THIS IS MY AFFAIR

US, 1937, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Victor Mc Laglan, Brian Donlevy, John Carradine, Sidney Blackmer, Frank Conroy.
Directed by William A. Seiter.

Later generations would consider this film as historical but the events portrayed in the film took place only 35 years before the production in 1936.

We are taken back to the presidency of William Mc Kinley. He is concerned about a series of bank robberies and he persuades a naval officer to go undercover and solve the mystery. He is played by Robert Taylor in an early role and is pared with Barbara Stanwyck who was to become his wife. They were to play together, long after their divorce, in the 1964 Night Walker.

And Taylor goes undercover in Kansas City and St Paul, meeting the criminals, Brian Donlevy and Victor Mc Laglan (who had just received an Oscar for The Informer but, as so often, he seems to overact very buoyantly). Barbara Stanwyck is associated with them, and sings in a club. And Taylor ingratiates himself with the group, even stealing jewels in a store, but he begins to fall in love with Stanwyck.

The plot involves the group having a mastermind, a scout in American cities to find banks to rob, setting up a robbery with a shootout and police. While Donlevy is killed, Mc Laglan and Taylor go to prison – and the film gets more exciting with the news of the death of President Mc Kinley, Taylor sending him a letter with information, his persuading Stanwyck, even though she is angry with him, to go to see President Roosevelt to find the letter. The priest comes for the last rites, Mc Laglan is hanged – and Taylor receives reprieve just-in-time.

Entertaining – but not quite as good as one hoped might be.

1. American history, 35 years after the events, President Mc Kinley and his memory, Theodore Roosevelt as President?

2. Thirties’ production, black and white, the recreation of 1901, Arlington Cemetery, the period, Washington DC, White House, interiors, socials? Kansas City and types, clubs, songs and dances, banks, crime, prisons? Clubs, song and dance, the banks, crime, prisons?

3. The musical score, the songs?

4. The title, Richard’s comment about his vision? Telling Lil?

5. The opening at the cemetery, the nun’s and girl’s and the mysterious grave? The situation, the social at the White House, the crisis, the bank robberies,
the President and his concern, investigation, summoning Richard, his career, scrapes, his explanations? His being hired, sworn to secrecy? The planned letter, the sign on the letter?

6. Richard as a character, accepting the investigation, his posing as criminal, gambling, tough, the variety of tangles and contacts? Gambling? St Paul? Meeting with Jock, with Batiste, meeting people? Ingratiating himself, his plans, to uncover the criminals, the mastermind? Stealing the jewels, the clashes, Batiste persuading him to return the jewels? His becoming credible to them, part of the gang, going into action, caught by the police, the shootout? His arrest, in prison, the visit of Lil? The priest and his sitting with him, confessing to Lil, and, the reprieve? The end and his finding her singing?

7. Jock, buoyant, his practical jokes, dumb, tough, criminal life?

8. Lil, the relationship to Batiste, the singing and dancing, becoming involved, liking Richard, falling in love?

9. The criminal scout, the information, reporting about the banks, the variety of plans?

10. The jewels, the people in the shop, Richard stealing, the police, the contacts, the confrontation, the return of the jewels?

11. The shootout, Batiste being wounded, dead?

12. Prison, the cells and bars, Richard and his putting pressure on Jock, Jock his reflections, Richard leading him on, to expose the mastermind? Jock and his being with the priest, reacting, his card trick, not wanting the priest, the priest and forgiveness?

13. Richard, the letter to the President, its being sent? The guards, the warden, Lil’s visit, the truth and her anger?

14. The assassination of the president and Richard desperate?

15. Lil going to Dewey, going to the President, their thinking her a fake, the phone call to Alexander, his not remembering, phoning back, the stay of
execution, Roosevelt’s apology?