Modern Motherhood

Just before her wedding, sophisticated Molly Marsden informs her more traditional parents that she and her fiancé, Ted Wayne, want a childless, "modern" marriage. In contrast to the Marsdens, Ted's mother supports her son's plans, reassuring him that he will be happier without the burden of children. After a year of marriage, Molly, who works a full-time job, questions Ted about his feelings and discovers that he still has no desire to become a father. At a nightclub, Ted spots a married friend cavorting with a single woman and tells Molly that by having a baby, the friend's wife chose motherhood over marriage and therefore deserves to be abandoned. Distressed by Ted's attitude, Molly telephones a girl friend and confides in her that she is pregnant and may need an abortion. Later, Ted and Molly are entertained by Bob and Helen, a young couple with two small children. Although Molly is entranced by the children, Ted finds them irritating and expresses only pity for their parents. Molly then goes to the movie theater and watches Sins of Love , a cautionary story about promiscuity and venereal disease. Moved by the film, Molly confronts Ted and tells him that she is pregnant and wants to have the baby. Unable to accept his impending responsibility, Ted deserts Molly, loses his job, and spends his days drinking in bars. After watching his vain and cold-hearted mother get a face lift, Ted saves the young son of a bar mate from a gang beating. Eventually Ted ends up in a sanitarium and, during his convalescence, is visited by his bar mate's son, who tells him that he would make a good father. Repentant and wiser, a recovered Ted returns to Molly and embraces "Junior," his newborn son.