page_title: By Your Leave
section_title: Plot
hierarchical_section_title: By Your Leave / Plot
caption_attribution_description: English: Frank Morgan and Genevieve Tobin in the 1934 film, By Your Leave Other information http://mediahistoryproject.org/faq/#copyright for an explanation of the copyright http://mediahistoryproject.org/about-2/ for information regarding public domain
context_page_description: By Your Leave is a 1934 American domestic comedy film directed by Lloyd Corrigan from a script by Allan Scott, Lewis Foster, and Sam Mintz. The screenplay was based on a play of the same name by Gladys Hurlbut and Emma B. C. Wells, which had a short run early in the year at the Morosco Theatre. The film was produced by Pandro S. Berman, and starred Frank Morgan and Genevieve Tobin, although several other actresses were initially scheduled to appear in the film, including Mary Astor and Ann Harding. Both stars were on loan to RKO from other studios. It marked the film debuts of two notable Broadway actors, Glenn Anders and Gene Lockhart, the latter of which had a lengthy Hollywood career. By Your Leave opened on November 9, 1934, and received mostly positive reviews.
context_section_description: Henry and Ellen Smith are a middle-aged married couple who have settled into a routine life in the suburbs of New York. Henry feels that the spice has gone out of their marriage, while Ellen is more content with their lot in life. When the couple comes into a financial windfall, Henry suggests that they take separate vacations. Reluctantly, Ellen agrees, and Henry departs to test the waters of New York City's nightlife. In the city, he meets up with Skeets, and the two go out on the town, eventually ending up pursuing Gloria Dawn and her friend Merle, Broadway dancers. After sitting at home and bemoaning her fate with her housekeeper, Whiffen, for a several days, eventually Ellen decides what is good for the goose is good for the gander, and she also departs to have some fun in New York.
  Upon her arrival she meets the sweet-talking world traveler, David McKenzie. When Henry and Skeets fail to connect with the dancers, Henry meets up with an old friend, Freddie Wilkens, who promises to show him a good time. Unbeknownst to Henry, Freddie knows that Ellen is in town also looking for some fun, and he intends to provide it. He sets Henry up with a prostitute, and then goes to seduce Ellen. While Henry takes his "date", Andree, out for the evening, Ellen is busy turning down the advances of Freddie. After Freddie's departure, Ellen seeks out McKenzie, who takes her to dinner.
  As the night wears on, the amorous entanglements of both the husband and wife progress. McKenzie is receptive to becoming involved with Ellen, and takes her to his yacht following dinner. He tells her he is sailing the following day. Meanwhile, Andree is also very open to having things proceed further with Henry, and the two head back to his hotel suite. As they do, McKenzie takes Ellen back to her suite. There, things heat up between the two, and he asks her to go away with him when he sets sail.
  In Henry's suite, he realizes that things are going too fast, and afraid of what might happen, he sneaks out and heads back to his house in the suburbs. Upon his return to their home, he is upset by the fact that Ellen is not at home. In Ellen's suite, she is confused by the effect that McKenzie's attention is having on her. Putting him off, she tells him that she will give him an answer in the morning. After he leaves, she is afraid of her feelings, and she heads back to her home. After she arrives, she and Henry realize that the two really love each other, and they reconcile.
caption: Frank Morgan and Genevieve Tobin
exif: {"Image ImageWidth": "1390", "Image ImageLength": "1945", "Image BitsPerSample": "[8, 8, 8]", "Image PhotometricInterpretation": "2", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image SamplesPerPixel": "3", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Windows", "Image DateTime": "2015:10:31 21:01:24", "Image ExifOffset": "232", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "382", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "11274", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "401", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "331"}