That Man’s Here Again (1937) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds primarily in a stylish urban apartment building, with key scenes in the basement where Nancy Lee seeks shelter, the building's corridors and lobby where interactions occur, and a hospital where Nancy recovers from pneumonia.

• setting
• apartment building
• location
• urban

The hospital becomes a key setting when Nancy Lee falls ill with pneumonia. It serves as the place where Jimmy visits her, their bond deepens through her recovery, and where the couple's future takes shape.

• hospital
• Nancy Lee illness
• pneumonia
• recovery

The movie explores three interconnected themes: Romance, as a quiet relationship develops between Jimmy and Nancy Lee; Compassion, shown through Jimmy's empathy and the building community's support; and Family, as the presence of a child reshapes relationships and creates a chosen family dynamic.

• themes
• romance
• compassion
• family

Jimmy Whalen is the elevator operator in a fancy apartment building. He shows quiet kindness when he befriends Nancy Lee after she seeks shelter in the basement, eventually becoming protective toward both Nancy and her child.

• Jimmy Whalen
• elevator operator
• main character

Nancy Lee is a mother who breaks into the apartment building's basement seeking warmth on a cold night. She is cautious about revealing her situation and must navigate poverty and the risk of arrest before forming a fragile bond with Jimmy.

• Nancy Lee
• mother
• homeless
• poverty

Mr. Jesse is a building figure who aids Jimmy and Nancy Lee by offering practical support and guidance. He helps coordinate with police and the missing-person investigation to reunite the couple, bringing a sense of community responsibility to the story.

• Mr. Jesse
• building figure
• community support

A quiet romance develops as Jimmy and Nancy Lee navigate hardship and secrecy. Their bond grows through acts of care and shared vulnerability, challenging social expectations around class and circumstance.

• romance
• Jimmy and Nancy
• relationship
• love

Jimmy's empathy drives him to help Nancy despite potential risk and judgment. He mobilizes support within the building and, with Mr. Jesse's aid, works to locate and care for Nancy and her child, showing how small acts of kindness ripple through a close-knit community.

• compassion
• kindness
• empathy
• community

The presence of a child shapes motivations and decisions, turning Jimmy into a protector and ally. Nancy's situation reframes relationships within the apartment building as everyone steps in to support the pair, with the final arrangement emphasizing chosen family and mutual responsibility.

• family
• chosen family
• child
• relationships

The film is fundamentally a gentle romantic comedy with a hopeful tone. While it touches on serious themes like poverty and single motherhood, it never dwells on heavy despair. The intensity remains low with moments of uncertainty balanced by a consistent move toward positive resolution.

• tone
• genre
• comedy
• romance
• lighthearted