When Strangers Marry

When vivacious Marion Drake, the daughter of a wealthy railroad tycoon, offers a restaurateur 4,000 francs to clear his Parisian establishment for her private party, hardnosed American railroad engineer Steve Rand refuses to leave. Thinking that this spoiled brat needs a strong hand to get her in line, he gives her a good spanking. By night's end, however, they are dining together, and within seventy-two hours, are unexpectedly in love and married, just as Steve and his assistant, Billy McGuire, are about to depart for a job in Sarabong, a port city in the Malay Straights. Despite Marion's pleas to cancel his trip and Steve's suggestion that she stay behind to avoid the hot, disease-infested climate, the three proceed on their journey. At the Sarabong International Club, Steve and Billy discuss the railroad they are to build through the Malay jungle with Van Wyck, the local governor. They are introduced to Hinkle, a soldier of fortune posing as the representative of an American machinery concern. Bored and uncomfortable, Marion begins associating with Hinkle, while his girl friend Antonia watches disparagingly. Major Oliver and Von Arnheim, British and German nationals and veterans of World War I, are concerned that Marion is drowning her loneliness in alcohol. Spurning the major's pity, Marion plans her wedding anniversary party, and considers ending it by departing with Hinkle, who has jokingly presented her with a statuette of Tsao Tsing, the Chinese goddess of fidelity. Meanwhile, Steve and Billy are concerned about the escalating trouble inland: their quinine supply is being pilfered, a supply train is overdue, and the natives are deserting. Realizing that their rations of rice are low, Steve decides to return to Sarabong for the necessary staples. After learning that the supply train has been sabotaged, Steve suspects that Hinkle is acting on behalf of a rival syndicate. Van Wyck, bribed by Hinkle to remain silent, watches uncomfortably as Hinkle unloads from a steamer weapons, concealed as "farm equipment," that are to be used in a native uprising. Back in the city, Steve's complaints of sabotage fall on Van Wyck's deaf ears. After Steve presents his wife an identical statuette of Tsao Tsing, she tosses away the one given her by Hinkle. Marion and Steve are briefly reconciled until he infuriates her by leaving immediately after their anniversary party for the interior. After Chattermahl, a native spy for Hinkle, alerts him that Steve has left, Hinkle orders the rifles distributed, Steve ambushed and the railroad trestle Steve is building, destroyed. Antonia, realizing that Hinkle might leave her for Marion, tells Marion of his plans. After she is forced to shoot and kill Hinkle in order to escape, Marion confesses her crime to Van Wyck, and the kindhearted man agrees to help save Steve. With the assistance of Major Oliver and Von Arnheim, Marion and Van Wyck ride through the jungle, rescue Steve, who had been captured by Chattermahl's men, and thwart the natives' attack on the trestle by using some hastily improvised trench mortars. Chattermahl is killed in the attack, and Steve and Marion are reconciled as they embrace.