Character Relationship Map: Moontide

Characters

• Bobo (played by Jean Gabin) — protagonist

  The film's protagonist, a dock worker prone to violent drunken blackouts. Initially fearing he murdered a local man, he finds redemption and personal growth through his relationship with Anna.

• Anna (played by Ida Lupino) — protagonist

  A young woman attempting suicide who is rescued by Bobo. Despite her troubled past, she seeks a stable home life and becomes the catalyst for Bobo's moral redemption.

• Tiny (played by Thomas Mitchell) — supporting

  A town watchman and Bobo's former friend who serves as the primary antagonist. Bitter, manipulative, and secretly responsible for Pop Kelly's murder, he sabotages Bobo's happiness.

• Nutsy (played by Claude Rains) — supporting

  An amateur philosopher and town watchman who acts as the story's moral compass. He provides rational counsel to Bobo and secretly destroys the incriminating hat to ensure justice.

• Mildred (played by Robin Raymond) — supporting
• Pop Kelly (played by Arthur Aylesworth) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Bobo → Anna (Romantic Partner) — Their relationship gives Bobo a chance to build a stable life and overcome his violent past.

  Bobo appears to fall for Anna after rescuing her, and they later decide to settle down and marry.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Nutsy → Anna (Alliance Supporter) — Nutsy supports Anna's confidence within her marriage.

  Nutsy reassures Anna that wives should leave modesty out of married life and encourages her to wear the dress.

• Nutsy → Pop Kelly (Narrative Evidence Destroyer) — Nutsy secretly removes evidence that could reinforce suspicion against Bobo.

  Nutsy realizes Bobo has Pop Kelly's hat, takes it from the shack, and later burns it on the beach.

• Nutsy → Bobo (Alliance Moral Counselor) — Nutsy helps Bobo recognize his desire for responsibility and domestic stability.

  Nutsy encourages Bobo to accept that he may have reached a point where he wants a home.

• Bobo → Pop Kelly (Narrative Suspected Killer) — Pop Kelly's death embodies Bobo's fear that he cannot control himself.

  Bobo fears he may have killed Pop Kelly because the murder occurred during his drinking spree and he has a history of drunken violence.

• Tiny → Anna (Conflict Attacker) — Tiny becomes a direct physical threat to Anna.

  After arguing with Anna about not being invited to the wedding, Tiny attacks her and leaves her badly injured.

• Tiny → Bobo (Social Former Friend) — Their former friendship is corrupted by Tiny's manipulation and criminal secret.

  Tiny is described as Bobo's former friend, and the two had agreed to leave town together.

• Bobo → Mildred (Social Acquaintance) — Mildred represents Bobo's former life, which he cannot fully return to after meeting Anna.

  Bobo tries to spend time with Mildred, a prostitute he met during his drunken melee.

• Tiny → Pop Kelly (Conflict Murderer) — Tiny's hidden responsibility for Pop Kelly's death drives the central mystery.

  Anna realizes that Tiny killed Pop Kelly after he comes to the barge drunk and angry.

Story Analysis

A violent dock worker seeks redemption by choosing love, responsibility, and a home while confronting the destructive force of his past.

Plot Progression

1. Guilt on San Pablo Bay — Bobo wakes on Takeo's barge after a drunken blackout and hears that Pop Kelly has been murdered. Fearing that he may be responsible, he abandons his plan to leave town.
2. A Rescue and a Refuge — Bobo encounters Anna attempting to drown herself and rescues her. Her presence on the barge begins to awaken his capacity for care and domestic attachment.
3. The Past Fights Back — Tiny disparages Anna and pressures Bobo to leave. Bobo nearly attacks Tiny, rejects their old association, and begins choosing Anna over his former life.
4. A Home Built on Trust — Bobo returns to Anna, and they plan marriage while repairing the barge. Tiny's insinuations force Bobo to admit the danger of his drunken violence.
5. Violence at the Threshold — The wedding briefly fulfills Bobo and Anna's hopes, but Tiny attacks Anna and exposes the murder's true source. Bobo pursues Tiny, whose escape ends in the water.