Stowaway (1936) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Ching-Ching met Tommy Randall in Shanghai and he left her in his convertible car while he visited friends at a hotel. When it started raining, she crawled into the car's trunk and fell asleep. Unaware she was inside, Tommy drove the car onto the ship, and Ching-Ching was discovered in the cargo hold after the voyage began.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Ching-Ching had been separated from her guide in Shanghai's chaos, establishing her tendency to end up alone in unexpected situations.

• ching-ching
• stowaway
• ocean liner
• shanghai
• car trunk

Susan agreed to marry Tommy in name only so they could jointly adopt Ching-Ching. As a single man, Tommy could not adopt her, and the plan required a married couple. They intended to divorce once they returned to America, giving Tommy full custody.

Foreshadowing: Tommy had asked Susan to adopt Ching-Ching when she married Richard Hope, but the Hopes rejected this temporary arrangement.

• susan parker
• tommy randall
• marriage
• name only
• adoption plan

Mrs. Hope was selfishly opposed to the adoption plan because she wanted Susan to marry her son Richard and was concerned about the complications a temporary adoption would create. Richard himself showed a callous attitude toward helping Ching-Ching, and Mrs. Hope's constant interference in the relationship further motivated their rejection.

Foreshadowing: Mrs. Hope had already telegraphed Richard to meet them at the next port when she noticed Susan becoming attached to Tommy.

• mrs hope
• richard hope
• adoption
• rejection
• interference

Ching-Ching's guardians were killed by bandits in China. This tragedy left her an orphan and was the reason she was scheduled to be sent to an orphanage in Shanghai when the ship reached the next port.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with bandits threatening Sanchow, which forced the guardians to send Ching-Ching to Shanghai for safety.

• guardians
• bandits
• orphanage
• china
• death

At the time, single men were not permitted to adopt children. This legal restriction is why Tommy needed to find a married couple to adopt Ching-Ching, which led him to ask Susan to participate in the adoption scheme.

• adoption law
• single man
• legal restriction
• cheng-ching

Susan ended her engagement to Richard because of his callous attitude toward Ching-Ching and his mother's constant interference in their relationship. She was disgusted by their selfishness and inability to show compassion for the orphaned girl.

Foreshadowing: Mrs. Hope had already telegraphed Richard to come to the port, showing her possessive control over the relationship.

• susan
• richard hope
• engagement broken
• mrs hope
• selfishness

Tommy and Susan grew attracted to each other over the course of the voyage while caring for Ching-Ching together. Ching-Ching herself played Cupid, actively working to spark a romance between them. Their shared responsibility for the girl and time spent together gradually revealed their genuine feelings.

Foreshadowing: Ching-Ching's efforts to bring them together as Cupid plant the seeds for their developing relationship.

• tommy randall
• susan parker
• romance
• falling in love
• cupid

During the court proceedings to finalize the adoption, Tommy and Susan appeared before Judge Booth. The legal process that was meant to be a formality revealed their genuine feelings for each other, leading them to realize they had fallen in love. Rather than proceeding with their plan to divorce, they chose to remain married and jointly adopt Ching-Ching.

Foreshadowing: Their marriage had started as a practical arrangement, but their growing attachment during the voyage made the courtroom revelation more meaningful.

• court
• judge booth
• adoption
• hearing
• married