That Certain Feeling (1956) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story is set primarily in Manhattan, specifically in a glamorous penthouse that represents the high-society media world of cartoonist Larry Larkin. It also briefly explores Port Huron, Michigan, which represents the small-town origins that contrast with the big-city celebrity culture driving the characters' ambitions.

• setting
• manhattan
• port huron
• new york
• locations

The movie is set in the 1950s, during the postwar era when television and celebrity culture were rapidly rising. The period's emphasis on appearance and ratings is a central theme, with a live TV moment becoming a key plot element that reflects the era's obsession with public image.

• 1950s
• postwar
• time period
• television era
• 1950s culture

The film explores three interconnected themes: love and authenticity versus performance, the cost of public image in media culture, and the struggle between who characters truly are versus who they project themselves to be. The resolution suggests choosing personal truth over polished appearances.

• theme
• love
• identity
• public image
• authenticity

Dunreath Henry is a sophisticated New York socialite who works as Larry Larkin's private secretary. She plans to marry Larkin but harbors feelings for Francis Dignan, creating a love triangle. Beneath her polished exterior, she grapples with a past identity as Ethel Jankowski and must choose between social advancement and genuine affection.

• dunreath
• character
• secretary
• love triangle
• eva marie saint

Francis X. Dignan is a talented but neurotic cartoonist hired by Larry Larkin to ghost-write jokes for his stale comic strip. He needs money for his psychiatrist and resents Larkin's control, but takes the job anyway. Old feelings for Dunreath resurface during the collaboration, intensifying the central conflict between art, money, and love.

• francis
• dignan
• cartoonist
• ghost writer
• bob hope

Larry Larkin is a wealthy, charismatic cartoonist who guards his public image with relentless precision. He orchestrates a live TV moment to boost his syndication and is calculating and status-driven. His actions drive the romance, manipulation, and power dynamics that form the story's center.

• larry larkin
• cartoonist
• public image
• george sanders
• media

Television represents the era's obsession with appearance and ratings. Larry arranges a live TV moment to boost his comic strip syndication, which becomes a focal point of the film. The characters must stage a perfect public moment before the cameras, contrasting authenticity with manufactured celebrity.

• television
• live tv
• media
• celebrity
• public moment

The identity theme examines how characters struggle between who they really are and who they project to the world. Past lives and names resurface, challenging the social masks they've adopted. Dunreath's real name (Ethel Jankowski) and the characters' crafted personas highlight this tension between authenticity and performance.

• identity
• authenticity
• masks
• past
• performance

Gussie is the housekeeper who anchors the household's social fabric. Played by Pearl Bailey, she acts as a subtle matchmaker with her practical humor and warmth. She provides a counterbalance to the high-stakes vanity of the penthouse and nudges the characters toward a happy ending.

• gussie
• housekeeper
• pearl bailey
• supporting character

The live TV moment reflects the 1950s cultural obsession with appearance and ratings. It becomes a stage for characters to manipulate their public personas, with Norman the orphan used for wholesome image and Happy the dog added for aesthetic appeal. The sequence highlights the contrast between proclaimed benevolence and actual motives.

• live tv
• norman
• orphan
• tv moment
• public image