The Gilded Lily

Stenographer Marilyn and newspaper reporter Peter meet on a bench outside the New York Public Library. They eat popcorn and watch the world go by while they discuss love. Marilyn reveals she only considers Peter a friend and that true love will come later.

Marilyn helps an English aristocrat, Lord Charles Gray Granton, escape a subway guard. He thanks her, walks her home, and they flirt. Their connection quickly deepens, and they begin spending time together while he conceals who he really is.

Marilyn and Charles go on dates to Coney Island and share dinners. Their flirtation deepens into love as she remains unaware of his true wealth and engagement.

During their next Thursday meeting, Marilyn reveals she has fallen in love with someone. Peter expresses disappointment, noting that things can never be the same between them, but he promises to remain her friend and provide support.

Charles' father, Lloyd Granton, learns of their engagement and insists they return to England to break it off properly. Charles visits Marilyn before leaving and tells her he has found a job, but he won't reveal his identity while he's away.

The next day Peter learns the Duke and his son have been in New York for six weeks and are preparing to sail back to England. He interviews them at the docks, and the Duke hands Peter $100 to keep their names out of the newspapers.

Peter prints his column the following day, complete with a photo, exposing the Duke and his son and announcing their imminent departure. Marilyn's romance becomes a public story and a sensation.

Marilyn sees that Charles is, in fact, Lord Granton returning to England to marry his fiancée, as hinted by Peter's story. She rushes to confide in her friend, admitting that Charles is the man she has been dating.

Peter writes a fictitious article about Marilyn turning down Lord Granton's proposal, turning a private romance into a sensational public scandal. The piece earns sympathy for Marilyn as she becomes an overnight celebrity.

On their ship, the Grantons learn of the scandal and that Charles' fiancée has broken off the engagement. Charles suspects Marilyn of blackmail and sends a telegram asking how much money she wants to stay silent.

That night, Peter negotiates a publicity push and Marilyn is hired as a singer and dancer at the Gingham Café, despite her lack of formal talent. A massive promotional campaign makes her the No Girl and a national sensation on posters and front pages.

Marilyn travels to London to perform her nightclub act. During a show she spots Charles in the audience; they share a romantic dance and agree to renew their relationship.

Life with Charles proves imperfect as he remains more interested in her celebrity than in the real Marilyn. He invites her to go away with him to the country for a week, hinting at a possible affair. She hosts American reporters at her flat and proclaims she is going home to sit on a bench and eat popcorn, setting up a second public jilting.

Back in New York on a snowy Thursday night, Marilyn rushes to the library bench with popcorn in hand while Peter arrives, wallet forgotten amid the rush. They reconnect exactly where they started, sharing a kiss as they observe the world together.