The story starts off with Joan Bennett playing Patricia Harper the Heiress of a billionaire oil tycoon, James Harper, having dinner with Mrs. Isabel Channing and Elliott Winthrop whom Mrs. Channing wants Patricia to marry. Caught up in Mrs. Channing's need to behave ‘proper’ Patricia expresses her wish to live a normal life and enjoy simple mundane things. Elliott announces his promotion as US ambassador to France. He is then called away to the consulate to handle a problem at the gate.