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Caprice (1967) movie poster

Timeline

Caprice (1967) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1967 · 92 mins · English
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Directed by
Frank Tashlin
Starring
Jack Kruschen, Richard Harris, Irene Tsu, Lilia Skala, Doris Day, Ray Walston

Patricia Foster, a talented industrial designer, becomes entangled in corporate intrigue when she betrays her employer by selling a secret cosmetics formula to a rival company. As the theft spirals out of control, she must navigate a dangerous game of deception, pursuit, and hidden agendas, questioning where she can truly run—or hide—when everything is at stake.

Crime Thriller Comedy Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Caprice
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Caprice Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Caprice (1967) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Patricia is arrested and hired by a rival

    Patricia Foster, an industrial designer for Femina Cosmetics owned by Sir Jason Fox, is arrested for attempting to sell a secret deodorant formula. She is fired from Femina and hired by Matthew Cutter of rival May Fortune. This sets the stage for a larger scheme in which Sir Jason wants Patricia to steal a more valuable formula—the water-repellent hairspray.

    Where
    Femina Cosmetics offices

  2. The plan to steal the hairspray formula

    The true plan is for Patricia to steal Dr. Clancy's water-repellent hairspray formula for May Fortune. Sir Jason engineers the setup to push Patricia into the theft, giving the project a false trail.

    Where
    May Fortune offices

  3. Christopher reveals duplicity

    Christopher White tells Patricia that he also secretly works for Sir Jason. The scene hints at deeper loyalties and a CIA connection behind his outward role as Cutter’s right-hand man.

    Where
    Cutter's office

  4. Patricia steals evidence

    Patricia visits Su Ling's apartment and finds her unconscious. She pockets a powder sample and the hairspray bottle, arming herself with clues for the investigation.

    Where
    Su Ling's apartment

  5. Patricia’s paternity and motive

    Patricia is revealed to be the daughter of Robert Fowler, an Interpol agent murdered while pursuing a narcotics ring. She is driven to uncover his killer and bring the case to light.

    Where
    Patricia's location

  6. Clancy's Swiss connections

    Patricia travels to Switzerland and discovers that Clancy has strong Swiss ties. He was married to a Swiss woman, has children there, and used to be a competitive skier.

    Where
    Switzerland

  7. Madame Piasco and the real inventor

    In Switzerland, Madame Piasco, Clancy's mother-in-law, is revealed as the actual inventor of the formula. She gives Patricia a bottle and says May Fortune will have distribution rights in the American market.

    Where
    Switzerland

  8. Ski hill ambush and rescue

    Patricia skis on the hill where her father died and comes under fire from a masked skier. Christopher arrives in a helicopter to rescue her.

    Where
    Swiss ski hill

  9. Love and a new mission

    Patricia and Christopher profess their love, but he asks for one more job involving Sir Jason. They continue to maneuver through the conspiracy while growing closer.

    Where
    Paris/air

  10. Patricia lures Clancy with a job offer

    Christopher secretly records Patricia as she offers Clancy a job as Femina's head chemist with an under-the-table bonus. Clancy declines, saying Cutter already knows about Piasco.

    Where
    Clancy's office

  11. The sting on Sir Jason

    Cutter watches the footage and warns that it could ruin Sir Jason. Sir Jason reveals that Cutter sent the film to the police, who are now pursuing Patricia for bribery.

    Where
    Cutter's Paris office

  12. Final confrontation and escape

    Patricia confronts Clancy, who is revealed to be the killer of Robert Fowler in disguise as a cleaning lady. Patricia fights Clancy; he is shot and dies. Sir Jason arrives to threaten Patricia, but Christopher shoots him, and Patricia flies a helicopter to the Eiffel Tower, where the pair end the film together.

    Where
    Paris, Eiffel Tower

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:23

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Timeline questions answered

Caprice Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Caprice (1967): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Patricia set up to steal the hairspray formula?

Patricia was framed as part of Sir Jason Fox's scheme to acquire Dr. Clancy's water-repellent hairspray formula. Sir Jason orchestrated Patricia's arrest for selling a minor deodorant formula, then had her hired by rival company May Fortune specifically to steal the more valuable hairspray formula. This gave him a false trail to cover his real objective, obtaining the formula through what appeared to be corporate espionage rather than direct theft.

Foreshadowing: Sir Jason engineered Patricia's hiring at May Fortune from the beginning, knowing she would be motivated to prove herself useful.

  • Sir Jason Fox scheme
  • hairspray formula theft
  • corporate espionage
Q2

Who killed Patricia's father Robert Fowler?

Dr. Stuart Clancy killed Robert Fowler. Clancy was working as a double agent, secretly running a narcotics ring while posing as May Fortune's chief cosmetic chemist. When Robert Fowler, an Interpol agent investigating the narcotics operation, got too close in Switzerland, Clancy murdered him on a ski slope. Clancy later disguised himself as a cleaning lady in Cutter's Paris office to silence Patricia when she got too close to the truth.

Foreshadowing: Robert was killed while skiing in Switzerland, the same hill where Patricia would later be ambushed.

  • Robert Fowler murder
  • Clancy killer
  • Interpol agent death
Q3

Why did Christopher White help Patricia if he worked for Sir Jason?

Christopher was actually working for the CIA (later revealed as Interpol), not Sir Jason. He maintained a cover as Sir Jason's secret ally while secretly gathering evidence against the criminal operation. His dual role allowed him to protect Patricia when possible, guide her toward discovering the truth about her father's death, and ultimately help her bring down both Sir Jason and the narcotics ring.

Foreshadowing: Christopher revealed his CIA affiliation early but continued working within Sir Jason's scheme.

  • Christopher White allegiance
  • CIA agent
  • Patricia protection
Q4

What was Sir Jason Fox really trying to accomplish?

Sir Jason's publicly stated goal was to steal the hairspray formula, but his true objective was much deeper, he wanted to uncover the mastermind behind Dr. Clancy's work. Sir Jason knew Clancy had previously worked for him as chief chemist and had failed, yet somehow produced successful formulas. Sir Jason suspected someone else was providing the formulas and used Patricia as a pawn to expose this person. His ultimate aim was control of the cosmetics market by eliminating all competition.

Foreshadowing: Sir Jason mentioned he couldn't identify who was really behind Clancy's work despite extensive investigation.

  • Sir Jason motive
  • cosmetics market control
  • Clancy mastermind
Q5

Why was Dr. Clancy involved with the narcotics ring?

Clancy was secretly running the narcotics operation while maintaining his cover as a cosmetic chemist. He smuggled narcotics as May Fortune face powder, which appeared harmless but turned into a hallucinogen when incinerated. His Swiss connections, having been married to a Swiss woman with children there and being a former competitive skier, allowed him to operate across international lines. He killed Robert Fowler when the Interpol agent got too close to discovering his operation.

Foreshadowing: Clancy's Swiss ties were established early, explaining both his mobility and his connection to the location where Robert died.

  • Clancy narcotics
  • drug smuggling
  • face powder hallucinogen
Q6

How did Patricia discover Madame Piasco was the real inventor?

Patricia traveled to Switzerland after learning about Clancy's Swiss connections and the fact that the hairspray bottle she found was a pricey Swiss product not used by May Fortune. There, she tracked down Madame Piasco, Clancy's mother-in-law, who revealed she was the actual inventor of the formula. Madame Piasco gave Patricia a free bottle and explained that May Fortune had obtained distribution rights, with the product soon reaching the American market.

Foreshadowing: The Swiss hairspray bottle was a crucial clue that led Patricia to investigate Clancy's origins.

  • Madame Piasco inventor
  • Switzerland
  • hairspray formula origin
Q7

Why did Sir Jason have Patricia pursued by the police?

Sir Jason orchestrated events so that Cutter would send the recording of Patricia offering Clancy an illicit bonus to the police, making Patricia appear guilty of bribery. This was a test to pressure someone into revealing the truth, or to implicate Sir Jason's rivals in the crime. The police pursuit was designed to either force Patricia to cooperate more fully with Sir Jason's scheme or eliminate her as a loose end.

Foreshadowing: Sir Jason mentioned the analysis of the black powder was a test to press someone into telling the truth.

  • police pursuit
  • bribery charge
  • Sir Jason manipulation
Q8

What was the black powder found in Su Ling's apartment?

The black powder was a narcotic substance. Patricia had it analyzed and discovered it contained a narcotic compound. Later, it was revealed that narcotics were being smuggled as May Fortune face powder, which appeared harmless but transformed into a hallucinogen when incinerated. This explains how Clancy's narcotics ring operated undetected through legitimate cosmetic shipments.

Foreshadowing: The powder sample Patricia took became crucial evidence that tied Clancy to the narcotics operation.

  • narcotic powder
  • face powder smuggling
  • hallucinogen
Q9

How did Clancy hide his identity at the end?

Clancy disguised himself as a cleaning lady in Cutter's Paris office, complete with feminine clothing and a wig. Patricia initially didn't recognize him when she visited wearing a microphone for Interpol. It was only during their confrontation that she realized the cleaning lady was actually Clancy, who was armed and prepared to kill her to keep his identity secret.

Foreshadowing: The detail about a cleaning lady being present was noted when Patricia first arrived at the office.

  • Clancy disguise
  • cleaning lady identity
  • final confrontation
Q10

Why did Christopher shoot Sir Jason at the end?

Christopher shot Sir Jason because Sir Jason had arrived at the confrontation scene with a gun, intending to take control of the cosmetics market by force and potentially kill Patricia to silence her. With Clancy already dead, Sir Jason represented the remaining threat. Christopher, working for Interpol, neutralized Sir Jason to protect Patricia and prevent him from completing his scheme.

Foreshadowing: Sir Jason's true nature as willing to use deadly force for market control was established throughout the film.

  • Christopher shoots Sir Jason
  • Interpol operation
  • Sir Jason death

Movie threads

More Movies Like Caprice, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Caprice tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Glamorous spy spoofs like Caprice

Stylish and comedic espionage adventures where charm trumps danger. If you enjoyed the playful espionage and stylish comedy of Caprice, you'll love these movies. This collection features similar glamorous spy spoofs with lighthearted romance, comedic intrigue, and adventurous chases. Find more movies like Caprice that prioritize fun over grim realism.

  • playful
  • glamorous
  • suspenseful
  • flirtatious
  • adventurous
  • comedic
  • Tone: light, playful
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a charming protagonist who gets caught up in a web of corporate or international espionage. The narrative is driven by a series of deceptions, chases, and romantic entanglements, all handled with a wink to the audience, leading to a satisfying and happy resolution where the good guys prevail with style.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a specific blend of the spy genre with comedy and a light tone. They feature fast pacing, medium-intensity action, and a focus on glamour, wit, and romantic flair, creating a cohesive experience of fun, escapist adventure.

One Spy Too Many movie poster

One Spy Too Many

1966
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The Spy in the Green Hat

1967
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2015
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Spy Hard

1996
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Caprice

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Modesty Blaise

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Carry On Spying

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My Favorite Blonde

1942

Movies with corporate espionage like Caprice

High-stakes games of deception within the glamorous world of big business. Discover films that capture the deceptive corporate games and romantic intrigue of Caprice. These movies feature undercover agents, stolen secrets, and high-stakes betrayal within glamorous industries. If you liked the corporate espionage plot in Caprice, you'll find similar thrilling stories here.

  • suspenseful
  • deceptive
  • glamorous
  • adventurous
  • playful
  • tense
  • Tone: suspenseful, playful
  • Pacing: fast, twist-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around a theft of intellectual property or a valuable secret that spirals into a complex web of deception. The protagonist must use their wits to outmaneuver rival corporations and untangle double-crosses, all while a sense of adventure and romantic interest adds to the playful, yet suspenseful, pace.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their focus on corporate settings as a stage for espionage. They blend thriller elements with a light or comedic tone, featuring fast-paced plots centered on deception, pursuit, and the glamorous, yet dangerous, world of high-stakes business.

Spy movie poster

Spy

2015
I Spy movie poster

I Spy

2002
Honeymoon Academy movie poster

Honeymoon Academy

1989
Spy Intervention movie poster

Spy Intervention

2020
One Spy Too Many movie poster

One Spy Too Many

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Head Office movie poster

Head Office

1986
Caprice movie poster

Caprice

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Spy Hard movie poster

Spy Hard

1996

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Every angle

Caprice (1967) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Caprice in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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