Lux Radio Theater – Desire, Marlene Dietrick. ep124, 370315

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:25 — 13.4MB)

A man nervously paces the floor as he prepares to deliver a speech to the boss. His plan to ask for a raise turns into the boss being pleased with the slogan for their next big automotive product. And sure enough the man, Herbert Marshall, is soon on his vacation to Europe.

Meanwhile, Marlene, with her fake chauffeur report to the customs officials. What are they here for? Spies? Smugglers? Something else?

Posing as a damsel in distress, Marlene gets in good with the man in our opening scene. He’s on his way on vacation. What’s the game that Madeline, Marlene Dietrick, is playing? She’s trying to play on HerbertMarshall’s lack of knowledge to use him. Is she double crossing her boss? It’s definitely a story of men trying to pull a fast one over on another, but the tool of choice, a woman, has her own agenda and does what she wants.

The vacationing auto worker, Bradley, is the fly that’s lured into the spider’s lair, and he thinks he’s making headway with the sultry Madeline. The time comes when Bradley, the auto worker, has served his purpose, and the fake chauffeur wants to get rid of him. Though she puts on a front of being blase, Madeline suddenly seems to have a change of heart.

Her travelling companions threaten to expose what she really is to the love struck man. It seems that Madeline cares enough about him to be worried. Things get interesting when he proposes marriage to her.

The romantic tension runs high for the unsuspecting Bradley. Does he really want to get married, and know what secrets are under the surface? Time for the commercial break and take a step back before the final act is presented with the big climax of this romantic roller coaster. The game of love is turned around when Bradley is about to part, and now it’s Madeline who is breathlessly expressing her love. Has she just layed her secrets on the line? Is she telling the truth this time?

She comes clean about the pearls that was the target of her theft and smuggling, but will she care enough to turn them over, and go straight? Now that Bradley knows what he’s working with, he does a little playing of his own with the shady characters.

The pearls are returned to their rightful owner, the girl is reformed from her life of crime, and a love is shared between her and our hero. happy endings all around.

PS: Marlene Dietrick does an excellent job as her acting swings from the standoffish spy, to the vulnerable girl in love. She is definitely a far better actress than a singer, and I’m glad she doesn’t sing in this one.