And Soon the Darkness (1970) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Cathy is attacked by an unseen assailant while sunbathing in the wooded area. When she tries to leave after feeling watched, she discovers her bicycle wheel has been destroyed, and moments later she is confronted by the attacker. Jane later finds her body in an abandoned trailer park in the woods, confirming she was murdered.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the man on the scooter passes them multiple times, and they spot him resting by a cemetery, foreshadowing the danger lurking in the area.

• cathy disappearance
• attacked in woods
• sunbathing scene
• murdered

Paul is a man Jane and Cathy notice at a restaurant and then encounter multiple times on his Lambretta scooter throughout the French countryside. He later reveals he formerly worked for the Surete (French police) and has been privately researching the unsolved rape and murder of a young woman that occurred three years earlier. He is not the attacker but is secretly investigating the old case, which is why he keeps appearing in the same areas.

Foreshadowing: Paul's repeated appearances and his interest in the remote areas hint at a deeper purpose beyond coincidence.

• paul character
• private investigator
• surete
• following women

Jane discovers there was an unsolved rape and murder of a young woman in the town three years earlier. An English schoolmistress describes it as 'quite a scandal.' The murder occurred in the same wooded area where Cathy disappears, creating a parallel to the present danger. Paul reveals he has been secretly investigating this cold case.

Foreshadowing: Madame Lassal's warning about the area being dangerous for lone travelers hints at past incidents.

• unsolved murder
• old case
• three years ago
• rape and murder
• wooded area

Paul takes Cathy's film from her camera as evidence for his private investigation into the old murder case. He sees it as potential evidence linking the present disappearance to the unsolved crime from three years earlier. This creates a conflict with Jane, who suspects he may be involved in Cathy's disappearance.

• camera film
• evidence
• investigation
• dispute

The gendarmie (French police officer) whom Jane seeks help from is the actual perpetrator. He is the one who attacked and murdered Cathy, and later attempts to sexually assault Jane at the abandoned trailer park. His position of authority allows him to approach the women under the guise of helping investigate the disappearance.

Foreshadowing: The gendarmie leaves Jane alone in his house and his delayed response to the emergency raises suspicion.

• gendarmie
• police officer
• attacker
• perpetrator
• serial killer

After Paul breaks into the gendarmie's home, Jane flees into the woods and stumbles upon an abandoned trailer park. She hides inside a camper, where she discovers Cathy's corpse. This devastating discovery confirms that Cathy did not simply wander off but was murdered.

Foreshadowing: The timeline builds tension as Jane searches desperately, with each failed attempt to find help intensifying the dread.

• cathy body
• trailer park
• discovered in camper
• woods

Jane refuses to open the door for Paul because she discovers he has taken Cathy's film without her permission, making her distrust his motives. Additionally, with Cathy missing and the situation increasingly dangerous, Jane is suspicious of everyone, including the mysterious stranger who has been following them.

• trust issues
• refuses entry
• conflict with paul

At the edge of the trailer park, Jane finds the gendarmie expecting help, but he begins to fondle her and then sexually assaults her. Just as the assault escalates, the injured Paul arrives and strikes the gendarmie with a large branch, stopping the attack and saving Jane. The film ends with Jane traumatized but alive, having lost her friend Cathy to murder.

Foreshadowing: The earlier warnings from Madame Lassal about the danger of the area for lone travelers foreshadow Jane's peril.

• jane assault
• rescued by paul
• final confrontation
• traumatic ending

Madame Lassal, the proprietor of the rural roadside cafe, warns Jane that the area can be dangerous for a lone traveler. She knows about the unsolved rape and murder from three years earlier and understands the threat posed by the hidden danger in the remote French countryside. Her warnings are based on knowledge of the area's dark history.

• madame lassal
• warning
• dangerous area
• cafe owner

The film uses classic Hitchcockian misdirection to keep viewers uncertain. Paul appears suspicious because he follows the women and takes evidence, while the gendarmie presents himself as a helpful authority figure. However, Paul is actually trying to solve the old case, while the gendarmie uses his position to prey on vulnerable women. The shifting suspicions create tension and reflect Jane's breakdown of trust.

Foreshadowing: Multiple red herrings are planted throughout, including Paul's mysterious behavior and the old case details.

• red herrings
• misdirection
• suspicion
• twist
• trust