The Meanest Gal in Town [1934] [DVD]

Actress Lulu White gets stranded in a small American town when the owner of her acting troupe absconds with the funds. She uses her sexual wiles to get a meal out of Duke Slater, who leaves in a huff when her hotel room is also occupied by another stranded actress. The next day, she tries to get a job as a manicurist at Chris Peterson's barbershop, but since he has so little business, he refuses. While he is away, however, she sets up shop to ply her trade, and in no time the shop is swarming with men getting manicures and haircuts. Word gets to Tillie Prescott, the woman who Chris has been courting for the last ten years, and who he promised to marry when he gets enough money to get a second chair in his barbershop. Out of jealousy and desperation, she buys the chair for $300, but at a chamber of commerce outing Chris introduces Lulu as the one woman behind his success. This so humiliates and enrages Tillie she now refuses to marry Chris.

Meanwhile, salesman Jack Hayden has gotten Tillie, who owns a dry goods store, to sign a contract with his firm, Sterling Stores, Inc., which guarantees an increase in business of at least 100%. She was unaware the contract also permitted the firm to take over the management of the store at their discretion, and they do, leaving Tillie without a store. When Chris sells the barbershop to Duke, he uses the proceeds to see a lawyer about breaking Tillie's contract. Duke bought the shop because he fell in love with Lulu, who sees Jack quite a lot. On one such date, Duke disguises himself as a robber to send Jack running for his life, and then forces Lulu into a cabin nearby. When she discovers his trick she's so angry she threatens to have him arrested for kidnapping, which angers Duke enough to spank her. The next day, the still angry Lulu goes out of town with Jack, leaving Chris and Duke to commiserate about their lost loves. But not for long