Carrie (William Wyler, 1952)

It's the turn of the century. From small town Missouri, Carrie Meeber has just moved to Chicago expecting to take the city by storm, or at least to do better than her sister Minnie has done before her in Carrie being better educated. She finds that she isn't as wise to the ways of the city largely in having a provincial mentality. She ends up needing the help of others to survive, if not Minnie and her husband Sven, then others showing her any kindness. In having a falling out with her sister and brother-in-law, Carrie somewhat reluctantly accepts the assistance and friendship of traveling salesman Charlie Drouet, who expects to capitalize on Carrie's naivete to get what he wants from her. It isn't until she has committed to Drouet in her need to be respectable that she falls mutually in love with George Hurstwood, the manager of Fitzgerald's, one of the most upscale restaurant/bars in the city. What George does not tell her is that he is already married with grown children, albeit the marriage a cold one to Julia Hurstwood in her only concern being her/their standing in society. This situation is a potential disaster zone for all concerned.