Baby Take a Bow

Baby Take a Bow

Year: 1934

Runtime: 76 mins

Language: English

Director: Harry Lachman

CrimeDramaRomanceComedyFamily

Eddie Ellison, freshly out of Sing‑Sing prison, marries Kay and, five years later, they raise their daughter Shirley while both Eddie and his old friend Larry have gone straight. However, Welch, convinced “once a criminal, always a criminal,” keeps a close watch. When the employer’s wife’s pearls vanish, Eddie’s past is exposed and he and Larry lose their jobs. Welch suspects they’re involved, but the truth of the theft must still be uncovered.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Baby Take a Bow yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Baby Take a Bow (1934) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Baby Take a Bow (1934), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

After serving time in Sing Sing, Eddie Ellison marries his fiancée Kay Ellison and the couple soon welcomes a daughter they name Shirley Ellison. Life looks hopeful for the small family as Eddie tries to build a steady future, while Kay supports him with quiet strength. Eddie also helps a friend, Larry Scott, who is engaged to Jane, by helping him land a job as a chauffeur for the factory owner Mr. Carson. The arrangement seems straightforward, but underneath the surface, old ghosts linger and threaten to disrupt the fragile peace they’ve begun to create.

Trouble erupts when Trigger Stone, another ex-con, steals Mrs. Carson’s pearl necklace and tries to rope Eddie and Larry into selling it. They refuse, sensing the danger and the risk of dragging their families back into trouble. The incident sets off a chain reaction: Welch, the private investigator Welch who once helped convict Eddie, informs the head of the National Insurance Company that Eddie and Larry might be involved, and he passes this warning to Mr. Carson. Fearful for his business and his own reputation, Carson fires the two chauffeurs, tightening the net around Eddie and Larry and widening the shadow over their lives.

As the tension escalates, Trigger hatches a desperate plan to outrun the consequences. He passes the necklace to Shirley, who believes it is a belated birthday present, a small spark of mischief that tests the boundaries of trust within the family. In a rash moment of play, she hides the necklace in her father’s pocket, and when Eddie discovers it during a sweep of the apartment, he stashes it away in the carpet sweeper to keep it out of sight. Yet the delicate thread of safety begins to unravel when the neighbor’s maid Anna borrows the sweeper and, unknowingly, empties it, leaving no clue as to the necklace’s whereabouts when she returns it.

The homeward return of Kay triggers a frantic scramble to uncover the truth. Welch returns at one point and opens the apartment’s carpet sweeper, only to find it empty, a moment that heightens the sense of danger pressing in on them. With Welch gone, Eddie, Larry, Kay, and Jane embark on a tense search through the apartment building, wary of every odd noise and shadow that might announce Trigger’s presence or the necklace’s fate. When Trigger confronts Eddie with a gun, a struggle ensues. Eddie manages to subdue him, tie him up, and step out to summon help, but the danger is far from over.

In a cruel reversal of fortune, Shirley discovers the necklace in a garbage can downstairs. She runs to Eddie with the hope of sharing the luck, but instead she encounters Trigger again, who persuades her to release him. He snatches the girl and makes a perilous climb to the roof, forcing a desperate pursuit. A violent confrontation follows: Trigger shoots Eddie, injuring him, but Eddie fights back with resilience and ultimately captures Trigger. Back on the ground, Shirley retrieves the necklace from Trigger’s pocket, and the case takes a decisive turn when detective Flannigan informs her that she will be eligible for the $5,000 reward. The tension of the pursuit gives way to a hard-won sense of closure as the pieces fall into place and the family learns how luck and luck’s absence shape the fate of a small, hopeful unit caught in the gears of crime and consequence.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:47

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of Baby Take a Bow

Don't stop at just watching — explore Baby Take a Bow in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Baby Take a Bow is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Baby Take a Bow Timeline

Track the full timeline of Baby Take a Bow with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Baby Take a Bow Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Baby Take a Bow

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Baby Take a Bow. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Baby Take a Bow

More About Baby Take a Bow

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Baby Take a Bow: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Baby Take a Bow