Allotment Wives (1945) in Color — Starring Kay Francis & Paul Kelly

Allotment Wives (1945) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Allotment Wives, the 1945 drama directed by William Berke and starring Kay Francis, now available as a professionally colorized version. Unscrupulous women marry servicemen for their pay. This wartime drama explores the dark side of the home front during World War II, where some women took advantage of the military pay system by marrying servicemen for their allotment checks. The film exposes a social problem that emerged during the war, shedding light on the exploitation of soldiers serving overseas by women seeking financial gain. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Unscrupulous women marry servicemen for their pay. During World War II, the U.S. military established an allotment system that allowed servicemen to have a portion of their pay sent directly to dependents back home. This system was designed to support families, but some women discovered they could exploit it by marrying multiple servicemen and collecting allotment checks from each.

The film follows the operations of one such woman, who has married several servicemen and is collecting their paychecks. Her scheme involves maintaining multiple marriages, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes sequentially, always ensuring she has a steady stream of income from men who are overseas and unable to monitor their finances. The film exposes the mechanics of this fraud, showing how these women used the postal service, forged documents, and the difficulties of wartime communication to maintain their deception.

As the war progresses and military authorities become aware of the problem, investigations begin to uncover these fraudulent marriages. The film builds to a climax where the perpetrators face justice, exposing the scope of the problem and the damage done to the servicemen who were defrauded. The film serves as both entertainment and a warning about the exploitation of wartime systems.

Cast & Crew

Director: William Berke

Stars: Kay Francis, Paul Kelly, Otto Kruger, Gertrude Michael, John Eldredge

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Allotment Wives was originally filmed in black and white, with cinematography that captured the urban settings where these fraudulent schemes operated and the domestic environments where the women maintained their deceptions. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the bustling wartime city streets to the modest apartments where the women lived their double lives. The colorized version reveals new visual richness in the film’s settings, where the period-accurate 1940s American clothing, military uniforms, and urban environments gain authenticity that transports viewers to the wartime home front. Kay Francis’s legendary screen presence gains additional dimension in color, her face conveying the sophistication and moral ambiguity of a woman who exploits the system for personal gain. Now also available in colour.

Buy Allotment Wives in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1945, Allotment Wives represents Hollywood’s engagement with the social problems that emerged during World War II. The film addresses a real problem that occurred during the war: some women did indeed marry servicemen for their allotment checks, exploiting a system designed to support legitimate dependents. The film’s exposure of this problem served both as entertainment and as a form of public service, warning servicemen and military authorities about the potential for fraud.

The film’s release at the very end of World War II reflects the cinema’s role in processing the social changes and problems that the war had created. While many wartime films focused on heroism and sacrifice, films like Allotment Wives addressed the darker aspects of the home front experience, including the exploitation of wartime systems for personal gain.

The film’s portrayal of women who defraud servicemen reflects the era’s complex attitudes toward gender and morality. While the film condemns the fraud, it also reflects the economic pressures that led some women to exploit the system. The war had created both opportunities and hardships for women, and the film’s exploration of this social reality speaks to the complex social dynamics of the wartime period. Through modern colorization, this social drama reaches new audiences who can appreciate its historical context, its exploration of a real wartime problem, and its value as a document of the social issues that emerged during World War II. Now also available en couleur.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: English original mono
• Runtime: 70 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who stars in Allotment Wives?
A: Kay Francis stars in the film, with supporting performances by Paul Kelly, Otto Kruger, Gertrude Michael, and John Eldredge.

Q: Is Allotment Wives based on a true story?
A: The film addresses a real problem that occurred during World War II, where some women married servicemen to collect their allotment checks, exploiting the military pay system.

Q: What is an allotment wife?
A: An allotment wife was a woman who married a servicemen specifically to collect his military allotment check, a portion of his pay sent to dependents back home.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

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• Call of the Flesh (1930)
• Seven Days in May (1964)
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• Behind the Mask (1932)