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This Is My Affair (1937) movie poster

Characters & Themes

This Is My Affair (1937) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1937 · 100 mins · English
Directed by
William A. Seiter
Starring
John Carradine, Paul McVey, Lon Chaney Jr., Paul Hurst, Sig Ruman, Joseph Crehan

A tale that rattled the nation down to its highest offices, President McKinley commissions Lt. Richard L. Perry to go undercover. Perry’s mission is to pinpoint a tightly coordinated group of Mid‑Western bank robbers centered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, whose audacious heists have captured the country's attention.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (5)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (2)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like This Is My Affair
  7. 7 Every angle

5 main characters · contains spoilers

This Is My Affair Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of This Is My Affair (1937), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Joe Perry (Richard L. Perry)

    played by Robert Taylor

    A dedicated Navy Lieutenant operating undercover to dismantle a gang of bank robbers, Joe is intelligent, brave, and committed to justice. His undercover work showcases his resourcefulness and moral integrity as he navigates dangerous criminal networks and political corruption.

    • 🎖️ Undercover
    • 🕵️‍♂️ Courageous
    • 🖤 Determined
  • Lil Duryea

    played by Barbara Stanwyck

    A singer working in her stepbrother Batiste’s casino, Lil is caught between love and loyalty. She is compassionate and brave, ultimately risking her safety to help expose the gang’s mastermind, revealing her inner strength and sense of justice.

    • 🎤 Entertainer
    • 💖 Loyal
    • 🌟 Brave
  • Batiste Duryea

    played by Brian Donlevy

    Owner of the casino and gang leader, Batiste is manipulative and dangerous. His criminal ambitions and ruthless nature make him a formidable villain, exemplifying the corrupt influence of greed and power.

    • 💼 Gang Leader
    • ⚠️ Ruthless
    • 💵 Corrupt
  • Jock Ramsay

    played by Victor McLaglen

    Batiste’s loyal enforcer, Jock is rugged and impulsive. Wounded during the gang confrontation, his confession becomes crucial in unveiling the mastermind behind the criminal activities, highlighting themes of loyalty and redemption.

    • 💪 Enforcer
    • 🗣️ Loyal
    • 🔥 Hot-tempered
  • President William McKinley

    played by Frank Conroy

    The sitting U.S. President in 1901, McKinley's leadership is a backdrop to the political intrigue of the story. His efforts to combat crime and corruption reflect the evolving political landscape of the period.

    • 🇺🇸 President
    • 🏛️ Leader
    • 🗳️ Political figure

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:01

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Setting

Where and When Does This Is My Affair Take Place?

The setting of This Is My Affair (1937): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1901

The film is set in 1901, during the early years of the 20th century. This period was marked by political upheaval, the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, and significant developments in U.S. politics and industrial growth. The year is notable for President McKinley's assassination and Theodore Roosevelt's rise to the presidency, reflecting a transitional era in American history.

Location

Saint Paul, Minnesota, Baltimore, Washington D.C.

The movie is primarily set in Saint Paul, Minnesota, known for its vibrant riverfront and historic architecture, serving as the backdrop for the casino scenes. Key events also take place in Baltimore at a bank, and political scenes occur in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States. These locations are historically significant for their economic, political, and cultural roles in early 20th-century America.

  • 🌆 Urban
  • 🎭 Casino
  • 🏛️ Political Hub

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:01

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2 major themes

This Is My Affair Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is This Is My Affair (1937) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Corruption

    The movie explores themes of corruption within political and criminal realms, exemplified by the gang of bank robbers and the conspiracy involving high-level officials. It highlights how corruption can infiltrate institutions and influence justice, creating high-stakes moral dilemmas for characters like Joe Perry.

  • Justice

    Justice is a central theme, with the protagonist risking everything to expose the true mastermind behind the gangs and ensuring that justice prevails. The film portrays the struggle between legal authority and criminal efforts, emphasizing integrity and sacrifice.

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:01

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Character & theme questions

This Is My Affair Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about This Is My Affair (1937): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie primarily set?

The movie is primarily set in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a city known for its vibrant riverfront and historic architecture. Saint Paul serves as the backdrop for the casino scenes where much of the criminal activity unfolds.

  • saint paul
  • minnesota
  • setting
  • casino
  • location
Q2

What time period does the movie take place in?

The film is set in 1901, during the early years of the 20th century. This period was marked by political upheaval following the Spanish-American War and significant developments in U.S. politics and industrial growth.

  • 1901
  • time period
  • historical
  • 1900s
  • early 20th century
Q3

What other locations does the story take place in?

Beyond Saint Paul, key events occur in Baltimore at a bank, and political scenes take place in Washington D.C., the U.S. capital. These locations represent the economic and political centers crucial to the story's investigation of crime and corruption.

  • washington dc
  • baltimore
  • bank
  • capital
  • locations
Q4

What does the movie say about corruption?

The movie explores corruption within political and criminal realms, showing how criminal networks can infiltrate institutions and influence justice. The gang of bank robbers operates with protection from high-level officials, creating moral dilemmas for the protagonist.

  • corruption
  • political corruption
  • criminal networks
  • themes
Q5

What is the movie's message about justice?

Justice is a central theme as the protagonist risks everything to expose the true mastermind behind the criminal gang. The film portrays the struggle between legal authority and criminal efforts, emphasizing integrity and sacrifice as paths to achieving justice.

  • justice
  • integrity
  • sacrifice
  • themes
  • moral dilemma
Q6

Who is Joe Perry in the movie?

Joe Perry is a dedicated Navy Lieutenant operating undercover to dismantle a gang of bank robbers. He is intelligent, brave, and committed to justice, using his resourcefulness to navigate dangerous criminal networks and political corruption.

  • joe perry
  • richard l perry
  • lieutenant
  • undercover
  • protagonist
Q7

Who is Lil Duryea and what is her role?

Lil Duryea is a singer working in her stepbrother Batiste Duryea's casino. Caught between love and loyalty, she is compassionate and brave, ultimately risking her safety to help expose the criminal mastermind.

  • lil duryea
  • singer
  • casino
  • stepbrother
  • batiste duryea
Q8

Who is Batiste Duryea?

Batiste Duryea is the owner of the casino and leader of the criminal gang. He is manipulative and dangerous, representing the corrupt influence of greed and power that the protagonist must confront.

  • batiste duryea
  • casino owner
  • gang leader
  • villain
  • criminal
Q9

What is President McKinley's role in the story?

President William McKinley is the sitting U.S. President in 1901 who commissions the undercover mission. His efforts to combat crime and corruption provide the political backdrop for the investigation, reflecting the evolving political landscape of the period.

  • president mckinley
  • william mckinley
  • president
  • political
  • 1901
Q10

Why is 1901 a significant year for the movie's setting?

1901 is notable for President McKinley's assassination and Theodore Roosevelt's rise to the presidency. The year reflects a transitional era in American history, making it a fitting backdrop for a story about political corruption and the struggle for justice.

  • mckinley assassination
  • theodore roosevelt
  • historical
  • 1901
  • transition era

Movie threads

More Movies Like This Is My Affair, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes This Is My Affair tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Undercover Agent Thrillers like This Is My Affair

Spies and agents living a dangerous double life where one misstep means death. For viewers who enjoyed the high-stakes tension of 'This Is My Affair'. These movies focus on the dangerous lives of undercover operatives, blending crime drama with political intrigue and the psychological toll of living a double life.

  • suspenseful
  • anxious
  • high-stakes
  • gripping
  • procedural
  • double life
  • Tone: tense, anxious, high-stakes
  • Pacing: steady, methodical build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist who assumes a false identity to infiltrate a hostile organization. The story is built on escalating tension as the agent gets deeper into their cover, facing tests of loyalty, close calls with discovery, and the emotional conflict of deceiving those around them, often culminating in a race against time to complete their mission or escape.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their core premise of deep-cover espionage, which creates a specific, sustained tension. They share a focus on procedural details of the mission, the psychology of the protagonist, and the high-stakes consequences of failure, resulting in a consistently gripping and anxious viewing experience.

Romantic Crime Dramas with High Stakes like This Is My Affair

Love stories that blossom in the shadow of danger, betrayal, and impossible choices. If you liked the romantic sacrifice in 'This Is My Affair', this thread features movies where love and crime collide. These dramas weave together passionate relationships with high-stakes danger, creating emotionally charged stories of loyalty and sacrifice.

  • romantic
  • tense
  • dramatic
  • sacrifice
  • high-stakes
  • forbidden love
  • Tone: tense, romantic, dramatic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: A romance develops between characters on opposite sides of a conflict or entangled in a dangerous plot. Their relationship is tested by secrets, external threats, and moral dilemmas. The narrative often involves a significant sacrifice—sometimes of the relationship itself—for the greater good or to ensure the other's safety, leading to a bittersweet or hard-won happy ending.

Why they belong together: This thread groups films that successfully blend the emotional engagement of a romance with the tension of a thriller. The shared element is a love story that is not just a subplot but is central to the stakes and the protagonist's motivations, creating a unique blend of emotional weight and suspense.

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Movies Like This Is My Affair

Similar movies to This Is My Affair: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

This Is My Affair (1937) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about This Is My Affair in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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