The Impatient Maiden (1932)
Nineteen-year-old Ruth Robbins is cynical about marriage because of her work for Los Angeles divorce lawyer Albert Hartman. When her pregnant next-door neighbor tries to commit suicide after her husband leaves her, Ruth calls for an ambulance. Ambulance doctor Myron Brown revives the woman and then bathes Ruth's foot, which was injured during the rescue. He and Ruth become friendly as do Clarence Howe, the ambulance nurse, and Betty Merrick, Ruth's roommate.
On a visit to the hospital, Myron, suspecting that Ruth's appendix is enlarged, tricks her into an examination and advises her to watch her diet. The two begin to fall in love, but Myron explains that he can only have a professional interest in Ruth as it will be several years before he can support a wife. Shortly afterwards, however, he offers to leave medicine so that they can get married, as he cannot live without her. Ruth responds that she has no faith in lasting marriage and offers to live with him without marriage. He refuses.
When Ruth reveals her problems to Hartman, he offers to distract her from her romantic dilemma. He establishes Ruth in an elegant apartment in his building, with no strings attached. Ruth moves in with Betty, but Clarence, who strongly disapproves, insists that Betty move out. Hartman asks Ruth to become his mistress, but she refuses because she does not love him. Myron learns about the apartment from Clarence and, believing that Ruth is having an affair with Hartman, refuses to see her. Ruth moves out and quits her job, but cannot find another one without references from Hartman.
One night, Ruth collapses with an attack of appendicitis. Clarence and Myron answer the landlady's call and rush her to the hospital. Because no doctor is available to operate, Myron performs the surgery. Ruth recovers and this time when Myron proposes, she accepts.
