She Married an Artist
She Married an Artist is a 1937 American romantic comedy directed by Marion Gering. It stars John Boles as Lee Thornwood, a wealthy painter, with Luli Deste as Toni Bonnet, a Paris fashion designer, and Frances Drake as Sally Dennis, Lee’s longtime model.
Plot in simple terms:
Lee Thornwood is a successful artist who gets his big ideas from Sally, his loyal model. Toni Bonnet travels from Paris to New York and marries Lee, hoping to win his heart and outshine Sally. Toni publicly flouts American fashion, especially Lee’s popular Thornwood Girl illustration. Their marriage soon runs into trouble as they quarrel over Lee’s work and Sally’s influence. Toni tries to become Lee’s main model, but she’s not a good fit for his style. Lee travels to Chicago to finish a commission, where Sally helps him complete the artwork. Meanwhile, Toni suspects the marriage is in trouble and considers returning to Europe after a newspaper reports they might divorce.
The truth comes out when their housekeeper Martha reveals she set up the newspaper interview to bring them back together. Lee and Toni reconcile and plan another European honeymoon. In the meantime, Sally’s sister Betty arrives, bringing a new model who looks a lot like Sally, which adds one more concern for the artist. The film ends on a hopeful note as the couple continues their life together and Lee’s career moves forward.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:43 (CET).