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This Is the Night (1932) movie poster

Characters & Themes

This Is the Night (1932) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1932 · 80 mins · English
Directed by
Frank Tuttle
Starring
Tiny Sandford, Irving Bacon, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles, Claire Dodd, Rolfe Sedan

When Stephen, the husband of Gerald’s mistress Claire, finds a pair of tickets for a planned Venice getaway, Gerald must quickly invent a wife to hide the affair. To keep up the ruse, he hires a woman to pose as his wife, keeping Stephen clueless. The fake marriage creates tension as they try to convince all, since Stephen demands the couple travel.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (5)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like This Is the Night
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch This Is the Night (1932)

Where can you watch This Is the Night? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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5 main characters · contains spoilers

This Is the Night Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of This Is the Night (1932), 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.

  • Claire Mathewson (Thelma Todd)

    Claire is unsettled by rumors and her husband Stephen’s return from the Olympics, which fuels her jealousy. She oscillates between suspicion and loyalty, ultimately choosing to protect her marriage. Her actions reveal the fragile balance between passion and commitment.

    • 💔 Jealousy
    • 🗣️ Trust
    • 💍 Marriage
  • Stephen Mathewson (Cary Grant)

    A competitive athlete turned husband who navigates suspicions about his wife's affair. His practical, watchful nature pushes the plot forward as he questions Gerald and Germaine’s story. His reactions drive the farce toward its reconciliation.

    • 🤔 Suspicion
    • 🏛️ Prestige
    • 🥇 Athlete
  • Gerald Gray (Roland Young)

    Gerald schemes to keep up appearances by hiring a fake wife, showcasing his blend of charm and self-interest. He is drawn to Germaine, complicating the trip and testing his relationship with Claire. He remains the catalyst for most of the misunderstandings.

    • 🎭 Deception
    • 💘 Love
    • 🎩 Charm
  • Germaine (Lili Damita)

    A glamorous woman who agrees to pose as Chou-Chou for Gerald, driven by financial need. She uses her wit to adapt to the role, then decides to return to Paris, ending the masquerade on a note of independence. Her presence unsettles the other characters and sparks the denouement.

    • 🎭 Deception
    • 💃 Glamour
    • 🗼 Paris
  • Bunny West (Charles Ruggles)

    Bunny is Gerald’s friend whose attempts to join the duo’s Venice trip reveal jealousy and impracticality. His melodramatic misinterpretations culminate with a comic fall into a canal and a hastily resolved misunderstanding.

    • 😂 Comedy
    • 😈 Jealousy
    • 🧭 Chaos

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:47

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Setting

Where and When Does This Is the Night Take Place?

The setting of This Is the Night (1932): 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

1932

The events occur in the early 1930s, anchored by the 1932 Summer Olympics mentioned in the plot. The era is one of glamorous, lighthearted comedy before World War II, with social mores and fashion reflecting the period.

Location

Venice, Italy

Venice serves as the glamorous backdrop for the couples' escape, with its famed canals, gondolas, and ornate architecture. The city’s romantic atmosphere amplifies the entanglements and miscommunications that drive the farcical plot. The story unfolds largely across Venetian venues and a canal-side gondola finale that turns the getaway into a test of loyalty.

  • 🌊 Waterways
  • 🏛️ Historic City
  • 🎭 Glamour

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:47

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3 major themes

This Is the Night Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is This Is the Night (1932) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Love and Jealousy

    Claire’s jealousy over her husband’s supposed affair with another woman sets the emotional stakes. Gerald’s charm and lies spark tension as trust erodes between the couples. The interplay of fidelity and temptation drives the comedy into a confessional, near-miss climax on the Venice getaway.

  • Playacting

    Gerald enlists a fake wife to protect his reputation and keep up appearances, blurring truth and performance. Germaine’s glamorous act masks her real identity, highlighting how characters perform roles to pursue desires. The tension arises from how far people will go to maintain a flawless public image.

  • Travel and Escape

    The Venice trip acts as a stage for desire and deception, turning travel into a test of loyalty. The train journey and gondola rides place the characters in close quarters, heightening misunderstandings and romantic entanglements. Venice’s setting amplifies the lure of a glamorous escape from domestic strife.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:47

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Character & theme questions

This Is the Night Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about This Is the Night (1932): 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 set?

This Is the Night is set primarily in Venice, Italy. The city’s famous canals, gondolas, and ornate historic architecture serve as a glamorous backdrop for the romantic entanglements and misunderstandings that drive the comedy. Much of the story unfolds at Venetian venues, culminating in a canal-side gondola scene.

  • venice
  • italy
  • setting
  • canals
  • gondola
  • location
Q2

What year is the story set in?

The film is set in 1932, specifically during the summer when the 1932 Summer Olympics are mentioned. This places the story in the early 1930s, a period characterized by glamorous, lighthearted comedy before World War II, with social customs and fashion reflecting that era.

  • 1932
  • time period
  • era
  • 1930s
  • olympics
  • historical setting
Q3

What are the main themes in the movie?

The movie explores three interconnected themes. Love and Jealousy centers on Claire’s suspicion and emotional tension as trust erodes between the couples. Playacting examines how characters perform roles to pursue desires, with Gerald hiring a fake wife to maintain appearances. Travel and Escape turns the Venice trip into a test of loyalty where desire and deception play out against a glamorous backdrop.

  • themes
  • love
  • jealousy
  • playacting
  • deception
  • travel
  • escape
Q4

Who is Claire Mathewson?

Claire Mathewson is the wife of Stephen Mathewson in the film. Portrayed by Thelma Todd, she becomes unsettled by rumors of her husband’s supposed affair and oscillates between suspicion and loyalty throughout the story. Her jealousy sets the emotional stakes, and she ultimately chooses to protect her marriage despite the turmoil.

  • claire
  • thelma todd
  • character
  • wife
  • jealousy
Q5

Who is Stephen Mathewson?

Stephen Mathewson, played by Cary Grant, is a competitive athlete turned husband who returns from the Olympics to find his marriage complicated by suspicions of his wife’s affair. His practical and watchful nature drives the plot forward as he questions Gerald and the so-called wife, pushing the farce toward its resolution.

  • stephen
  • cary grant
  • character
  • husband
  • athlete
Q6

Who is Gerald Gray?

Gerald Gray is the man at the center of the deception, portrayed by Roland Young. He schemes to keep up appearances by hiring a fake wife to conceal his affair with Claire. His blend of charm and self-interest makes him the catalyst for most misunderstandings, and his attraction to Germaine complicates the trip further.

  • gerald
  • roland young
  • character
  • deception
  • affair
Q7

Who is Germaine in the film?

Germaine is the glamorous woman hired by Gerald to pose as his wife, played by Lili Damita. She agrees to the role for financial reasons and uses her wit to adapt to the masquerade. Ultimately, she decides to return to Paris, ending the deception on a note of independence and sparking the film’s resolution.

  • germaine
  • lili damita
  • character
  • actress
  • fake wife
Q8

What role does Venice play in the story?

Venice serves as more than just a backdrop, it becomes a stage for desire and deception. The city’s romantic atmosphere with its waterways and historic venues amplifies the entanglements and miscommunications central to the farcical plot. The gondola finale in particular turns the getaway into a literal test of loyalty.

  • venice setting
  • gondola
  • romance
  • backdrop
Q9

What genre is This Is the Night?

This Is the Night is a romantic comedy from the early sound era. The film blends romance with comedic elements through its farcical premise of a fabricated wife concealing an affair. The tone is consistently light and fast-paced, driven by misunderstandings and the constant threat of discovery.

  • romance
  • comedy
  • genre
  • farce
  • 1930s film
Q10

Who is Bunny West?

Bunny West is Gerald’s friend in the film, portrayed by Charles Ruggles. His attempts to join the Venice trip reveal his jealousy and impracticality. His melodramatic misinterpretations culminate in a comic fall into a canal, and his storyline resolves in a hasty misunderstanding, providing additional comic relief to the ensemble.

  • bunny
  • charles rugsles
  • character
  • friend
  • comedy

Movie threads

More Movies Like This Is the Night, by Mood & Story

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

Farcical romantic comedies with mistaken identities like This Is the Night

Comedies where a simple lie about love spirals into chaotic, hilarious situations. This list features movies like This Is the Night, where a fabricated romance causes a cascade of comedic errors. If you enjoyed the lighthearted chaos of lies spiraling out of control, you'll find similar screwball comedies and witty romantic farces here, full of playful deception and happy endings.

  • deceptive
  • chaotic
  • frivolous
  • playful
  • romantic
  • witty
  • Tone: light, playful
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a character telling a small, impulsive lie—often about being married or in a relationship—to avoid embarrassment or exposure. This lie quickly necessitates further deceptions, involving hired actors or unwitting participants, leading to a series of increasingly absurd and coincidental encounters. The plot is driven by the constant threat of discovery, creating a fast-paced sequence of near-misses and misunderstandings that culminate in a farcical climax where the truth is revealed, often resulting in a genuine romantic connection.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a specific blend of light, romantic tone and fast, farcical pacing. They prioritize witty dialogue, situational humor, and the absurd complications that arise from a central deception, offering a consistently playful and low-stakes viewing experience focused on romantic entanglements and social comedy.

Playful and chaotic social comedies similar to This Is the Night

Fast-paced comedies where characters navigate a whirlwind of social blunders and witty repartee. Discover movies with a similar feel to This Is the Night, featuring high-society deceptions and fast-paced comic chaos. If you liked the frivolous tone and the humor derived from social embarrassment and quick-witted characters trying to maintain a facade, this collection of sophisticated yet silly comedies is for you.

  • playful
  • chaotic
  • witty
  • sophisticated
  • frivolous
  • deceptive
  • Tone: light, frivolous
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot often revolves around maintaining a social facade—be it a secret affair, a hidden identity, or a fabricated circumstance—within a sophisticated or upper-class setting. The humor stems from the stark contrast between polished appearances and the underlying farce. Characters are constantly improvising and scheming to keep up appearances, leading to a domino effect of coincidences, interruptions, and clever verbal exchanges that drive the narrative forward at a breakneck speed.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their specific mix of a light tone, fast pacing, and moderate intensity derived from social, rather than physical, peril. They create a cohesive experience of bubbly, intellectual humor centered on deception, jealousy, and the absurdities of trying to control social perception, all wrapped in a stylish, romantic package.

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Movies Like This Is the Night

Similar movies to This Is the Night: 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 the Night (1932) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about This Is the Night 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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