The Half-Naked Truth

The Half-Naked Truth

Year: 1932

Runtime: 77 mins

Language: English

Director: Gregory La Cava

ComedyRomance

Tracy, a carnival pitchman, hustles his fiery dancer girlfriend (Vélez) into a high‑profile Broadway revue organized by impresario Morgan, while she seethes with revenge, gun in hand, ready to confront the town’s prominent man who once wronged her.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Half-Naked Truth yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – The Half-Naked Truth (1932)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Half-Naked Truth (1932). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 1930s

Set in the early 1930s, the narrative unfolds during the Great Depression when audiences craved escapism. The era's fast-paced entertainment culture fuels rapid publicity cycles and sensational theater. The film uses the period's boundaries of taste to drive its pre-Code humor and social satire.

Location

Colonel Munday's Carnival, New York City

The story begins at Colonel Munday's struggling carnival, a rough-and-tumble local attraction. It thrives on spectacle and publicity to draw crowds. The plot then moves to New York City, where the world of theater and media magnifies the carnival's reach and turns sensational stunts into headline-grabbing events.

🎪 Carnival 🗽 New York City 🎭 Showbiz

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:16

Main Characters – The Half-Naked Truth (1932)

Meet the key characters of The Half-Naked Truth (1932), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jimmy Bates (Lee Tracy)

A fast-talking publicity agent who engineers outrageous publicity stunts to boost the carnival's profile. He relentlessly chases headlines, pivoting from a paternity reveal to orchestrating Eve's show. He is unscrupulous, opportunistic, and thrives on manipulating others.

🎭 Showman 🗞️ Publicist

Teresita (Lupe Vélez)

A hootch dancer promoted as Princess Exotica; she becomes a star after Bates's ruse. Her romance with Farrell complicates her status and makes her a focal point of controversy and publicity.

🪄 Exoticism 🎭 Starlet

Merle Farrell (Frank Morgan)

A powerful theater impresario who initially scoffs at Teresita but signs her to a contract as her publicity drives ticket sales. He becomes entangled in Bates's schemes, balancing artifice and business.

🎭 Producer 💼 Power

Achilles (Eugene Pallette)

Teresita's loyal assistant and carnival ally; a comic sidekick who supplies support and schemes with the others. He helps navigate the showbiz world with wry humor and loyalty.

🤝 Sidekick 🎷 Comedy

Colonel Munday (Robert McKenzie)

Owner of the struggling carnival who represents the business side of the enterprise. His carnival is a platform for Bates's publicity games and Teresita's rise.

🎪 Owner 🏴 Carnival

Gladys (Shirley Chambers)

A blond hotel maid used by Bates to create Eve's persona; she impersonates Eve to further the scheme and complicate Farrell's control over the show.

🛎️ Maid 🕵️ Imposter

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:16

Major Themes – The Half-Naked Truth (1932)

Explore the central themes of The Half-Naked Truth (1932), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Showbiz Satire

The film skewers the mechanics of show business, turning publicity into a central engine of the plot. Bates's over-the-top stunts and Teresita's manufactured exoticism reveal how fame can be engineered for profit. The carnival-to-Broadway arc highlights the commodification of entertainment. Humor is used to critique the gap between image and reality in public life.

📰 Publicity Machine

Publicity drives the narrative as Bates fabricates stories and promotes Teresita to boost attendance. Farrell profits from the rising star's fame, showcasing the profit motive behind sensational publicity. The film demonstrates how media attention can rewrite reality and shape audience desire.

💘 Romance Turmoil

A romance develops between Teresita and Farrell, complicating loyalties and fueling rivalries. Bates uses personal relationships to propel his schemes, increasing tension and ethical ambiguity. Romantic entanglements become a lever for power shifts within the show business world.

🕌 Exoticism

Teresita's exotic persona taps into Western fantasies about the East, driving audience curiosity and appetite for spectacle. The film treats harems and dances as staged entertainment, critiquing cultural commodification. This gimmick raises questions about agency and exploitation in performance.

🗝️ Deception

Deception is the engine of the plot: fake paternity, staged performances, and coercive bargaining shape outcomes. Characters climb the ladder of success through lies, while truth is progressively sidelined. The story exposes how reputations in show business can be built and undone by fraud.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:16

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of The Half-Naked Truth

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Half-Naked Truth in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Half-Naked Truth is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Half-Naked Truth Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Half-Naked Truth, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Half-Naked Truth Summary

The Half-Naked Truth Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Half-Naked Truth with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Half-Naked Truth Timeline

More About The Half-Naked Truth

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Half-Naked Truth: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Half-Naked Truth

Explore More About Movie The Half-Naked Truth

The Half-Naked Truth (1932) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

The Half-Naked Truth (1932) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

The Half-Naked Truth (1932) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow