he intends to marry if Nancy will grant him a divorce. Apparently, everyone is aware of the situation and most, including Billy and Sally and the household servants, are on Nancy's side. Nancy is at first very shocked. But, after composing herself following receiving this devastating news, Nancy, who still loves Don and wants to be with him, decides that there are better ways of getting him back than to be the devastated wife. Deciding to play the modern woman, she pretends she has fallen for Sir Guy Harrington (John Halliday), a man she met in Europe (in fact she met him on the ship on the way home). She invites Peggy Preston, her mother and her "lover" Sir Guy for the weekend in her house as her guests, hoping his flirtation will help her to gain back her husband, whom she still loves. Beyond setting in motion her plan, Nancy has to try and convince Sir Guy to help her, which may not be an easy thing to do since he himself is attracted to her, and thus would like to see her and Don break up. Once Peggy reads the newspaper article about Sir Guy being the most eligible bachelor in all Britain, she makes a secret play for him. Self-sacrificing Sir Guy plays along until Donald comes to his senses. The gold-digger is caught two-timing men, is dropped by both, and makes a swift exit with her mother. Nancy makes sure Donald reads the unopened love letters she wrote him, thus revealing the ruse and showing Nancy has always been faithful and still loves him deeply.