Bought and Paid for on AllMovie

The second time George Broadhurst's play was filmed, William C. deMille was the director, and his intimate approach suited it well. When telephone operator Virginia Blaine (Agnes Ayers) is wooed by the wealthy Robert Stafford (Jack Holt), his suit is encouraged by her sister Fanny (Leah Wyant) and Fanny's sweetheart, James Giley (Walter Hiers). Because Fanny and Giley are so anxious for the financial comfort offered by Stafford, Virginia marries him. Eventually she comes to love him and the marriage turns out to be a happy one except for one thing -- his drinking. After one particularly nasty bout, in which he declares that he "bought and paid for" her, she walks out on him. Because Stafford refuses to stop drinking, the couple are unable to reconcile. Giley is finally the one who brings them back together. The first picturization of this story was made in 1916, with Alice Brady as the star.