Employees' Entrance

Franklin Monroe and Co., a department store established in 1878, has flourished financially under the management of Kurt Anderson, despite--or because of--his demanding management style which rubs many the wrong way, especially his unofficial 1-strike policy. The stock-market crash and resulting Great Depression lead to Anderson becoming even more demanding of his staff to be more creative in combating slumping sales. He believes he can still expand the business and make more money while all other businesses are going in the other direction in cutting back. One of his more energetic younger executives is Martin West, who becomes his right-hand man. Martin's climb up the corporate ladder might hit a broken rung as Anderson requires complete loyalty, which means not having his executive hires be married: Martin wants to marry Madeline Walters, a model at the store. What Martin is unaware of is that Madeline's dislike of Anderson is more than that within an employee-employer relationship.