Character Relationship Map: Easy Virtue

Characters

• Larita Filton (played by Isabel Jeans) — protagonist

  Protagonist who escapes an abusive marriage following a fatal shooting involving her lover Claude. After changing her name on the French Riviera, she impulsively marries John Whittaker but faces inten...

• Aubrey Filton (played by Franklin Dyall) — protagonist

  Larita's first husband, described as a drunken and physically abusive man. During a violent confrontation between Larita and Claude, Aubrey attacks Claude and is fatally shot in the struggle. He succe...

• John Whittaker (played by Robin Irvine) — supporting

  A wealthy young man who meets Larita at a tennis match and impulsively marries her despite her complicated past. Torn between his love for Larita and his mother's prejudice, he eventually doubts the m...

• Mrs. Whittaker (played by Violet Farebrother) — supporting

  John's mother who strongly disapproves of Larita due to her past. She privately sabotages Larita's position in the family, publicly confronts her with a magazine exposing her identity, and fears socia...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Larita Filton → John Whittaker (Romantic Partner) — Their impulsive romance becomes the central relationship of the second half.

  John meets Larita after accidentally striking her with a tennis ball, declares his love, and asks her to marry him.

• John Whittaker → Mrs. Whittaker (Family Son) — John's loyalty to his mother competes with his commitment to Larita.

  Mrs. Whittaker is explicitly identified as John's mother, and John asks her to treat Larita kindly for his sake.

• Larita Filton → Aubrey Filton (Family Spouse) — Their marriage is defined by violence, suspicion, and eventual legal separation.

  The plot identifies Aubrey Filton as Larita Filton's husband, and their marriage is examined during the divorce proceedings.

Story Dynamics

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

• Mrs. Whittaker → Larita Filton (Conflict Social Antagonist) — She treats Larita's past as a threat to family respectability.

  Mrs. Whittaker privately tries to turn the family against Larita and publicly confronts her with a magazine revealing her identity.

Story Analysis

A woman repeatedly confronts public judgment while seeking freedom from abusive marriage, scandal, and social control.

Plot Progression

1. A Marriage Under Judgment — Larita's divorce testimony opens into a flashback involving an abusive marriage, a dangerous letter, and a fatal studio struggle. The court ultimately accepts Aubrey's version of events.
2. Exile And Reinvention — After the hostile verdict and media attention, Larita escapes to the French Riviera. She adopts a new registration name and briefly builds a happy, anonymous life.
3. The Fragile New Marriage — A chance tennis accident brings Larita and John together, leading to an impulsive marriage. Their return to England places the couple under the pressure of John's family.
4. Scandal Returns — Mrs. Whittaker privately sabotages Larita and gradually influences John against the marriage. A magazine exposes Larita's former identity before the entire family.
5. Freedom Through Departure — Larita refuses to be hidden at the family party and chooses to leave John so he can obtain a divorce. At the end, she faces the waiting photographers instead of hiding.