The 1932 film "Cynara" is about Jim Warlock (Ronald Colman), a British barrister (lawyer) who is married to Clemency Warlock (Kay Francis) and has an affair with Doris Lea, a shop girl. The title is taken from a line in an 1894 poem by Ernest Dowson which reads: "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara, in my fashion."

Jim and Clemency have been married for seven years. Jim arrives home on their seventh wedding anniversary with a present for Clemency and finds that she is taking her flighty younger sister to Italy for a month to get the sister away from an "unsuitable" boyfriend. Jim tells his older friend John Tring what has happened and John suggests that Jim is too virtuous and that he should have an affair while his wife is gone. The two men visit a restuarant and John takes Jim to a table with two young girls, Doris Lea and Milly Miles.

While John and Milly become acquainted Doris talks to Jim and John and Milly visit a penny slot machine.

After a couple of tries Milly wins some change and the pair go back to their table. Doris suggests that they take the money and visit a movie theater. Jim tells the others that he has to go home and John suggests that they flip a penny to decide if Jim goes home or to the theater.

Doris says that if the coin is "tails" they go to the theater.

The coin reverse "tails" side is up.

A British Penny of of the period:

Bronze, 31 mm, 9.45 gm
Obverse: King George V with titles
Reverse: Seated figure of Britannia right with trident in left hand

John and Jim take the girls to their apartment and Doris gives Jim her address. The men leave and John throws away the address. John arranges for Jim to be the judge at a local beauty contest.

Doris is one of the contestants.

This is a British beauty contest where the girls not only wear swimsuits but dive and swim. Jim picks Doris as the winner and she receives a bowl. Jim then takes her to her apartment where they decide to start seeing each other.

Clemency and her sister return to Britain with the sister's new acceptable boyfriend, an Italian officer. Jim sends a letter to Doris breaking off the affair. Milly visits Jim and tells him that Doris has lost her job and needs money. Jim writes out a check and gives it to Milly.

The policeman tells Jim and Clemency that Doris has committed suicide and that his letter was found in her room. There is an inquest and Jim admits knowing Doris. The scandal forces him to resign his position and he decides to take a ship to South Africa and start over. After some indecision Clemency decides to join him on the ship.

Ronald Colman as Jim Warlock
Kay Francis as Clemency Warlock
Phyllis Barry as Doris Lea
Henry Stephenson as John Tring
Viva Tattersall as Milly Miles
Director: King Vidor
Writers: Frances Marion, Lynn Starling
Based on the 1929 novel An Imperfect Lover by Robert Gore-Browne