The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Caroline stays with Greg because he is severely injured in the car crash that kills Allison. The doctor explains that reconciliation could help his recovery, and when Greg begs her not to leave him, she feels a sense of duty and compassion despite their broken marriage. Her choice reflects the film's central theme of loyalty conflicting with personal desire.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Greg's confession about wanting a divorce had already shattered their marriage, making his later vulnerability unexpected.

• caroline
• greg
• divorce
• affair
• duty
• loyalty

Julian agrees to marry Caroline in a hospital ceremony before departing because she explains she cannot leave Greg while he recovers from his injuries. The marriage is a pragmatic arrangement - it formalizes their bond and gives them hope for the future. Caroline promises to join him once Greg is well enough, so Julian leaves alone but with the understanding they will be together later.

Foreshadowing: Julian had asked Caroline to marry him in Paris after her divorce, but she asked for time to decide.

• julian
• caroline
• marriage
• far east
• departure

During a heated argument on the drive home, Allison reveals she is not actually pregnant - she had been using the supposed baby as leverage in the relationship with Greg. This revelation triggers a fierce argument between them, which results in the car crash that kills Allison and leaves Greg severely injured.

Foreshadowing: Allison had been described as calculating throughout the film, suggesting her pregnancy claim was manipulative.

• allison
• car crash
• pregnancy
• greg
• death

Caroline arranges for a hospitalized judge to marry her and Julian before his departure because she wants to formalize their relationship while also fulfilling her duty to care for Greg. The unconventional arrangement allows her to be legally bound to Julian while remaining with Greg during his recovery. It represents her attempt to balance love and obligation.

Foreshadowing: Caroline had told Julian she needed time to sort out her feelings, and this solution allows her to commit to both paths.

• judge
• marriage
• hospital
• ceremony
• julian
• caroline

The ending is bittersweet and ambiguous. Caroline remains in New York to care for the recovering Greg, having promised to stay by his side. However, she is also legally married to Julian, who has left for the Far East with the understanding that she will join him once Greg fully recovers. The film suggests she is committed to both men in different ways - her duty to Greg and her love for Julian.

• ending
• caroline
• greg
• julian
• marriage
• resolution

Allison uses the claimed pregnancy as a way to secure her position with Greg and potentially push Caroline out of the picture permanently. When she reveals during the argument that she is not actually pregnant, it suggests she has been manipulative throughout the affair, using the threat of a child to maintain control over the relationship and the social situation.

Foreshadowing: Caroline learns early on that Greg and Allison are expecting a baby, which intensifies her emotional conflict.

• allison
• pregnancy
• lie
• manipulation
• greg

Malbro is Caroline's friend who actively tries to push Julian toward romance, though interestingly, Malbro also has her own romantic interests. She warns Caroline about Julian's plans to travel to China and India to forget her, raising the stakes of their relationship. Malbro also helps intervene against Allison's schemes to create a scandal, working to protect Caroline's reputation and the social circle.

Foreshadowing: Malbro is characterized as someone who manipulates situations to achieve her own romantic goals.

• malbro
• bette davis
• friend
• warning
• schemes

After the car crash leaves him severely injured, Greg emotionally begs Caroline not to abandon him. Despite their broken marriage and his affair, the near-death experience and his vulnerability create a moment where old feelings and dependence resurface. The doctor notes that reconciliation could aid his physical recovery, making Caroline's presence seem medically necessary as well as emotionally significant.

Foreshadowing: This moment contrasts sharply with Greg's earlier demand for a divorce, showing how circumstances have reversed their positions.

• greg
• hospital
• plea
• recovery
• caroline

Julian has carried a secret love for Caroline throughout her marriage. He reconnects with her in Paris after her divorce is finalized and explicitly proposes marriage. However, it is not until Caroline tells him she loves him and they spend a night together that his feelings are fully reciprocated, though her sense of duty to Greg still complicates their future.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes early on that Julian is a novelist and war correspondent who has always been close to the couple.

• julian
• love
• proposal
• paris
• caroline

After learning about Caroline and Julian's night together, Allison schemes to create a scandal that would damage Caroline's social standing and undermine her relationship with Julian. However, both Malbro and Greg intervene to stop her machinations, aiming to protect the social circle and the people involved from further turmoil.

Foreshadowing: Allison has been characterized as calculating and willing to manipulate situations to her advantage.

• allison
• scandal
• scheme
• reputation
• malbro
• greg