That Certain Woman (1937)

38% of users liked it
(66 ratings)

Edmund Goulding directed this remake of his own 1929 The Trespasser, which starred Gloria Swanson. Here Bette Davis assumes the lead role of Mary Donnell, a young innocent married to a bootlegger. When her husband is killed, she decides to pursue a better life and gets a job as a secretary to… More Edmund Goulding directed this remake of his own 1929 The Trespasser, which starred Gloria Swanson. Here Bette Davis assumes the lead role of Mary Donnell, a young innocent married to a bootlegger. When her husband is killed, she decides to pursue a better life and gets a job as a secretary to attorney Lloyd Rogers (Ian Hunter). Lloyd falls in love with Mary but stoically keeps his feelings hidden from her. One of Lloyd's clients is the millionaire Merrick (Donald Crisp), whose playboy son Jack (Henry Fonda) falls in love with Mary. The two elope and take off on their honeymoon, but Merrick, who feels that Mary is not good enough for Jack, asks that the marriage be annulled. Jack reluctantly agrees and Mary goes back to her old job with Lloyd. But Mary finds that she is pregnant and has a baby boy. She swears Lloyd to secrecy concerning her child and Lloyd agrees. Meanwhile, Jack marries a woman of his own class, Flip (Anita Louise), but she is fatally injured in an automobile accident. Lloyd also falls ill and dies at Mary's feet --but not before confessing his love for Mary. When his will is read, it reveals that he has left Mary and her child a vast fortune. Lloyd's wife (Katherine Alexander) believes the baby boy is Lloyd's illegitimate child, and she tries to overturn the terms of the will. Jack hears about Mary's child, and she confesses that the child is actually his. Merrick then tries to have the baby taken away from Mary, contending that she is unfit to raise the baby. Unable to withstand Merrick's legal hammering, Mary offers the child to Jack and Flip. Mary, distraught after abandoning her baby, leaves on a European trip. While she is gone, Flip dies and Jack leaves for Europe to try to find her. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Edmund Goulding
Written By: Edmund Goulding
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Sep 15, 1937 Wide
On DVD: Oct 28, 1992
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
If you like the pic, it's clearly because of Bette Davis.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Mason W

That Certain Woman starring my all time favorite Bette Davis from 1937 is a good Warner Bros film. This film teams Henry Fonda alongside Bette Davis as a couple whom face many obsticles. She has a passed with a man on the wrong side of the law and is not allowed to move on from it.… More
That Certain Woman starring my all time favorite Bette Davis from 1937 is a good Warner Bros film. This film teams Henry Fonda alongside Bette Davis as a couple whom face many obsticles. She has a passed with a man on the wrong side of the law and is not allowed to move on from it. Check this out film buffs!!!
jay n

Standard weepie elevated by Bette, Henry and Anita Louise.

Cast

            Bette Davis as Mary Donnell

            Henry Fonda as Jack Merrick

            Ian Hunter as Lloyd Rogers

            Anita Louise as Flip

            Donald Crisp as Mr. Mertick Sr.

            Katherine Alexander as Mrs. Rogers

            Mary Philips as Amy

            Minor Watson as Tilden

            Ben Welden as Valko

            Sidney Toler as Det. Neely

            Charles Trowbridge as Dr. James

            Norman Willis as Fred

            Herbert Rawlinson as Dr. Hartman

            Tim Henning as Kenyon

            Andre Cheron as Concierge

            Frank Darien as Night Porter

            Roger Davis as Waiter

            Frank Faylen as Reporter

            John Hamilton as American

            Rosalind Marquis as Hatcheck Girl

            Etta McDaniel as Cook

            Forbes Murray as Man

            Hugh O'Connell as Virgil Whitaker

            Granville Owen as Reporter

            Willard Parker as Reporter

            Bernice Pilot as Maid

            Georges Renavent as Frenchman

            Cliff Saum as Bus Conductor

            Charles Sherlock as Reporter

            Emmett Vogan as Man

            Loia Cheaney as Secretary

            Michael Lally as Reporter

            Paddy O'Flynn as Reporter

            Don Downen as Elevator Man

            Barry Downing as Little Boy

            Claudia Simmons as Switchboard Girl

            Ted Thompson as Reporter
See full cast