Just This Once (1952)

In the bustling legal hub of the city, Judge Sam Coulter presides over an intriguing appeals case, where the tenacious Lucy Duncan is relentless in securing a seemingly insignificant sum of $35 for her client. As an attorney and a working woman engaged to her fiancé Tom Winters, Lucy understands the sweat and toil behind every hard-earned dollar. Impressed by her bulldog spirit, Judge Coulter entrusts her with a challenging task: to administer the spendthrift clause of the trust of the wealthy, yet financially reckless Mark MacLene IV. Mark, a charming playboy with a staggering debt of $1.5 million, lives a life of excess, threatening to deplete his trust fund with his extravagant spending habits. Having no concept of fiscal responsibility, he warmly welcomes the attractive Lucy into his life, until he realizes her strict intentions. As Lucy tightens the reins on Mark's finances, he retaliates with his influence and name, the only two things she cannot control, to maintain his opulent lifestyle. Caught in a whirlwind of money management and power struggles, Lucy closes down Mark's charge accounts, sends back his hard-bought gifts, and even restricts him to a weekly allowance. Adding to Mark's discontent, he finds himself on a stringent budget of $50 a week. In a move to rid himself of Lucy's frugal regime, Mark ingratiates himself into her life, even ensuring her boyfriend Tom gets a hefty raise, hoping it will coerce them into marriage and free him from her tight control. But amidst the financial tug-of-war and psychological games, an unexpected twist unfurls - they fall in love. The question lingers in the air, can their love survive the whirlwind of their conflicting worldviews on money and life? The story of 'Just This Once' weaves a captivating tale of love, power, and the surprising value of a single dollar.

Just This Once is a comedy movie featuring Janet Leigh.

Just This Once is currently streaming on TCM.