Step by Step

When a pretty small-town girl with no talent goes to Hollywood, what could go wrong? She could get Stranded!

When Jerry Van Dyke, a young debutante, decides to marry Barney, an Army corporal, whom she met at a USO dance, her family objects and consequently, the couple are unable to obtain a marriage license because Jerry doesn't come of age for four days.

A reformed gunfighter battles a crooked sheriff who used to be a member of his gang.

The marriage of Jim and Esther spirals downhill rapidly when Esther purchases a sable coat for herself. Hoping to live up to her expensive accessory, Esther soon is keeping company with caddish Morrell. Jim brings his wife's galavanting to an abrupt end by committing suicide. Esther as an object lesson for young Alice Kendall, returns the fur coat that she's bought on impulse.

Facing poverty, Carol Drayton is prevented from suicide by Rose, a woman of the streets, who buys Carol a meal in a cafe of questionable reputation. The cafe is raided, and Carol is arrested and jailed on the false testimony of wealthy Gordon Duane. When she is released, Carol is again penniless until intoxicated Bobby Bleeker pays her to sing beneath the window of his sweetheart, Aline Sturdevant, where she is discovered by Stratini, a famous impresario. While studying with Stratini, Carol is blackmailed by the butler. Whitney Duane (Gordon's brother) falls in love with her but doubts her because of the gossip, and Carol incurs Aline's wrath by borrowing money from Bobby for Rose. Carol finally realizes her love for Stratini, who has remained loyal to her, and they are married.

Wealthy young Charles Carpenter is pressured by his family to marry Suzanne, even though he is really in love with young "flapper" Valerie. He gives in to his family's pressure, however, and marries Suzanne, after which Valerie leaves town. Years later, after Charles and Suzanne have had a child, Valerie comes back to town and Charles realizes he is still in love with her, and she with him. Complications ensue.

Assistant District Attorney Jeffery Powell has just sent an innocent man to prison for the murder of a gambler. Powell is in love with, Marion Courtney, but he's unaware that Marion is the sister of the innocent man he sent to prison. Marion gets herself committed to a women's prison to get proof from inmate, Evelyn 'Duchess' Thane, that her brother is innocent. Powell learns of Marion's plight and believes she's in love with the man he sent to prison.

Captain Porter's scheme is to buy livestock and then have his men show up later to kill the buyer and retrieve the money. When his men kill the next victim, he frames the Arizonian for the murder. The Arizonian escapes the law and joins up with the outlaw Vasquez. Knowing Porter's scheme, he plans to trap him by using Vasquez as the next buyer.

George Newell Jr. is the son of wealthy parents. In the days leading up to World War I, he disgraces himself and his family. In order to redeem himself, he enlists after the war breaks out. During battle he is injured and loses his memory. He is lovingly cared for by his nurse, with whom he falls in love.

A convicted murderer has been sentenced to death in the electric chair. He decides to spill the name of the man who hired him, but just before he does he's killed by a poison dart. A police detective and a pretty young newspaper reporter team up to find out the identity of the man behind the killings.

Rose Rosetti, the orphaned daughter of a New York gangster, and Danny Lewis, another orphan, have been brought up by Sara and Abraham Kamisnsky, an elderly Jewish couple with an artificial-flower shop on the lower East Side. Rose works in the shop and Danny, after defeating the ward-bully in a fight, joins the political gang.

A wealthy man's wife becomes bored with him, so his friend decides to trick her into an elopement into the unforgiving wilderness to make her appreciate her life anew.

A condemned inmate's premature death places officials under suspicion.

Chan is faced with suspects in a stolen atomic bomb formula case, that are being killed with bullets that are not fired from a gun.

To solve the murder of a man shot in a locked room, Chan must wade through a Fun House, the writings of an unscrupulous author, and chess pieces.

A couple of naïve girls get themselves unwittingly involved in the gambling racket in this Poverty Row production directed by the redoubtable Phil Rosen.