In Paris, Dr. André Bertier (Chevalier) and Colette (MacDonald), his wife of three years, live in a state of connubial bliss until Colette's flirtatious school chum, Mitzi Olivier (Tobin), visits, and André is tempted to have an affair. Mitzi schemes to get André alone, and whenever he tries to avoid her, Colette pushes them together because she thinks he doesn't like her dear friend. Meanwhile, Mitzi's husband wants to divorce her, so he is having her tailed by a detective. And while Colette's suspicions grow, she finds it increasingly difficult to resist the advances of André's friend Adolph (Ruggles). In the end, they both confess to their indiscretions and cheerfully forgive each other.
One Hour With You provides examples of the following tropes:
- All Musicals Are Adaptations: This is one of the first musicals to be based on a film.
- All Men Are Perverts: Adolph, who constantly flirts with Colette, his friend's wife.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Both André and Colette turn to the screen and directly address the audience from time to time.
- Easily Forgiven: André and Colette agree that they love each other too much to make a big deal out of their respective infidelities.
- Happy Marriage Charade: Mitzi's marriage to Professor Oliver. Neither of them like each other and cannot wait to be free.
- Have a Gay Old Time: At the Bertiers' party, Adolph asks, "Colette, when are we going to dance? Oh, when are we going to be gay?"
- Insatiable Newlyweds: They're a little past the newlywed stage, but André and Colette are still pretty insatiable, as they happily inform the audience.What a little thing
like a wedding ring can do
It allows a thrill
when we start to bill and coo
I can squeeze you here
I can squeeze you there
And I'm never told to handle with care
I don't have to stop when I kiss your hand
It's lawful!
Oh, it's grand! - Intercourse with You: The song "What a Little Thing Like a Wedding Ring Can Do" (quoted above). If there were by some chance any doubt about its meaning, André and Colette sing it while frolicking (clothed) on their bed.
- Loves Me Not: At the party, Mitzi undoes André's tie and tells him to meet her in the garden. He plucks a flower to choose between staying inside with the rest of the party or following Mitzi. Needless to say, it takes him a while to get through the process.
- Mistaken for Cheating: It's not exactly a mistake, but Colette suspects the wrong person. She thinks André is pursuing the beautiful Mlle Martel.
- Really Gets Around: Mitzi, and she's proud of it. She exploits Colette's adultery assumptions to flirt with André.
- Sleeping Single: Averted, as this is The Pre-Code Era. The Bertiers have a large double bed, and they're even shown sleeping side by side.
- Title Drop: In song at the dinner party, as Mitzi and Adolph each beg their respective targets for "one hour with you."
- The Unfair Sex: Mostly averted. Colette probably wouldn't have given in to Adolph if she hadn't already realized André was up to something, but André's straying is presented as mainly the consequence of Mitzi's aggressive and persistent pursuit.
