In Society (1944) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The invitation was sent by accident. Mrs. Van Cleve intended to mail a letter of complaint about the water damage the plumbers caused in her mansion, but the invitation to the Briarwood unveiling of The Plunger got mixed up in the mail. Eddie and Albert interpreted the invitation as a reward and an opportunity to meet wealthy clients.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the evening, Albert dreams about the painting's value, showing his excitement at the opportunity.

• invitation
• mistake
• Briarwood
• Van Cleve

When the painting went missing during the gala, Gloria Winthrop immediately suspected Elsie, Eddie, and Albert because they were outsiders at the high-society event. Their presence seemed suspicious, and they had no established reputation at the party, making them convenient targets for accusation.

• accusation
• theft
• Elsie
• The Plunger
• suspicion

Drexel is a loan shark to whom Eddie and Albert owe money. He appears at the Briarwood gala and pressures them to steal The Plunger for him, using their debt as leverage. When they refuse, he and the crooked chauffeur Marlow attempt to steal the painting themselves.

• Drexel
• loan shark
• debt
• theft
• pressure

They commandeered a fire truck and pursued Drexel and Marlow across the Briarwood grounds. In the chaos of the chase, they cornered the thieves and recovered the painting, simultaneously clearing their names of the theft accusations.

Foreshadowing: The earlier flood in the Van Cleve mansion establishes the plumbers' tendency to create chaos with water.

• fire truck
• chase
• recovery
• Drexel
• Marlow

The Plunger is a priceless painting being unveiled at the Briarwood gala hosted by Mrs. Winthrop. It belongs to a renowned heavy gambler, which makes it both valuable and sought after. Albert becomes fixated on its worth, viewing it as their ticket to financial security.

• painting
• The Plunger
• Briarwood
• valuable

While attempting to seal the leak in Mr. Van Cleve's private bathroom, Eddie and Albert's repair efforts backfire and cause the room to flood. The water pours over the fixtures and creates more damage than the original leak, forcing them to scramble to contain the chaos.

• flood
• leak
• plumbing
• bathroom
• damage

Peter Evans is a party guest who arrives dressed as a taxi driver. When he encounters Elsie, who is actually a taxi driver, he assumes she must be another costumed attendee rather than a real driver. He extends an invitation to the Briarwood gala based on this misunderstanding.

• Peter Evans
• Elsie
• mistaken identity
• invitation

Despite owing Drexel money and facing pressure from the menacing loan shark, Eddie and Albert refuse to become thieves. They maintain their integrity and decline the criminal proposition, choosing not to steal the painting even when Drexel threatens consequences.

• theft
• refusal
• integrity
• Drexel

After the painting is recovered and the real thieves are caught, several guests claim that Eddie and Albert stole their tuxedos. This accusation sparks a wild chase across a field, bringing the movie to a farcical conclusion with the plumbers managing to escape the commotion.

• chase
• tuxedos
• escape
• finale