Sinners in the Sun

Doris Blake works as a top model for Louis in a chic New York City dress shop. The glamour of her modeling life clashes with growing financial pressures and a strained romance with her boyfriend, Jimmie. The scene sets up the tension between wealth, status, and love that drives the plot.

During a picnic, Doris and Jimmie argue about marriage and money, exposing the fragility of their relationship. Jimmie breaks up with Doris, signaling the end of their immediate romance. The split pushes both characters toward new associations that will shape their futures.

Doris meets the very rich and enigmatic Claire Kinkaid at the dress shop, who seems indifferent to her own lavish lifestyle. Claire asks about boyfriends, hinting at a more controlling and glamorous way of living. Outside, Jimmie pretends to fix Claire's car and is invited to become her chauffeur.

Jimmie accepts Claire's offer to be her chauffeur, seeking a change of scenery away from Doris. The job promises money, status, and a new circle of influence, pulling him into Claire's world. He leaves his old life behind as he steps into a different social sphere.

Claire drives Jimmie to a charity fashion show where Doris models. Jimmie leaves before she goes on stage, underscoring the drift between them. Doris borrows a swimsuit and swims, meeting Eric Nelson, who moves in too forwardly and is slapped when he kisses her. Eric later declares that his marriage will end in divorce.

On the way home from the show, Claire proposes a dazzling life as her husband, promising a glamorous future. Jimmie, however, says he does not want to marry anybody and remains resistant to the idea. The moment highlights Claire's push for commitment and his reluctance to surrender his independence.

Eric continues to court Doris as her father grows tired of her entanglements and throws her out. Jimmie learns of Doris's plight and tells Claire he is quitting, hinting at lingering feelings. Claire presses him, testing whether his heart still leans toward Doris.

Claire asks again to marry him, and this time Jimmie accepts, drawn by the security and luxury she promises. He commits to the arrangement, sealing a new chapter in their complicated relationship. The engagement marks a turning point in both of their lives.

Doris reads in the newspaper that Jimmie and Claire have wed, deepening her heartbreak. She begins accepting Eric's gifts, including an apartment and lavish spending, while Ridgeway's romance with Lil falters. Lil confides to Doris that she loves Ridgeway, but soon takes poison and dies.

Doris and Jimmie drift into the city's fast life, crossing paths at a restaurant where he lashes out at her and stalks out. The confrontation underscores their unresolved feelings despite their separate marriages. The scene shows how far their lives have diverged since their early romance.

Ridgeway arrives with news that Eric has patched things with his wife and hands Doris a check, signaling that Eric may be stepping aside for Ridgeway's plan. Doris rebuffs him, telling him to leave and making clear she won't be moved by his schemes. The moment shifts the power dynamics around her.

Jimmie confesses to Claire that he is a kept man, and the two part on amicable terms. They retreat into separate futures, with their past relationship lingering in memory. The revelation marks the end of their coordinated life together.

Eric returns from Europe, announces a divorce, and asks to marry Doris again. She declines, signaling that her feelings have moved on and that she is not returning to her former entanglements. The possibility of reconciliation fades into the city’s glittering distance.

Doris is found by Jimmie's dog and he starts his own business, prompting a quiet reconciliation between the couple. They choose a more measured life together, learning from the mistakes of their rapid ascent. The ending offers a tempered second chance for their relationship.