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Come September (1961) movie poster

Timeline

Come September (1961) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1961 · 112 mins · English
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Directed by
Robert Mulligan
Starring
Joel Grey, Gina Lollobrigida, Brenda de Banzie, Rock Hudson, Sandra Dee, Joan Freeman

A quiet hideaway and secret rendezvous are shattered when teenagers arrive. American millionaire Robert Talbot reaches his luxurious Italian villa early for his yearly vacation, only to find his longtime girlfriend Lisa has decided to marry someone else. Meanwhile, his scheming associate Maurice has turned the estate into a makeshift hotel, housing a group of young American girls.

Comedy Romance Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Come September Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Come September (1961) 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. Introduction to Robert and Lisa's Relationship

    Robert Talbot, a wealthy American businessman, owns a villa on the Ligurian coast where he spends a month each September with his Roman lover, Lisa Fellini. Lisa is preparing to marry her fiancé Spencer but struggles to break away from her affair with Robert. Their annual affair is central to the beginning of the story.

    When
    September
    Where
    Ligurian coast

  2. Lisa Cancels Her Wedding

    In July, Robert calls Lisa for an impromptu meeting, which causes her to lose her resolve about marrying Spencer. She cancels her wedding plans and rushes to meet Robert, rekindling their affair ahead of their usual September reunion.

    When
    July

  3. Transformation of the Villa into a Hotel

    Robert’s majordomo Maurice Clavell has converted the villa into a luxury hotel that operates mainly during the off-season, specifically hosting a group of college girls and guests. The hotel is shut down in September, but Maurice keeps it running secretly, juggling Robert’s visits and the guests’ stay.

    Where
    Villa on the Ligurian coast

  4. Encounter with College Boys and Deception

    On his way to the villa, Robert meets college boys led by Tony, who mock his age and style. They are denied reservations and set up camp outside. Maurice lies to Robert, claiming the guests are stranded tourists, and fabricates a story that Robert is a shell-shocked veteran suffering delusions of ownership.

    Where
    On the road to the villa

  5. Guests' Arrival and Margaret’s Injury

    The hotel guests arrive, and Maurice’s deception is maintained. However, Margaret, one of the guests, slips on a champagne cork and is hospitalized, delaying the departure of the guests and complicating Maurice’s plans.

    Where
    Villa hotel

  6. Robert Discovers the Truth about Maurice

    Sandy, a psychology major, tries to treat Robert’s delusion, explaining that he no longer owns the hotel. Robert restrains himself from firing Maurice, influenced by Lisa and Maurice’s efforts to justify his actions, as Maurice claims to have maintained the villa with personal sacrifice.

    Where
    Villa on the Ligurian coast

  7. Protecting the Girls and Sightseeing Tour

    Concerned about the college boys’ drunken partying and potential predatory behavior, Robert escorts Lisa and the girls on a long bicycle sightseeing tour. His goal is to exhaust their energy and promote virtue through a lively outdoor activity.

    Where
    Ligurian coast

  8. Nightclub Dancing and Tony’s Advance

    At a nightclub, Robert dances with each girl, emphasizing respect and virtuous behavior. A drunken Tony attempts a romantic advance on Sandy, which leads to a confrontation and highlights the tensions between the characters.

    Where
    Nightclub

  9. Lisa Decides to Reunite with Robert

    Feeling her virtue has lapsed and realizing her desire for Robert, Lisa departs early in the morning to reunite with him, leaving her wedding plans behind to pursue love with Robert.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Lisa’s apartment

  10. Robert Chases After Lisa

    Robert, misunderstood during a car theft driven by Maurice, chases after Lisa in an attempt to reconcile. He proposes marriage to her, but she rejects him due to his lack of enthusiasm, and she flees.

    Where
    On the road

  11. Maurice’s Plan to Keep Them Together Fails

    Maurice falsely reports Robert as a criminal and Lisa as his accomplice to the police, hoping to keep them detained together. However, the plan backfires, and the couple remains separated.

    Where
    Police station

  12. Lisa Reconsidering Her Future

    Back at her apartment, Lisa, wearing her wedding gown, has an epiphany about her life choices. She decides to reunite with Robert, recognizing what she truly desires in life, and prepares to leave her wedding behind.

    Where
    Lisa’s apartment

  13. Lisa Finds Robert at the Train Station

    Lisa sees Robert in her wedding gown through the train window as she departs. Using quick wit, she borrows a toddler to persuade the conductor she’s abandoning her child, causing Robert to get off the train in a state of frustration.

    Where
    Train station

  14. Reconciliation and Return to the Villa

    Mollified by her daring ploy, Robert and Lisa reconcile and return together to the villa. They find it repurposed once again as a functioning hotel, now occupied by a group of nuns, symbolizing a new chapter in their relationship.

    Where
    Villa on the Ligurian coast

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:16

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Timeline questions answered

Come September Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Come September (1961): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Lisa cancel her wedding to Spencer?

Lisa cancels her wedding because Robert calls her in July asking to meet earlier than their usual September rendezvous. Though engaged to the dull but eager Spencer, Lisa has always struggled to resist Robert's allure. The spontaneous invitation breaks her remaining resolve, and she chooses to pursue her affair with Robert instead of settling into a conventional marriage.

  • lisa fellini
  • spencer
  • wedding
  • affair
  • robert talbot
Q2

Why does Maurice turn Robert's villa into a hotel?

Maurice, the majordomo, converted the villa into a luxury hotel to generate income during the months Robert isn't in residence. He operates it secretly from September to June, then shuts it down each year for Robert's visit. Maurice claims to have maintained the villa at his own expense and wants to protect both his revenue and his job by keeping Robert satisfied with the arrangement.

  • maurice clavell
  • villa
  • hotel
  • deception
  • income
Q3

Why does Maurice pretend Robert is a shell-shocked veteran?

When Robert arrives unexpectedly in July, Maurice hasn't had time to clear the hotel guests. To prevent embarrassment and avoid confessing his secret business venture, Maurice invents a story that Robert is a mentally ill, shell-shocked veteran who still believes he owns the villa due to childhood delusions. He asks the guests to play along so Robert won't discover the hotel operation.

  • maurice
  • shell-shock
  • deception
  • veteran
  • hotel guests
Q4

Why does Lisa leave Robert after the nightclub?

At the nightclub, Robert dances with each girl emphasizing virtue and respectable behavior. When Tony makes a failed advance on Sandy, Lisa feels insulted that Robert's strict stance on virtue implies she herself lacks independence or respectable values. Feeling confined by his moralizing and frustrated with the chaos, she decides to return to her original fiancé Spencer.

  • nightclub
  • tony
  • sandy
  • virtue
  • lisa leaves
Q5

Why does Robert propose to Lisa in the middle of the chaos?

When Lisa leaves, Robert pursues her and proposes marriage as a way to prove his seriousness and win her back. However, his proposal lacks genuine enthusiasm, he seems more motivated by preventing her departure than genuine romantic commitment, which is why Lisa rejects him, doubting his sincerity.

  • proposal
  • marriage
  • robert
  • lisa
  • rejection
Q6

Why does Lisa reject Robert's proposal?

Lisa rejects Robert's proposal because she senses his lack of genuine enthusiasm. He appears to be proposing simply to prevent her from leaving rather than out of deep love or commitment. Lisa wants someone who truly values her, not someone who reacts out of panic. She chooses to leave and consider her original engagement to Spencer instead.

  • rejection
  • proposal
  • sincerity
  • robert
  • lisa
  • spencer
Q7

Why does Lisa use a toddler at the train station?

When Lisa sees Robert through the train window, she needs to stop the train and get him off. She borrows a toddler from a passenger and convinces the conductor that her "father" Robert is abandoning her and the child. This dramatic ploy works, the conductor pulls Robert off the train, allowing Lisa to exit and reconcile with him.

  • train station
  • toddler
  • conductor
  • trick
  • reunion
Q8

Why does Maurice report Robert as a criminal to the police?

Maurice falsely reports Robert as a notorious criminal and Lisa as his accomplice, hoping the police will detain them together and force them to work through their differences. However, this scheme backfires, the police don't believe the story, and instead of bringing Robert and Lisa closer, it further separates them.

  • maurice
  • police
  • criminal
  • scheme
  • failed plan
Q9

What do the nuns at the villa represent in the ending?

When Robert and Lisa return to the villa, they find it now occupied by a group of nuns. This symbolizes a new chapter in their relationship, peace, purity, and hope for the future. After all the chaos, deception, and romantic turmoil, the nuns represent tranquility and a fresh start for the couple.

  • nuns
  • villa
  • ending
  • symbol
  • peace
  • new chapter
Q10

Why does Robert take the college girls on a bicycle tour?

Robert discovers the college boys camping outside are drunk and behaving inappropriately with the girls. Concerned for the young women's virtue and safety, Robert organizes a long bicycle tour through the hilly Ligurian countryside. His goal is to tire out the boys and encourage respectable behavior while spending time with Lisa and the group.

  • bicycle tour
  • college boys
  • virtue
  • protect
  • girls

Movie threads

More Movies Like Come September, by Mood & Story

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

Romantic Escapades in Scenic Locales like Come September

Romantic confusions unfold in beautiful, sun-drenched settings with playful charm. If you loved the charming Italian villa setting and playful romance of Come September, you'll enjoy these movies. Discover other romantic comedies and relationship farces set in beautiful locations where lighthearted deceptions lead to heartwarming conclusions, perfect for fans of movies like this.

  • romantic
  • whimsical
  • playful
  • summery
  • charming
  • lighthearted
  • Tone: light, whimsical, playful
  • Pacing: steady, comedic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically revolve around a central deception or series of misunderstandings that disrupt the peace of a beautiful setting. Characters, often on vacation or in retreat, find their plans upended by romantic entanglements and comical social situations, leading to a series of humorous events that ultimately reaffirm love and happiness.

Why they belong together: These films share a LIGHT tone, LOW intensity, and a STEADY, comedic pacing. They are grouped by their focus on romantic whimsy, charming characters, and the use of a stunning locale as a central character that enhances the escapist, joyful vibe.

When in Rome movie poster

When in Rome

2010
Letters to Juliet movie poster

Letters to Juliet

2010
Thrill of a Romance movie poster

Thrill of a Romance

1945
Monte Carlo movie poster

Monte Carlo

2011
Come September movie poster

Come September

1961
Do Not Disturb movie poster

Do Not Disturb

1965
The Holiday movie poster

The Holiday

2006
A New Kind of Love movie poster

A New Kind of Love

1963

Social Masquerade Comedies like Come September

Harmless deceptions spiral into delightful chaos within a confined social setting. Fans of the mistaken identities and playful deception in Come September will appreciate these similar movies. Explore lighthearted farces and relationship comedies where harmless lies create comedic chaos, perfect for viewers seeking funny stories about social expectations and entanglements like this film.

  • deceptive
  • farce
  • lighthearted
  • comedic
  • social chaos
  • mistaken identity
  • Tone: lighthearted, comedic, playful
  • Pacing: steady, farcical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern hinges on a central, often benign, deception that forces characters to impersonate someone they're not or maintain a false situation. This creates a domino effect of misunderstandings and comedic predicaments within a specific social group or confined location, building to a climax where the truth is revealed to everyone's amusement or relief.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their STRAIGHTFORWARD plots built on deception, a consistent STEADY pacing of comedic events, and a LIGHT emotional weight. The shared experience is one of laughing at the absurdity of social pretense and enjoying the harmless chaos that ensues.

That Funny Feeling movie poster

That Funny Feeling

1965
Indiscreet movie poster

Indiscreet

1958
All in a Night’s Work movie poster

All in a Night’s Work

1961
The Great Garrick movie poster

The Great Garrick

1937
Lucky Partners movie poster

Lucky Partners

1940
We Were Dancing movie poster

We Were Dancing

1942
The Lovable Cheat movie poster

The Lovable Cheat

1949
Once More, My Darling movie poster

Once More, My Darling

1949

Every angle

Come September (1961) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Come September 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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