Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Action Comedy Drama Horror Thriller Sci-Fi Romance Mystery Animation Crime
It’s All Yours (1937) movie poster

Timeline

It’s All Yours (1937) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like It’s All Yours
  6. 6 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

12 events in order · contains spoilers

It’s All Yours Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of It’s All Yours (1937) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Jimmy arrives from Europe to be educated by his uncle

    Jimmy Barnes arrives from Europe to be educated by his multi-millionaire uncle Edward J. Barnes. Over time his extravagant escapes begin to draw attention in San Francisco. Linda Gray, a mouse-like secretary, has fallen in love with him.

    When
    Start of the story
    Where
    Europe

  2. Five years later: Jimmy becomes a lawyer

    Five years pass and Jimmy has become a lawyer, with his extravagant exploits the talk of San Francisco. Linda Gray remains in love with him, while Jimmy secretly favors actress Connie Marlowe.

    When
    Five years after arrival
    Where
    San Francisco

  3. Barnes dies and leaves everything to Linda

    Mr. Barnes dies and leaves his entire estate to Linda Gray. He urges that Jimmy and Linda should marry, a plan his partner Alexander Duncan is told to help carry out.

    When
    Immediately after Barnes's death
    Where
    Barnes estate

  4. Duncan plots to secure the marriage

    Alexander Duncan coaches Linda on accepting the inheritance and playing along with the marriage plan. He also informs them the will can be challenged only after many months and advises Jimmy to shadow Linda and curb her spending.

    When
    Shortly after Barnes's death
    Where
    San Francisco

  5. Linda departs for New York on a spending spree

    Linda accepts the inheritance and announces a departure for New York to spend the money. Jimmy is told to follow and keep her spending in check to safeguard the estate.

    When
    Soon after Barnes's death
    Where
    San Francisco to New York

  6. Linda hires Jimmy as private secretary in New York

    In New York, Linda hires Jimmy as her private secretary to keep him close and busy. The arrangement tightens the control over her finances and social life.

    When
    Upon arrival in New York
    Where
    New York

  7. Connie and Rene arrive in New York

    Constance 'Connie' Marlowe arrives in New York, while Baron Rene de Montigny also arrives with the aim of courting Linda. The triangle begins to take shape in the big city.

    When
    Shortly after Linda's secretary job begins
    Where
    New York

  8. Linda keeps Jimmy busy while courting Rene

    Linda keeps Jimmy occupied with work to prevent him from seeing Connie, while she starts dating Rene to provoke Jimmy's jealousy. The social dance in New York accelerates the tension between them.

    When
    During the New York interludes
    Where
    New York

  9. Rene proposes; Linda reveals she has no money

    Rene proposes to Linda, but she reveals she has no money of her own. Rene then offers to coach her in how to catch Jimmy, seeing an opportunity to control the situation.

    When
    Concurrent with the proposal
    Where
    New York

  10. Jimmy is jealous and confronts Rene

    Jealous of Linda's engagement with Rene, Jimmy rushes to Linda's apartment to confront the rival. The confrontation underscores the volatile dynamic at the center of the will and the relationship.

    When
    Immediately after the confrontation
    Where
    Linda's apartment, New York

  11. Rene knocks Jimmy out in the confrontation

    Rene, a former amateur prizefighter champion of France, knocks Jimmy out when the two men clash. Linda watches as the fight exposes the fragility of the scheme and the lengths to which everyone is going to secure money and love.

    When
    During the confrontation
    Where
    Linda's apartment, New York

  12. Outcome unresolved; jealousy and schemes linger

    The knockout ends the scene with the jealous tension unresolved. The will, the future of Linda and Jimmy, and Connie’s and Rene's desires remain in play, leaving the audience with an open-ended dynamic.

    When
    Immediately after the attack
    Where
    New York

Last updated: February 24, 2026 at 09:24

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

It’s All Yours Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of It’s All Yours (1937): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

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
Q2

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
Q3

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
Q4

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
Q5

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
Q6

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
Q7

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
Q8

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 movie poster

Lucky Partners

1940
Ball of Fire movie poster

Ball of Fire

1942
Indiscreet movie poster

Indiscreet

1958
She Knew All the Answers movie poster

She Knew All the Answers

1941
Heartbeat movie poster

Heartbeat

1946
That Funny Feeling movie poster

That Funny Feeling

1965
Please Believe Me movie poster

Please Believe Me

1950
The Fortune Cookie movie poster

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 movie poster

A Date with Miss Fortune

2015
Lazybones movie poster

Lazybones

1935
About Fate movie poster

About Fate

2022
I’d Rather Be Rich movie poster

I’d Rather Be Rich

1964
The Pleasure of His Company movie poster

The Pleasure of His Company

1961
Ticket to Paradise movie poster

Ticket to Paradise

2022
Cousin, Cousine movie poster

Cousin, Cousine

1975
Laugh and Get Rich movie poster

Laugh and Get Rich

1931

If you liked this

Movies Like It’s All Yours

Similar movies to It’s All Yours: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries
Yours Sincerely movie poster

Yours Sincerely

1933
Eternally Yours movie poster

Eternally Yours

1939
Yours, Mine and Ours movie poster

Yours, Mine and Ours

1968
Jimmy the Gent movie poster

Jimmy the Gent

1934
I’ll Be Yours movie poster

I’ll Be Yours

1947
My Dream Is Yours movie poster

My Dream Is Yours

1949
Sincerely Yours movie poster

Sincerely Yours

1955
This Little Love of Mine movie poster

This Little Love of Mine

2021
Yours, Mine and Ours movie poster

Yours, Mine and Ours

2005
You Can’t Have Everything movie poster

You Can’t Have Everything

1937
Affectionately Yours movie poster

Affectionately Yours

1941
You Belong to Me movie poster

You Belong to Me

1941

Every angle

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

Everything about It’s All Yours in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app