You Gotta Stay Happy

An heiress who has rejected multiple engagements, Dee Dee struggles with commitment within high-society expectations. She hides her wealth and pretends to be a penniless coquette to test the sincerity of married men. Her charm masks a desire for control and independence, which finally surfaces as she reshapes her own fortune.

A World War II army air force veteran trying to launch a lean air-freight startup. He is initially wary of Dee Dee’s schemes but grows attached as they share a journey. Pragmatic and ambitious, he measures life by runway-ready plans and reliable income, not by impulsive romance.

A suave embezzler posing as Mr. Caslon, whose scheme is exposed as the plot unfolds. His greed drives a key twist in the middle act, revealing how money can corrupt even charming appearances. His confession precipitates the unraveling of the con and the film’s comic resolution.

The hotel night manager who starts suspecting illicit behavior and orchestrates moves to keep things from getting out of hand. He serves as a catalyst for the escape plan and the misunderstandings that propel the farce.

A newlywed who becomes inadvertently involved when tickets and schemes ripple through the suite. Her presence underscores class and social climbing as a comic engine in the hotel drama.

The middle-aged fiancé with a criminal past who is ultimately revealed as part of the embezzlement scheme. The revelation adds a moral twist to the farcical romance and aligns with the theme of appearances versus reality.

Dee Dee’s aunt and guardian who influences marriage decisions and upholds social expectations within the family. Her presence emphasizes the pressure to conform to traditional timelines of courtship.

Dee Dee’s worldly guardian and uncle who has a controlling stake in her future, acting as a gatekeeper to doors of wealth and marriage. His authority is challenged as Dee Dee asserts her own agency.

A farmer whose family hosts the travelers after a storm. He embodies rural hospitality and acts as a grounding contrast to the hotel’s glittering social world.