He saw her only as an efficient secretary and never imagined what she was like outside of that capacity. Nevertheless, Robert begins to see a side of her that he never realized she had. They discuss his recent divorce and her private life and, influenced by the scotch, she talks a little freer than usual.but never gives a hint of her true feelings. In one scene, Robert and she are enjoying an evening cocktail by the fireside on Christmas Eve. Paul Lukas gives a top-notch performance as the innocent publisher and Madge Evans is charming as the young secretary who is harboring a secret love for her employer. Overall, The Age of Indiscretion is quite entertaining with the main draw being its winter setting ( Robert and his son rent a cabin in the mountains during the Christmas holiday ) and its principal cast. Instead of a grasping grandmother, it was an aunt who instigated the proceedings of a custody battle for young Gloria Vanderbilt and the four-million dollar trust. Lenore Coffee's story paralleled that of a popular news item of the time involving the Vanderbilt family trust. The Age of Indiscretion was one of many films MGM released in the early to mid-1930s that dealt with divorce, a common practice among society's rich. Bennett as a pawn to help her win custody of Robert's child.
When Felix's mother ( May Robson ) starts yearning for a grandson she decides to use Ms. Bennett ( Madge Evans ), steps into his home life and acts as a surrogate mother to Bill.
In the coming year, his loyal secretary, Ms. Robert is heartbroken but accepts the divorce. He has to cut back on expenses at the office as well as at home to save enough money to pay his creditors, but his young ambitious wife ( Helen Vinson ) is aghast at the thought of wearing yesterday's clothes and leaves him to marry her wealthy lover Felix Shaw ( Ralph Forbes ), willingly leaving behind their son Bill ( David Holt ). Robert Lenhart's ( Paul Lukas ) book publishing business is suffering from a sales slump.