Plot Summary

It’s All Yours (1937) Plot Summary Explained

Name: It’s All Yours
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1937-09-01
Duration: 80 min

Release, runtime and language: 1937 · 80 mins · English; Loading streaming availability…
Directed by: Elliott Nugent
Starring: Madeleine Carroll, Franklin Pangborn, Charles Waldron, Ann Doran, Arthur Hoyt, Richard Carle

Jimmy Barnes returns from Europe to study under his millionaire uncle, Edward J. Barnes, and five years later becomes a prominent lawyer in San Francisco. His shy secretary, Linda Gray, loves him, though Jimmy prefers actress Connie Marlowe. When Edward dies, he leaves his fortune to Linda and asks his partner, Alexander Duncan, to steer Jimmy and Linda toward marriage. Duncan urges Linda to enjoy her inheritance in New York, where she hires Jimmy as her private secretary. Connie and the scheming Baron René de Montigny also arrive, each pursuing their own designs on wealth and romance.

Comedy Cast, crew & box office

On this page (6)

1 Where to watch
2 What happens: full plot
3 Plot questions answered
4 Movie threads
5 Movies like It’s All Yours
6 Every angle

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in It’s All Yours: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of It’s All Yours (1937) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Jimmy Barnes, Francis Lederer, returns from Europe to be educated by his ultra-wealthy uncle, Edward J. Barnes, and within five years has become a flamboyant lawyer whose extravagant escapades are the talk of San Francisco. Linda Gray, Madeleine Carroll, is a mouse-like secretary to the elder Barnes who has fallen in love with Jimmy, but he favors Constance 'Connie' Marlowe. Mr. Barnes dies and leaves everything to Linda, but he urges his partner, Alexander Duncan, to plan that Jimmy and Linda will get married. Under Duncan's guidance, Linda accepts the inheritance and announces that she is departing for New York on a wild spending spree. He tells Jimmy that the will can be broken but only after many months, and he suggests that Jimmy follow Linda and curb her spending or there won't be any money left. In New York, Linda hires Francis Lederer as her private secretary. Connie also arrives in New York, as does the suave Baron Rene de Montigny Mischa Auer with the intention of marrying the wealthy Miss Gray. Linda keeps Jimmy so busy he can't see Connie, while she, to make Jimmy jealous, starts dating Rene. When Rene proposes, she tells him she has no money, and he replies that he couldn't marry a poor girl but will coach her in how to catch Jimmy. The latter, now jealous, rushes to Linda's apartment and attacks Rene, who—being the amateur prize-fighter champion of France—knocks him out.

Last updated: February 24, 2026 at 09:24

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Plot questions answered

It’s All Yours Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about It’s All Yours (1937): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Why did Mr. Barnes leave his entire fortune to Linda instead of Jimmy?

Mr. Barnes specifically wanted Jimmy and Linda to marry. By leaving the fortune to Linda, he created an incentive for Jimmy to pursue her. He trusted his partner Alexander Duncan to guide both Jimmy and Linda toward marriage, using the inheritance as leverage to force Jimmy to pay attention to the shy secretary he'd ignored for years.

Mr. Barnes
Linda Gray
inheritance
will
Jimmy Barnes

Why did Alexander Duncan tell Jimmy to follow Linda to New York?

Duncan explained that the will could only be broken after many months of waiting. By sending Jimmy to New York as Linda's secretary, Duncan believed Jimmy could control her spending and keep her away from potential suitors, ultimately preserving the fortune so there would still be money left when the will could be contested.

Alexander Duncan
New York
will
Jimmy Barnes
Linda Gray
spending

Why did Linda hire Jimmy as her private secretary in New York?

Linda was still in love with Jimmy despite his indifference. By hiring him as her secretary, she could keep him close and extremely busy with work, effectively preventing him from seeing Connie Marlowe while she pursued other romantic strategies to win his affection.

Linda Gray
Jimmy Barnes
secretary
Connie Marlowe
New York

Why did Linda start dating Baron Rene while in New York?

Linda deliberately dated Rene to make Jimmy jealous, hoping that seeing her with another man would spark romantic feelings in Jimmy. This was part of her strategy to win Jimmy's love after years of being overlooked as his secretary.

Linda Gray
Rene de Montigny
jealousy
Jimmy Barnes
dating

Why did Rene offer to help Linda catch Jimmy after she revealed she had no money?

When Rene proposed and Linda told him she had no money, he immediately said he couldn't marry a poor girl. However, he saw an opportunity to maintain control over the situation by coaching Linda to win Jimmy, presumably so he could later benefit from whatever outcome followed.

Rene de Montigny
Linda Gray
money
Jimmy Barnes
coaching

How was Rene able to knock Jimmy out so easily?

Rene was the amateur prize-fighter champion of France. When Jimmy rushed to Linda's apartment to confront him in a jealous rage, Rene easily knocked him out with minimal effort, demonstrating that his charm was backed by genuine fighting ability.

Rene de Montigny
Jimmy Barnes
fight
prize-fighter champion
knockout

Why did Connie Marlowe come to New York?

Connie followed Jimmy to New York because she was his romantic interest and wanted to continue pursuing him. Her arrival added to the romantic tangle in New York, as Linda was working to keep Jimmy away from her.

Connie Marlowe
New York
Jimmy Barnes
pursuit

Why did Alexander Duncan help arrange the marriage plan between Jimmy and Linda?

Mr. Barnes specifically asked Duncan on his deathbed to steer Jimmy and Linda toward marriage. Duncan felt obligated to fulfill his dying partner's wishes and believed the scheme would result in a happy ending for both parties, even though it involved deception.

Alexander Duncan
Mr. Barnes
marriage plan
Jimmy Barnes
Linda Gray

Movie threads

More Movies Like It’s All Yours, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes It’s All Yours tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Screwball Romance Films like It’s All Yours

Fast-talking romances built on playful lies and witty role reversals. Looking for movies like It’s All Yours? This collection features other witty screwball comedies filled with romantic deception, fortune hunting, and charming battles of the sexes. If you enjoyed the playful scheming and fast-paced dialogue, you'll find similar stories here.

witty
romantic
deceptive
playful
screwball
charming
Tone: light, whimsical
Pacing: steady, dialogue-driven

Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically center on a central romantic pairing whose relationship is complicated by a web of lies, often for financial gain or social maneuvering. The narrative unfolds through a series of misunderstandings and witty confrontations, building to a climax where the deception is revealed, leading to a happy and satisfying romantic conclusion.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped together here because they share the specific comedic rhythm and romantic structure of the screwball genre: lighthearted tones, steady pacing focused on dialogue and plot, and narratives where love triumphs over superficial scheming.

Lucky Partners

1940

Ball of Fire

1942

Indiscreet

1958

She Knew All the Answers

1941

Heartbeat

1946

That Funny Feeling

1965

Please Believe Me

1950

The Fortune Cookie

1966

Lighthearted Inheritance Comedies like It’s All Yours

Charming tales where a sudden inheritance complicates love and social standing. If you liked the inheritance plot and romantic mix-ups in It’s All Yours, explore these movies. They feature similar themes of sudden wealth, social class, and lighthearted romantic pursuits, all delivered with a charming and comedic touch.

inheritance
fortune hunting
social class
romantic
comedic
whimsical
Tone: light, comedic
Pacing: steady

Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a character who unexpectedly gains wealth, which attracts new suitors and complicates existing relationships. The story explores themes of sincerity versus opportunism in a playful manner, often culminating in the protagonist choosing true love over financial security or social ambition.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their shared focus on the comedic and romantic implications of sudden wealth. They maintain a light tone, straightforward plotting, and a sense of whimsy, ensuring the financial stakes never feel truly heavy or dramatic.

A Date with Miss Fortune

2015

Lazybones

1935

About Fate

2022

I’d Rather Be Rich

1964

The Pleasure of His Company

1961

Ticket to Paradise

2022

Cousin, Cousine

1975

Laugh and Get Rich

1931

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Yours Sincerely

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Eternally Yours

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Yours, Mine and Ours

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I’ll Be Yours

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My Dream Is Yours

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Sincerely Yours

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This Little Love of Mine

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Yours, Mine and Ours

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You Can’t Have Everything

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Affectionately Yours

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You Belong to Me

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Every angle

It’s All Yours (1937) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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