Audrey Rose

Audrey Rose

Year: 1977

Runtime: 113 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Wise

ThrillerHorrorDramaHorror

Imagine a stranger claiming that your newborn daughter is actually his lost child reborn. The man becomes convinced that the infant is the reincarnation of his own daughter, Audrey Rose, who died in a fiery car crash that also claimed his wife just minutes before the baby’s birth, and he wrestles with grief and the unsettling possibility of a second chance.

Tense
Sad ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Audrey Rose (1977)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Audrey Rose (1977). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 1980s

The events unfold in a period of pre-digital urban life, where courtroom drama and media attention shape public perception. The upscale New York milieu contrasts with the eerie occurrences surrounding Ivy, lending a contemporary, pre-tech atmosphere to the investigation of reincarnation. The time frame supports the film’s blend of rational inquiry and supernatural belief.

Location

Manhattan's Upper West Side, Pittsburgh, Upstate New York

The Templetons reside in a luxurious building on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a backdrop of polished apartments and social circles. The story then expands to a Catholic boarding school in upstate New York and references a car accident in Pittsburgh, grounding the supernatural premise in familiar, real-world locations. These settings juxtapose affluent city life with unsettling, personal intrusions that drive the trial and public scrutiny surrounding Ivy.

🌆 Upper West Side 🗺️ Urban setting 🎭 Drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:46

Main Characters – Audrey Rose (1977)

Meet the key characters of Audrey Rose (1977), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Ivy Templeton (Susan Swift)

An 11-year-old girl whose night terrors and unexplained burns link her to a past life. Her fear and attachment to Elliot reveal a fragile psyche caught between protection and danger. Ivy’s condition becomes the fulcrum of the family’s faith in the supernatural and the legal battle that follows. Her tragic death during the hypnotic regression underscores the peril of blurring belief with treatment.

🧠 Night terrors 💗 Vulnerable 🔥 Burns

Bill Templeton (John Beck)

A protective, skeptical father who fights to shield his family from a man he views as an extortionist. His rational approach clashes with Janice's sympathy for Elliot and the allure of Audrey's apparent memory in Ivy. Bill's practical mindset anchors the family through mounting public scrutiny and fear, even as his patience wears thin.

🛡️ Protective 🗯️ Skeptical 💔 Frustrated

Janice Templeton (Marsha Mason)

A mother torn between her husband’s skepticism and her own openness to Elliot’s plea. She becomes a believer in Ivy’s potential reincarnation and supports efforts to protect and understand her daughter. Her growing emotional investment drives the family conflict and the decision to remove Ivy from public life.

❤️ Compassionate 🧭 Open-minded 🗣️ Conflicted

Elliot Hoover (Anthony Hopkins)

A grieving widower who believes Ivy is the reincarnation of his late daughter Audrey Rose. He crafts a compelling, emotionally intense appeal that blurs lines between tenderness and obsession. Elliot’s actions—gaining access to the family and ultimately taking Ivy—are driven by love, guilt, and a desire for release of Audrey’s spirit.

💔 Grief-driven 🧭 Obsessive 🕯️ Manipulative

Russ Rothman (Stephen Pearlman)

An attorney who serves as a covert observer and player in the legal drama surrounding Ivy. He provides courtroom insight and commentary that heightens the sense of public spectacle around the case. Russ becomes a tactical ally or foil depending on how the trial unfolds.

⚖️ Legal-minded 🕵️ Calculating 🤝 Professional

Dr. Webster (Pat Corley)

A medical professional involved in evaluating the case and the hypnosis procedures used to probe Ivy’s past. He represents the clinical, methodical counterpoint to Elliot’s spiritual claims. His involvement anchors the medical and legal dimensions of the thriller.

🩺 Medical 🧠 Analytical 🧭 Detached

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:46

Major Themes – Audrey Rose (1977)

Explore the central themes of Audrey Rose (1977), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Reincarnation

The core conflict hinges on whether Ivy is the reincarnation of Audrey Rose, propelling Elliot to seek peace for a departed spirit. The film uses this belief to examine how memory, longing, and identity can drive life-altering decisions. Reincarnation becomes a catalyst for familial strife, courtroom tension, and media interest. The emotional stakes hinge on whether past lives can validate present actions.

🧠 Faith vs. Reason

The narrative pits spiritual conviction against skeptical rationality, particularly in the courtroom and within the family. Elliot’s claims clash with Bill and Janice’s desire for a logical explanation to protect Ivy. Hypnosis and expert testimony intensify the debate over what counts as truth. The film probes whether belief can justify actions that risk a child's safety.

💔 Family Bonds

The story centers on a family under siege by extraordinary claims and a grieving outsider. Bill's skepticism, Janice's empathy, and Ivy's vulnerability test the strength of parental protection and marital trust. The escalating conflict reveals how love, fear, and guilt shape decisions under extraordinary pressure. The ending leaves lingering questions about the price of belief on a family.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:46

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Family psychological horror movies like Audrey Rose

Ordarent families face a terrifying intrusion that tests their sanity and safety.If you liked the unsettling family ordeal in Audrey Rose, explore these similar movies. This collection features psychological thrillers and horrors where a family's reality is shattered by an obsessive outsider or a disturbing claim, creating a tense and tragic atmosphere.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically begin with a family's peaceful life being shattered by an intrusion—a stranger, a secret, or a paranormal claim. The plot focuses on the parents' desperate struggle to protect their child as their reality is questioned, often leading to a legal or ethical battle with a tragic outcome.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their core premise: a family unit under siege from a psychologically chilling threat. They share a heavy emotional weight, a tense tone, and a focus on the terrifying vulnerability of parenthood in the face of the inexplicable.

Slow burn tragic horror movies like Audrey Rose

Stories where belief and skepticism clash amid a slow-building, inevitable tragedy.For viewers who appreciated the methodical pacing and philosophical depth of Audrey Rose, this list features similar films. Discover movies that combine a steady build of tension with themes of grief, reincarnation, or existential doubt, leading to emotionally heavy and sad endings.

sombermelancholictragicphilosophicalunsettlinggrippingthoughtfuldread

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a central, unprovable idea—like reincarnation or a supernatural phenomenon—that pits belief against skepticism. The story unfolds at a deliberate pace, layering evidence and doubt until the tragic premise is confirmed, leaving characters and viewers to grapple with profound loss and unanswered questions.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their steady pacing, high emotional weight, and sad endings. They prioritize a thoughtful, unsettling atmosphere over jump scares, using their core concept to explore grief and trauma in a way that feels both haunting and intellectually engaging.

Unlock the Full Story of Audrey Rose

Don't stop at just watching — explore Audrey Rose in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Audrey Rose is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Audrey Rose Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Audrey Rose, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Audrey Rose Summary

Audrey Rose Timeline

Track the full timeline of Audrey Rose with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Audrey Rose Timeline

Audrey Rose Spoiler-Free Summary

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Audrey Rose Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Audrey Rose

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Audrey Rose: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Audrey Rose

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