That Certain Woman 1937

Mary Donnell is a naive young woman married to Al Haines, a bootlegger who is killed during the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. To support herself, she takes a job as a secretary to married attorney Lloyd Rogers, who is attracted to her but keeps his feelings secret.

Jack V. Merrick Jr., the playboy son of a wealthy client, elopes with Mary, but his disapproving father Jack V. Merrick Sr. interferes and has the marriage annulled. Soon after, Mary discovers that she is pregnant and decides to have the child without informing Jack.

Jack later marries Florence “Flip” Carson Merrick, a woman of his own social class, who is later crippled in an automobile accident. Mary returns to working for Lloyd.

Lloyd dies several years later at Mary’s apartment, leaving the bulk of his estate to Mary. A press uproar ensues that exposes information about Mary’s past. Jack appears and offers to adopt Mary’s son, and he discovers that he is the boy’s father. Lloyd’s wife, believing that Mary’s son is her husband’s illegitimate child, attempts to overturn the will.

When the elder Merrick learns that the boy is his grandson, the family sues to have Mary declared unfit and the child removed from her custody. Jack is furious and argues all night with his father. Florence visits Mary the next morning and, to her surprise, Mary finds Florence kind and sympathetic. Mary insists that Jack stay with Florence and allows Jack and Florence to have the child. Mary leaves for Europe. When Florence later dies, Jack locates Mary and proclaims that he is coming to join her.