1984

In the spring of 1984, Winston secretly begins writing in a diary after smuggling it past the Eye. He hopes to record his forbidden thoughts and question Big Brother, despite constant surveillance. This small act marks the first concrete step in his personal rebellion.

Selina Parsons, the neighbor girl, enters Winston's apartment to practice denouncing him as a traitor. The scene shows how even a child is manipulated to police others by the state. Winston is briefly questioned by the police as he contemplates his next move.

At the cafe, Winston and Parsons spot Rutherford and Jones, two Outer Party traitors rehabilitated by the Ministry of Love. The encounter reveals how the Party uses public displays to control truth and memory. Winston's sense of danger and mistrust deepens.

Winston discovers a photo that could prove Jones and Rutherford innocent, but O'Connor orders him to destroy it. The incident exposes the regime's complete control over history and information. Winston realizes the stakes of dissent within the Ministry of Truth.

That evening, Julia passes Winston a note professing her love, challenging the Party's prohibitions. They arrange to meet Sunday in a meadow outside London, away from the prying microphones. The moment marks a dangerous personal alliance against Big Brother.

Two weeks later, Winston proposes renting a room at the junk shop to escape monitors. In their private space, Winston confides that he believes O'Connor may be part of the Underground. Their relationship deepens as they seek physical and intellectual freedom.

One night, Winston finds a note written in O'Connor's handwriting that reads 'down with Big Brother.' Convinced O'Connor is a possible ally, Winston and Julia declare they want to join the Underground. O'Connor instructs Winston to carry an empty briefcase as a sign of membership.

During a rally to launch Hate Week, a man switches Winston's briefcase with another. When Winston opens it, he finds a copy of a treatise by the Underground's leader. The discovery confirms the Underground's existence and raises the stakes for both him and Julia.

Back in their secret room, Julia laments that love may be the only force left against Big Brother. A telescreen hidden behind a mirror condemns their sentiments, and the Thought Police burst in to arrest them. Their dream of rebellion is crushed in an instant.

At the Ministry of Love, Winston is confined and paraded as Parsons's daughter denounces him. O'Connor reveals himself as a covert state agent and subjects Winston to a brutal brainwashing campaign. The process demonstrates the regime's power to reshape loyalty and memory.

Winston endures electroshock and a fear of rats as O'Connor pushes him toward ideological compliance. He finally breaks, renouncing Julia and pledging allegiance to the Party. The torture exposes the fragility of individual autonomy under totalitarian control.

Winston is released into the streets and discovers Julia is gone; Big Brother announces battlefield victories to maintain morale. In the final shot, he encounters a cold, indifferent Julia and, brainwashed, cheers 'Long Live Big Brother.' The regime has erased his resistance.

An alternate ending was shot where Winston rebels and shouts 'Down with Big Brother' before being shot. Julia attempts to help him but shares the same fate; the scene presents a stark counterpoint to the canonical ending.