That Certain Woman 1937

Drama

Romance

Runtime

93 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Edmund Goulding

Made by

First National Pictures

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That Certain Woman Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for That Certain Woman (1937). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

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.

That Certain Woman Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of That Certain Woman (1937) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Widowhood at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Mary Donnell is widowed when her bootlegger husband Al Haines is killed during the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago. The brutal shootout leaves her to face the aftermath alone and forces quick adjustments to a dangerous, law-tinged world. This event sets Mary on a precarious path that shapes the rest of her life.

February 14, 1929 Chicago

Mary begins working for Lloyd Rogers

To support herself, Mary takes a job as secretary to the married attorney Lloyd Rogers. Lloyd is secretly attracted to Mary, but he keeps his feelings hidden, creating unspoken tension between them. The arrangement anchors Mary in a new social circle with looming complications.

late 1920s Chicago

Mary and Jack elope; annulment

Jack Merrick Jr., a playboy son of a wealthy client, elopes with Mary. His disapproving father intervenes and has the marriage annulled, forcing the couple apart. The annulment leaves Mary with a stubborn secret and a future shaped by social expectations.

early 1930s Chicago

Mary discovers she is pregnant

Mary learns she is pregnant and decides to have the child without informing Jack. She contemplates the consequences of sharing the news given Jack’s annulled marriage and their separate lives. The pregnancy becomes a quiet, defining stake in her future.

shortly after annulment Mary's apartment

Jack marries Florence Carson; Florence is crippled

Jack marries Florence Carson, a woman from his social circle, seeking to maintain his status. Not long after, Florence is crippled in an automobile accident, altering the dynamics of their relationship. This turn of events forces Jack to navigate duty and affection in a different light.

early 1930s Chicago (high society)

Mary returns to Lloyd Rogers' firm

Mary returns to working for Lloyd after the social upheaval around her past. The renewed professional tie complicates loyalties and hints at a potential settlement of old emotions. Mary’s life becomes entangled again with the man who has long desired her, though nothing is openly stated.

1930s Chicago

Lloyd’s death and the will

Lloyd dies several years later at Mary’s apartment, and his will leaves the bulk of his estate to Mary. The unexpected fortune intensifies attention on Mary’s past and status. The death triggers social and legal scrutiny surrounding the will and custody.

mid-1930s Mary's apartment

Press uproar exposes Mary's past

A press uproar erupts, exposing information about Mary’s past and threatening the stability of the newly acquired estate. Public scrutiny complicates the relationships around her and tests her resolve. The scandal sets up the next battles over the will and custody.

mid-1930s City press

Jack offers to adopt the son; discovers paternity

Jack reappears and offers to adopt Mary’s son, only to discover that he is the boy’s father. This revelation binds Jack’s fate to Mary and the child in a way the past never did. The new paternity reshapes loyalties and future plans.

mid-1930s Mary's apartment

Lloyd's wife challenges the will

Lloyd’s wife believes the child is her husband’s illegitimate offspring and moves to overturn the will. Her challenge heightens the fight over Mary’s status and the boy’s future. The legal contest becomes a central battleground for all involved.

mid-1930s Lloyd Rogers' home / estate

Jack’s father sues to declare Mary unfit

When Jack’s father learns the boy is his grandson, he initiates proceedings to have Mary declared unfit and to remove the child. The confrontation pits generations and tests Jack’s loyalties. The pressure from the pursuit of custody drives the family toward a fragile compromise.

late 1930s Merrick family estate

All-night argument unfolds

Jack and his father argue all night about the child’s future, exposing stubbornness and conflicting rights. The next day Mary must confront the fallout of the argument as she weighs her own position. The scene heightens the emotional stakes before Florence’s later intervention.

night Merrick family estate

Florence visits Mary; a tentative compromise

The morning after, Florence visits Mary and proves kind and sympathetic. Mary insists that Jack stay with Florence and allows them to have the child, choosing a practical path through the custody fight. The episode signals a tentative reconciliation and a shift toward cooperation.

the morning after the argument Mary's apartment

Mary leaves for Europe

Mary leaves for Europe to start anew, seeking distance from the scandal and a chance at a different life. The journey marks a new chapter for her, free from the legal battles that dominated her years before.

after Florence's visit Europe

Florence dies; Jack locates Mary and vows to join her

Florence dies, and later Jack locates Mary across the ocean, proclaiming that he is coming to join her. The reunion promise suggests the possibility of a future together despite the years of turmoil. The film closes on a note of hopeful return.

after Florence’s death Europe

That Certain Woman Characters

Explore all characters from That Certain Woman (1937). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Mary Donnell / Mme Al Haines

A naive yet resilient woman who navigates marriage to a bootlegger, a tumultuous social circle, and motherhood. She endures public scrutiny while safeguarding her child’s future, ultimately choosing independence over scandal. Her arc centers on moral complexity, sacrifice, and the pursuit of stability for her family.

💖 Romance 👩‍👧‍👦 Motherhood ⚖️ Morality 🕊️ Resilience

Jack V. Merrick Jr.

The playboy son whose elopement with Mary is thwarted by his disapproving father. He embodies privilege and desire, and his actions with respect to Mary’s child reveal a conflict between personal happiness and family duty. His eventual involvement signals a bridge between different social worlds.

💘 Romance 🏛️ Privilege 🗝️ Family

Florence 'Flip' Carson Merrick

Jack’s wife from a similar social class, who becomes crippled in an automobile accident and later shows kindness to Mary. Her presence frames class expectations and the possibility of genuine support amid tragedy. She represents a complicated ally rather than a simple antagonist.

💼 Class 💔 Love 🤝 Alliance

Lloyd Rogers

Married attorney who is secretly attracted to Mary. He dies years later, leaving Mary the bulk of his estate, which triggers a media scandal and legal maneuvering. His death catalyzes the custody drama and the uncovering of past relationships.

⚖️ Lawyer 💼 Wealth 🕵️‍♂️ Mystery

Jack V. Merrick Sr.

The wealthy patriarch who distrusts Mary and seeks to control the estate and the child’s future. His conflict with the rest of the family drives the custody battle and public controversy. He represents aristocratic authority and its limits.

🏛️ Patriarch 🗝️ Power ⚖️ Law

Mme Lloyd Rogers

Lloyd’s wife, a figure of high social standing who becomes entangled in the inheritance dispute. She offers a pragmatic counterpoint to Mary’s maternal resolve. Her presence reflects the complexities of marriage and social reputation.

💍 Wife 🏛️ Aristocracy 🕊️ Complexity

Detective Lieutenant Neely

A press-connected investigator who threads through the plot as scandals erupt and the past is probed. He embodies the law’s gaze on Mary’s circumstances and the public’s interest in the affair and will.

🕵️‍♂️ Investigator ⚖️ Law 🗞️ Media

That Certain Woman Settings

Learn where and when That Certain Woman (1937) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Late 1920s to early 1930s

The story unfolds during the late Prohibition era, a time of organized crime and underground liquor trade. The social expectations of wealth and marriage collide with Mary’s choices as the men around her wield power. The events span several years, from Mary’s early marriage through the later custody and inheritance drama.

Location

Chicago, Europe

The primary setting is Chicago during the Prohibition era, a city infamous for bootlegging and gang violence. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and the world of crime provide the backdrop to Mary Donnell’s life as she navigates marriage, scandal, and social ambition. Later, parts of the story move to Europe as Mary seeks a fresh start away from American scandal.

🏙️ City life 🕰️ Prohibition era

That Certain Woman Themes

Discover the main themes in That Certain Woman (1937). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💔

Romance & Duty

Mary’s relationships with Jack and Lloyd pull her between love, social obligation, and personal responsibility. The marriage to Jack is challenged by class differences and parental control, while Lloyd’s secret affections complicate a life of professional ambition. The drama tests what love means when family reputation is at stake.

⚖️

Society & Scandal

The plot revolves around wealth, inheritance, and public judgment, with the press exposing Mary’s past. The Merrick family’s power struggles and the threat of losing the child heighten the moral stakes. Propriety clashes with personal choice, driving characters to justify or conceal their actions.

🕊️

Independence & Forgiveness

Mary asserts agency by choosing to raise her child despite stigma and family opposition. The story moves toward reconciliation as Jack and Mary confront their shared past and adoptive responsibilities. Forgiveness becomes a path to a quieter happiness as Mary leaves for Europe and later is sought by Jack.

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That Certain Woman Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of That Certain Woman (1937). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

Mary Donnell enters the story bearing the weight of a past that society refuses to let her forget. As the widow of a bootlegger killed under violent circumstances, she carries a stigma that colors every interaction — a mark of judgment from a world quick to condemn but slow to understand. Naive yet resilient, she takes a position as secretary to the married attorney Lloyd Rogers, a man who recognizes her worth even as he conceals his own growing feelings beneath a veil of professional propriety.

Into this fragile equilibrium walks Jack V. Merrick Jr., the charismatic playboy son of a wealthy client, whose world of privilege and ease seems impossibly distant from Mary’s own struggles. His attention offers a glimpse of something Mary has long been denied: the possibility of love unburdened by shame. Yet the elder Jack V. Merrick Sr. watches with disapproval, prepared to defend the boundaries of class and reputation against any perceived threat to his family’s standing.

Set against a landscape of rigid social hierarchies and whispered judgments, the film traces one woman’s determination to reclaim her life from the shadows of her past. Every relationship carries its own complications, and every choice invites scrutiny — from employers, from society, from those who believe they understand who she is and what she deserves. The tension between personal desire and public perception builds steadily, promising a story where hearts hang in the balance and the cost of following one’s heart may prove higher than anyone anticipates.

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