A Certain Smile

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, three strangers, Crystal Shackleford, married to a wealthy philanderer; Jerome Artbutny, an outwardly respectable judge; and Johnny West, a seedy sneak thief, make a pact before a small statue of the Chinese goddess of Destiny. The threesome agree to purchase a sweepstakes ticket and share whatever winnings might accrue.

A classical musician from a working class background is sidetracked by his love for a wealthy, neurotic socialite.

Phaedra is a poor sponge diver on the lovely Greek isle of Hydra. While diving, she discovers an ancient brass and gold stature of a boy riding a dolphin, which is said to have the magical power to grant wishes. Her shiftless boyfriend wants to sell it to an unscrupulous art collector, but Phaedra wants to give it to anthropologist Jim Calder, who would return it to the Greek government.

A trio of gorgeous American tourists hope to find love while vacationing in Spain. Secretary Maggie Williams falls hard for a married newsman named Paul Barton while fighting off the advances of one of his employees. Singer Fran Hobson sets her sights on a handsome European doctor. And coed Susie Higgins receives an unexpected proposal from smooth-talking womanizer Emilio Lacaya.

The US Marine Corps Band and chorus perform several songs associated with the Marines and the Navy. As the songs are played, we see monuments in Washington, DC, various battle scenes, planes in flight, and other scenes designed to instill patriotism in the audience.

A fallen woman seeks redemption at a Singapore rubber plantation. Melodrama.

After their orphanage burns down, a group of children are being transported west by train to Manitoba. All of them are available for adoption and at a stop at Scourie, Ontario little Patsy meets Victoria McChesney. Victoria and her husband Patrick have no children and she immediately decides to adopt the girl. The only condition imposed on them is that as Patsy has been baptized a Roman Catholic the Protestant McChesneys agree to raise her as a Catholic. Patsy is a well-behaved little girl whose only real problem is a school bully, also one of the orphans, who spreads stories that she set their orphanage on fire.

This short traces the history of sound in the movies, beginning with French scientist Leon Scott's experiments in 1857. Featured are snippets from early sound pictures.

Young Gloria's father and mother go out for the evening to see a television broadcast. Gloria's grandfather entertains her with stories about his days in vaudeville.

A sideshow barker uses magic and visual aids to alert the public that proper food management is both a resource and a weapon that could be to America's advantage if conserved properly in winning the then current World War.