This Modern Age (1931) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place primarily in Paris, France, where Val travels to reunite with her mother. The Parisian setting serves as a glamorous backdrop for high-society interactions, romantic entanglements, and social maneuvering, highlighting the contrast between public prestige and private betrayals.

• paris
• france
• setting
• location
• parisian society

The movie is set in the early 1930s, a period of urban modernity and shifting social norms. The era reflects pre-Code Hollywood attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and female autonomy within a cosmopolitan milieu, conveyed through fashion, cars, and elite Parisian society.

• 1930s
• early 1930s
• time period
• era
• historical setting

The film explores three interconnected themes: Family vs Independence, as Val's loyalty to her mother clashes with her desire for personal happiness; Reputation and Betrayal, examining how social appearances influence fate; and Love and Truth, using romance to critique social hypocrisy and the resilience of genuine affection.

• themes
• family
• independence
• reputation
• love
• truth
• betrayal

Valentine 'Val' Winters is a socialite and the daughter of divorced parents who travels to Paris and becomes entangled in a romance with Bob. She grapples with her mother's influence and a growing awareness of loyalty, love, and personal happiness, with her glamour concealing a developing resolve to define her own future.

• valentine winters
• val
• protagonist
• socialite
• daughter

Diane 'Di' Winters is Val's mother who lives in Paris as the mistress of André de Graignon, a wealthy Parisian figure. She navigates romance and ambition, and her choices propel the central conflict as Val discovers the truth about her mother's life, creating lasting consequences for Val's sense of loyalty and trust.

• diane winters
• mother
• mistress
• paris
• andré de graignon

Bob Blake Jr. is a Harvard football player who falls in love with Val and seeks to protect her happiness. He pushes for a quick marriage when he believes Val's well-being is at stake and later reveals the truth about Diane's situation to win Val's trust again, embodying steadfast affection amid social pressure.

• bob blake
• harvard
• football player
• love interest
• neil hamilton

Val's romance with Bob is tested by misperceptions and secrets throughout the film. Their relationship represents genuine affection confronting social hypocrisy, with truth ultimately offering a path to reconciliation rather than convenience.

• val
• bob
• romance
• relationship
• love story
• couple

Val's loyalty to her mother clashes with her growing desire for personal happiness with Bob. The film examines how family ties and maternal influence shape a young woman's choices, revealing the price of independence within a judgmental social sphere.

• family
• independence
• maternal
• loyalty
• choices
• social pressure

André de Graignon is a wealthy Parisian figure involved with Diane Winters. His relationship with Diane drives much of the film's conflict and social maneuvering, embodying the world of old-world wealth and social obligation that defines the setting Val navigates.

• andré de graignon
• wealthy
• parisian
• society
• power

Margaret Blake is Bob's mother who disapproves of Val's relationship with Tony and of her mother's lifestyle. She represents conservative social expectations and the pressure to maintain appearances within the upper-class circle.

• margaret blake
• bob's mother
• upper class
• social expectations
• conservative

Tony Girard is a fun-loving and alcoholic member of Diane's social circle in Paris. He adds boisterous energy to Val's visit and fuels the tumult surrounding Val's relationships, representing the impulsive and risky social world of the film.

• tony girard
• social circle
• alcoholic
• paris
• friendship