Colleen

Colleen

Year: 1936

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Alfred E. Green

RomanceDrama

DICK POWELL Starts Singing…RUBY KEELER Starts Tapping… Musical about dingaling millionaire businessman Cedric Ames and his various employees

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Colleen 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!

Timeline – Colleen (1936)

Trace every key event in Colleen (1936) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Cedric hires Joe Cork

Cedric Ames, a distracted president, impulsively hires an ambitious assistant named Joe Cork. Joe immediately sees Cedric as an easy mark and begins to influence the business affairs around him. This marks the start of a chain of schemes driven by Joe's pushy influence.

beginning Cedric's office
2

Meeting Minnie Hawkins

During a tour of a candy company Cedric owns, he meets Minnie Hawkins, a dress-wearing chocolate dipper with a sharp eye for opportunity. Minnie captures Cedric's interest and becomes central to his impulsive decisions. The encounter sets up the unlikely partnership that follows.

during tour Candy company tour
3

Dress shop purchase

Influenced by Joe Cork, Cedric buys a dress shop for Minnie. The purchase is framed as a generous gesture, but it also reveals Cedric's susceptibility to grand, impractical ideas. Minnie begins to run the shop, while others react to this unexpected acquisition.

shortly after meeting Minnie Dress shop
4

Donald investigates the books

Donald tries to fix things by examining the dress shop's books. He sees signs of potential trouble and tries to understand how the shop fits into Cedric's unpredictable plans. His examination foreshadows conflicts to come.

after purchase Dress shop
5

Colleen opposes closure

Colleen Reilly, the bookkeeper, resents Donald's plan to close the shop. Her stance positions her as a key ally in keeping the business afloat. Her perspective becomes crucial as publicity and romance swirl around the shop.

around planning stage Dress shop
6

News headlines boost business

Newspaper headlines proclaim the odd purchase: a businessman buys a dress shop for a chocolate dipper. The publicity draws curious customers into the shop, giving it a surprising lift. Public attention changes the shop's fortunes rapidly.

shortly after headlines Dress shop
7

Fashion show saves the shop

Colleen stages a fashion show to capitalize on the publicity. The event attracts many customers and makes the shop profitable for the first time. The success convinces Donald to keep the shop open despite earlier plans.

after publicity Dress shop
8

Dinner invite and reveal

Donald asks Colleen to dinner to discuss the shop's future. She agrees, then reveals—by coincidence—that she is engaged to Joe Cork. The revelation complicates relationships and deepens the love triangle at the heart of the story.

shortly after the fashion show Restaurant
9

Joe and Minnie scheme

Meanwhile, Joe begins to see Minnie in a romantic light and the two concoct a plan: Cedric should adopt Minnie, and Joe would marry her. The scheme sets in motion further family and legal entanglements.

after the dinner reveal Various locations around the office
10

Gossip fuels scandal

News of the plan reaches gossip columns, causing a scandal in Cedric's circle. Cedric's wife Alicia is alarmed, and she pressures Donald to close the shop. The publicity-driven turmoil begins to threaten the business again.

following the Joe-Minnie plot Public media / Cedric's household
11

Minnie and Joe fired

Minnie and Joe are fired as the fallout from the scheming escalates. Donald remains entangled with Colleen, while Minnie and Joe confront an uncertain future. The emotional stakes rise as loyalty and romance collide with business policy.

after closure pressure Dress shop
12

Suits and settlements

In retaliation, Minnie sues Cedric for five million for breaking his promise to adopt her, and Joe sues Donald for five million for stealing Colleen. Both lawsuits end with settlements of twenty-five thousand dollars. The disputes leave financial damage but little lasting resolution.

after the lawsuits Legal setting / offices
13

Colleen fired and ocean liner offer

Colleen is fired by mistake and given a ten thousand dollar payout to drop her claims. Brokenhearted, she accepts an offer to open a dress shop on an ocean liner. Her move signals a fresh start away from the current chaos.

after settlement Business offices / ship assignment
14

Reunion on the ocean liner

Donald calls Colleen to marry him, but she initially rebuffs him. Fate brings them back together when they discover they are aboard the same ocean liner as Cedric and his wife. The two reconcile and become engaged, ending the central arc with a hopeful union.

final act Ocean liner

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:29

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Colleen Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Colleen

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