An Almost Perfect Affair (1979) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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1. 1

   Hal's arrival and reels seized

   Hal lands in France for Cannes with a film about Gary Gilmore. At Nice Airport, customs seize his reels because he failed to observe the required procedures. Maria Barone's dog Mortimer is also kept in customs, catching Hal in a broader snafu.

   When

   Day 1

   Where

   Nice Airport

2. 2

   Customs interview and waiting game

   Hal must return to the customs office to face an interview with Lt. Montand. He learns the reels won't be released until the film censor has viewed them, a process that could take a month. In the crowd, he runs into Maria, who sympathizes and urges him to persevere.

   When

   Day 2

   Where

   Nice Airport – Customs Office

3. 3

   Maria offers encouragement at Hotel Carlton

   In the Hotel Carlton lobby, Hal encounters Maria again and invites her to lunch. She believes she can persuade her husband, Freddie Barone, to intervene with the authorities on Hal's behalf. The two begin to see each other as a potential ally against the bureaucratic delay.

   When

   Day 3

   Where

   Hotel Carlton lobby

4. 4

   Maria introduces Hal to Freddie Barone

   Maria takes Hal to meet Freddie Barone, who agrees to phone the airport to help push the process along. This contact offers Hal a glimmer of hope despite the red tape. Hal senses a potential breakthrough, but remains wary.

   When

   Day 3

   Where

   Freddie Barone's office

5. 5

   Party in Nice with Andrew Jackson

   Hal invites Maria to a party hosted by their friend Andrew Jackson, a sardonic director-producer promoting his own blaxploitation film. Maria initially declines, but she arrives unannounced later in the evening. The social setting becomes a test of their growing chemistry.

   When

   Evening, Day 3

   Where

   Nice — Andrew Jackson's party

6. 6

   Intimate night at the Novotel

   Hal and Maria dance and talk, then retreat to Hal's Novotel room to make love. Maria confesses that this is her first affair, which unsettles Hal. The encounter deepens their complicated relationship amid the Cannes backdrop.

   When

   Night, Day 3

   Where

   Hal's Novotel room, Nice

7. 7

   Maria's casino windfall funds Hal's hotel

   The next day, Maria wins big at the Palm Beach casino, providing enough money to book Hal into a nicer boutique hotel along the coast. The windfall also signals her growing willingness to invest in Hal's career and ambitions. The couple continues their risky liaison against the backdrop of the festival.

   When

   Day 4

   Where

   Palm Beach casino, Cannes

8. 8

   Countryside outing and Paris request

   They enjoy a blissful day out in the countryside, but Hal laments not being able to spend an entire night with Maria. She asks Freddie for two days away in Paris before the gala premiere, and he agrees without complaint. The arrangement foreshadows the pressures of their affair.

   When

   Day 5

   Where

   Countryside near Cannes

9. 9

   Censor screening and conflicting feelings

   Jackson's publicity hustle is evident as Hal endures the censor's screening. The audience reaction is positive; Jackson calls it sensational and Montand approves its release. Maria's enthusiasm wanes, and after the screening she and Hal have a quarrel that ends with Hal walking away.

   When

   Day 5-6

   Where

   Cannes cinema / censor's screening

10. 10

    Speedboat reconciliation on the bay

    Back at the coast, Hal follows Maria's limousine to the Barone yacht, then onto a speedboat for a private moment. The boat runs out of fuel, so Hal sacrifices his film reels by tossing them into the water to prove his love. Maria points out that he still has the original negative, but he proclaims his love more strongly than the film, and they reconcile.

    When

    Night, Day 6

    Where

    Bay near Cannes (Barone yacht area)

11. 11

    Gala premiere and parting ways

    They are whisked away by security to Freddie's gala premiere, but Maria leaves Hal to return to the shore. Hal watches from the sidelines as she moves toward the opening night, signaling the end of their liaison for the moment. The emotional tension between art and romance remains unresolved.

    When

    Evening, Gala premiere

    Where

    Gala premiere, Cannes

12. 12

    Airport confrontation and contract offer

    After the premiere, Hal heads toward the airport to intercept the couple as they board a private jet. He stops Maria and Freddie briefly, and Maria explains she needs someone who considers her more important than anything. The jet takes off, and Jackson reveals that Hal's film is included in a package deal, presenting him with a contract to sign.

    When

    Night after premiere

    Where

    Cannes Airport