Bloodline

Year: 1979

Runtime: 116 mins

Language: English

Director: Terence Young

CrimeThriller

The line between love and death is the bloodline. After her father’s sudden, suspicious death, a pampered heiress inherits a pharmaceutical empire and is thrust into corporate intrigue. Surrounded by ruthless board members and avaricious relatives, she must battle schemes and protect her legacy, as everyone will do anything for profit.

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Bloodline (1979) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Bloodline (1979), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Sam Roffe, president of Roffe & Sons Pharmaceuticals, dies in what appears to be a mountain-climbing accident, leaving Elizabeth Roffe with a billion-dollar empire. The board members seize on the opportunity to settle old scores, climb higher in the corporate ladder, and reap lucrative profits—yet a careful investigation soon reveals that Sam’s death was murder and that a tense power struggle is bubbling just beneath the surface.

Lead investigator Max Hornung lays out a growing list of suspects to Elizabeth, ranging from trusted advisers to financially strapped family members. Amid this turmoil, Elizabeth makes a bold personal move by marrying CEO Rhys Williams, even as Hornung continues to scrutinize everyone around her. The company’s by-laws add another layer of complexity: shares cannot be sold on the world market without unanimous board approval, a rule that gives Elizabeth leverage but also marks her as a target for those who want her out.

The tension escalates as several murder attempts on Elizabeth unfold, and an international chase unfolds across Europe. Hornung connects the rash of attacks to a grisly pattern—homicides of prostitutes captured on snuff films made with Roffe film stock. A key clue emerges: a witness described in a distinctive black Gucci leather coat appears at multiple scenes, tying disparate crimes together and pointing toward a calculated conspiracy.

Seeking protection, Elizabeth retreats to her father’s villa in Sardinia during a blistering sirocco. There, the unseen killer closes in, setting the villa ablaze and shouting a chilling demand: > Now try to make it look like an accident!

Rhys Williams and a shareholder, the formidable Sir Alec Nichols, arrive in time to help, but Hornung has deduced a grim truth. He confronts Nichols and shoots him dead before the killer can complete a final, symbolic snuff sequence aimed at Elizabeth. The revelation is brutal and startling: Sir Alec Nichols, a respected British politician, is deeply in debt due to his young wife Vivian’s gambling habits. With the truth laid bare, Elizabeth makes a decisive choice and finally embraces Rhys Williams as the danger behind them is exposed and the path forward becomes clearer.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:40

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Corporate Paranoia Thrillers like Bloodline

Stories where the boardroom is a battlefield and trust is a liability.If you liked the tense, dangerous atmosphere of Bloodline, you'll enjoy these movies about corporate intrigue and betrayal. This list features suspenseful thrillers where protagonists navigate lethal power struggles and conspiracies within their own companies, perfect for fans of high-stakes business dramas.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows an insider—often an heir or newly appointed leader—who inherits a powerful position only to discover it's a trap. They must unravel a conspiracy of greed and murder from within their inner circle, using their wits to expose the traitors before they become the next victim.

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These films are grouped by their shared mood of corporate claustrophobia and paranoid tension. They combine the suspense of a thriller with the high-stakes drama of boardroom power plays, creating a unique experience where the protagonist's professional and personal survival are on the line.

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Narrative Summary

The pattern begins with a sudden death that bequeaths a vast fortune or company to an unprepared heir. This inheritance immediately attracts deadly rivals, forcing the protagonist on an investigative journey to uncover the truth behind the death while defending their new legacy from within and without, culminating in their transformation into a capable leader.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a core narrative of inheritance-as-catalyst, combining a whodunnit mystery with a character arc of empowerment. The similarity lies in the blend of personal vulnerability, high-stakes investigation, and the protagonist's evolution from victim to victor.

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