Carrie

Carrie Meeber departs her rural town for Chicago at the turn of the century. On the train, she chats with the salesman Charles Drouet and their conversation hints at a possible new life in the city. The journey marks the beginning of her leap into urban opportunity and uncertainty.

In South Chicago, Carrie stays with her sister and Sven but soon loses her sweatshop job after injuring her hand. She spends a day chasing work without success and ends up seeking out Drouet again. The setback underscores how precarious her new life in the city can be.

Drouet seats Carrie at Fitzgerald's, an upscale restaurant, and gives her $10 to help with expenses. She later returns the money to him at the same restaurant, sparking their complicated bargaining of favors and affection. The encounter plants the seeds for a dependence that drives much of the plot.

At Fitzgerald's, Carrie meets George Hurstwood, the restaurant's manager, who is instantly drawn to her. He becomes a pivotal figure in her life, complicating her arrangement with Drouet. The moment sets in motion a dangerous dual romance.

Carrie moves in with Drouet and presses him to marry due to gossip from neighbors. Drouet avoids commitment and instead invites Hurstwood to their home, introducing him into Carrie’s orbit. The tension between the two men over Carrie intensifies.

Hurstwood and Carrie fall in love, while Drouet remains a practical ally. Just as she contemplates eloping with him, Carrie learns that Hurstwood is married and he confirms it, admitting unhappiness in his situation. The revelation changes the course of her decisions.

Hurstwood cashes up for the night and accidentally locks a timed safe, ending up with $10,000 of his boss's money. He tries to return the money, but when he learns his boss plans to hand wages to his wife, he decides to steal the money to run away with Carrie. He leaves an IOU, intending to repay what he took.

The initial days with Carrie are blissful, but reality soon intrudes. A bond company officer arrives to collect the stolen money, and Hurstwood finds it nearly impossible to get a job because word has spread. The couple descends into poverty.

Carrie discovers she is pregnant, which raises hopes for the future while widening the couple's risk. Hurstwood's wife arrives, demanding his signature and a divorce, and threatens bigamy charges if money is involved. The marital pressure strains their already fragile situation.

Hurstwood agrees to sign a divorce and not press for money, but it comes too late to save Carrie as she loses the baby. Carrie then shifts toward acting, hoping to transform their fortunes. The couple's hopes are crushed by circumstance.

Hurstwood learns his son is arriving in New York after his honeymoon and goes to the docks to see him. Carrie, still hopeful, leaves him at the docks, suspecting he will re-enter his old life rather than stay with her. The rift marks the collapse of their shared dream.

Hurstwood drifts into poverty and lives on the streets, while Carrie’s star begins to rise as a respected actress. He visits her at the theatre and learns from Drouet that his theft funded her new life, a truth that makes her feel complicit. He offers only a token amount before vanishing into the shadows of her success.

Carrie, now a rising star, confronts the consequences of the money scheme and her choices. The ending comes as Hurstwood, unable to cope, turns away, toying with the gas burner in her dressing room. The film closes on the haunting note of his fate and Carrie’s uneasy triumph.