This is a nice little Anne Shirley gem, but also a fine showcase for Phillips Holmes, as well as a fine supporting cast.
Anne plays an orphaned country girl, whose late mother had been a stage actress, who bequeathed a volume of readings, long inseparable from Jenny (Anne).
Jenny stays on the farm with her widowed grandfather (Edward Ellis), stern but just to Jenny and his hired hand, Michael Arbuckle (George Offerman Jr.), who does something naughty, which Jenny discovers, and so they vow to keep their secrets from the grandfather. Her secret, of course, is that she wanders through the woods rehearsing monologue from the volume, at the expense of her chores.
But then in the woods, Jenny encounters the handsome Philip 'Phil' Greene Jr. (Phillips Holmes), an artist creating his canvas, whom she mistakes for an actor in Archie Fisher's (Erik Rhodes) theater troupe, which includes the spirited Lillian Temple (Lucille Ball). Jenny and Philip instantly like each other even though she rattles on while he's trying to concentrate, hence "Chatterbox."
When the grandfather suspects that Jenny is sneaking off to the theater, he threatens to lock her out if she doesn't return by curfew. Michael overhears the ultimatum and considers Jenny a threat, so when the grandfather decides against locking the door, Michael secretly pulls a fast one and prevents her return.
Jenny, realizing that Philip is heading back to the city, considers this her big chance after having no where else to turn. She stows away in his rumble seat, a fact he discovers after his automobile experiences a flat tire along the way.
When Philip transports Jenny to his boarding house so that he might figure what to do about her, his landlady (Margaret Hamilton) is taken by surprise. This is a refreshingly kindhearted role for Margaret, who has a chance to help to resolve several predicaments here.
One other problem facing Philip has his father's (Granville Bates) insisting that he carry on the family business while Philip prefers to create art.
Another problem is trying to find a spot for Jenny in Archie Fisher's (Erik Rhodes) stage company, which is under attack by temperamental actress Lillian Temple (Lucille Ball). Lucy plays the egotist, while Margaret Hamilton plays the kind soul.
The theater decides to give Jenny her break by casting her in a most unflattering role, which would make her appear quite foolish before the audience. When it does, she now has nowhere to turn.
So, it's up to Edward Ellis, Granville Bates, Margaret Hamilton and Phillips Holmes to try to think up some sort of solutions which may optimally benefit one and all.