Two Girls on Broadway (1940) Plot Summary Explained

Pat chooses to elope with Chat because she's torn between loyalty to her sister Molly and her growing feelings for Eddie. When she learns that Eddie might have romantic feelings for her too, Pat decides the best way to avoid hurting Molly is to remove herself from the situation entirely by marrying Chat, a wealthy man who has been pursuing her actively.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Pat notices Eddie's talent and charm during their New York arrival, creating the emotional tension that makes her departure feel necessary.

• pat elopement
• chat chatsworth
• love triangle
• sister loyalty

Molly takes the degrading cigarette job to support her sister Pat's career ambitions. She intentionally allows Pat to take the spotlight in the audition, sacrificing her own pride to protect family harmony and give Pat the opportunity she deserves.

Foreshadowing: The tension begins when Bartell suggests pairing Eddie with Pat, which signals to Molly that Pat is the one with greater potential.

• molly cigarette job
• broadway producer
• sister sacrifice

Eddie performs on radio with what he calls 'singing canaries,' though the birds themselves cannot sing. His performance still impresses listeners enough to earn him a steady job at the radio station, which becomes the stepping stone that brings the entire group to New York and into the Broadway orbit.

Foreshadowing: The radio debut happens early in their New York arrival, establishing Eddie as the one with immediate professional success.

• eddie radio debut
• singing canaries
• broadway opportunity

Eddie races to City Hall after overhearing from a servant where Pat and Chat are getting married. He interrupts the ceremony because he has loved Pat all along and cannot let her marry someone else without expressing his true feelings, despite being engaged to Molly.

Foreshadowing: Eddie confessed his love for Pat to Molly after learning of her marriage to Chat, showing his feelings were always present.

• eddie interrupts wedding
• city hall
• pat wedding
• confession

After Eddie confesses his long-held love for Pat, Molly demonstrates remarkable growth and selflessness. She encourages Eddie to pursue happiness with Pat rather than honor their engagement, showing she values her sister's happiness over her own romantic security.

Foreshadowing: Molly's earlier sacrifice in taking the cigarette job and letting Pat take the spotlight established her willingness to put family first.

• molly blessing
• pat eddie marriage
• sisterhood
• forgiveness

Molly learns from her friend Jed Marlowe about Chat's wild reputation and his five ex-wives. Concerned for her sister's future, Molly tries to warn Pat that Chat's glamorous lifestyle comes with serious baggage and potential heartbreak.

Foreshadowing: This warning creates dramatic irony since Pat ultimately chooses to elope with Chat anyway, setting up the later wedding interruption.

• chat chatsworth five ex-wives
• molly warning
• jed marlowe

Eddie has been secretly in love with Pat throughout his entire engagement to Molly. His feelings for Pat were always present but unspoken, which is why he becomes so shaken when Pat elopes with Chat and eventually decides to interrupt the wedding.

Foreshadowing: Eddie pushes for Pat to get the audition and suggests pairing with her professionally, showing his interest extended beyond the working relationship.

• eddie love pat
• engagement
• secret feelings

Pat decides to go back home to spare Molly from further emotional pain. Believing that Eddie might have feelings for her and not wanting to disrupt her sister's engagement or career, Pat chooses to remove herself from the romantic triangle entirely.

Foreshadowing: This decision directly leads to Pat accepting Chat's proposal, as she sees leaving as the only way to resolve the situation peacefully.

• pat returns home
• spare molly
• sacrifice

The Broadway producer Bartell sees potential in pairing Eddie's dancing talent with Pat as his partner. This decision creates tension in the story because it shifts attention toward Pat and away from Molly, contributing to the complex love dynamics.

Foreshadowing: This pairing suggestion is what triggers Molly to take the cigarette job, as she realizes Pat will be the one in the spotlight.

• bartell pairing
• eddie pat duo
• broadway show

After giving her blessing to Pat and Eddie's marriage, Molly returns home to her own life. She leaves the romantic turmoil in New York behind but carries the lessons learned about love, ambition, and sisterly devotion, finding her own resilience and path forward.

Foreshadowing: Molly's earlier sacrifices and growth throughout the story prepare her to handle this outcome with grace.

• molly returns home
• ending
• resolution