The Purchase Price

 (1932)
Directed by William Wellman
Written by Robert Lord, from a novel by Arthur Stringer
Starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Lyle Talbot, Hardie Albright, Leila Bennett
IMDB Entry

Most pre-code films that are known today are set in an urban environment. The Purchase Price is different -- set in a farm in North Dakota -- and is a different take on the standard love story.

Joan Gordon (Barbara Stanwyck) is a night club singer in New York, the lover of the gangster Eddie Fields (Lyle Talbot). She wants to end it so she can marry the wealthy Don Leslie (Hardie Albright).  But Leslie's parents forbid it and he breaks it off.  Joan doesn't want to go back to Fields, so flees New York for Montreal. Fields tracks her down. Emily (Leila Bennett), the hotel maid tells her that she has arranged to be a mail order bride in North Dakota, and, to be more attractive, she sends Joan's photo to her prospective husband. Wanting to ditch Fields for good, she pays Emily to take her place. When she reaches the small town of Elk's Crossing, she is met by Jim Gilson (George Brent), who recognizes her from the photo.

On their first night together, Joan kicks Jim out of the bedroom, forcing him to sleep in the bard. He resents this and, despite her many apologies, is cold to her. Over time, she falls in love with Jim, but he is too obstinate to acknowledge it.  And then Leslie tracks Joan down.

Stanwyck had a long career for a female Hollywood star, running from the silent days to the 1980s, winning multiple Emmys. George Brent was a big star at the time, and also had a long career, but things devolved to small roles.

Most interesting to me was Lyle Talbot, whose career was the busiest of the three (340 films). He was a mainstay in 60s TV and his best known film role was in Plan 9 From Outer Space, where he appears in one scene to brief Jeff Trent about the aliens and is clearly the most accomplished actor in the film. I also remember him from a bit in Green Acres, which Lisa asks him what actor he is.*

Director William Wellman became a major director, winning an Oscar as the screenwriter for the original A Star is Born and getting three other nominations.

____________________________________________________________________________
*The joke here was that several former actors were being elected to office around that time. When she presses, he says, "Lyle Talbot."