Character Relationship Map: The Widow from Chicago

Characters

• Polly Henderson, aka Polly Dorgan (played by Alice White) — protagonist

  Jimmy's sister who poses as Swifty's widow to infiltrate Dominic's nightclub. She falls in love with Swifty, protects him during a holdup, and tricks Dominic into confessing to her brother's murder, l...

• Dominic (played by Edward G. Robinson) — protagonist

  A notorious gangster who owns a nightclub. He hires Swifty, shoots the imposter Jimmy, and later uses Polly as a human shield against the police before being forced to surrender after his confession i...

• Police Sergeant Jerry Dunn (uncredited) (played by Allan Cavan) — supporting
• Detective T. Finnegan (uncredited) (played by John Elliott) — minor

Story Dynamics

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

• Detective T. Finnegan (uncredited) → Dominic (Conflict Pursuer) — Finnegan leads the police effort to track and apprehend Dominic's criminal network.
• Dominic → Police Sergeant Jerry Dunn (uncredited) (Conflict Criminal) — Dominic is the primary target of the police investigation and ultimately surrenders.
• Polly Henderson, aka Polly Dorgan → Dominic (Conflict Manipulator) — Polly strategically feigns romantic interest to extract a confession from Dominic.

Story Analysis

A concealed identity draws Polly into Dominic's criminal world, where love and recorded evidence ultimately bring the gangster to justice.

Plot Progression

1. The Vanishing on the Train — Detectives pursue Swifty as he travels toward New York. After he jumps near a bridge and disappears, the police assume he is dead.
2. An Imposter in the Nightclub — Jimmy assumes Swifty's identity and joins Dominic's gang, but Dominic discovers the deception and shoots him. Polly then begins seeking the truth about her brother's death.
3. The Widow's Dangerous Mask — Polly poses as Swifty's widow to enter Dominic's nightclub. Swifty returns, nearly exposing her, but agrees to protect her secret.
4. Love Under Criminal Pressure — Polly and Swifty fall in love while remaining inside Dominic's world. During a hold-up, Polly shoots toward a police officer to protect Swifty, influencing him to consider reform.
5. The Confession and Surrender — Polly manipulates Dominic into confessing over the telephone while the police listen. Dominic takes Polly as a shield, but Swifty saves her and Dominic surrenders.