Crime and Passion

Year: 1976

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Ivan Passer

CrimeDramaThriller

A corrupt financier, accustomed to cheating with money and love, pushes his mistress into marrying a wealthy industrialist to secure cash. When the new husband reveals a plot to murder both the mistress and the financier, he finds himself gambling with his own life in a deadly game of deceit and betrayal.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Crime and Passion yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Crime and Passion (1976) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Crime and Passion (1976), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

André Ferren, [Omar Sharif], learns from his girlfriend and co-worker Susan Winters, [Karen Black], that the brokerage magnate Hermann Rolf, [Bernhard Wicki], not only wants to replace André but asked Susan on a date. Susan agrees on the condition that Rolf entrusts his fortune to André as a gift. Weeks later, Rolf and Susan are married at Rolf’s castle in the Swiss Alps. André vows to create a financial scandal that will ruin Rolf and she can divorce him.

André is then accused by the top executives at the brokerage firm of stealing $2.5 million from Rolf’s account. He is given ten days to return the money or go to prison. André drives to a ski resort where Susan is having an affair with Larry, a ski instructor. André explains to Susan that he is being framed. A skier attempts to murder André with a ski pole, but André falls and the other skier dies instead. That night, Susan informs André that they cannot be seen together or Rolf will divorce her, and explains that Rolf murdered all his ex-wives.

André survives several more attempts on his life as he follows Susan and Larry to Rolf’s castle, including an episode at a village inn where a woman attempts to strangle him. Eventually André sneaks into the castle, where he is imprisoned by a sword-wielding Larry. Susan asks Larry to drive her Maserati Indy to Switzerland and deliver a letter to a banker. In the process of doing so, he passes Rolf’s Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, and Rolf’s manservant Henkel shoots, causing the Maserati to explode.

Susan shoots a man in a suit of armor attempting to stab André through the cell bars; lifting the visor reveals the face of the innkeeper. Susan then begins noticing hidden surveillance cameras throughout the castle as Rolf sends Henkel on foot to kill André. Susan tells Rolf through one of the cameras that her feelings have changed. She then tells André to make love to her and smashes the camera, bringing a tear to Rolf’s eye as he watches surveillance footage from inside the Rolls-Royce. Henkel locks the castle gates and hides in a mortar, but is shot out of it when Susan pulls the lanyard. Rolf gets drunk, falls down a ravine and walks through the snow.

The next morning, Susan and André lie in bed and realize that Rolf had set them up in a scheme to murder them. Meanwhile, Rolf has frozen to death standing up.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:31

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

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.

Deadly deception games like in Crime and Passion

High-stakes thrillers where characters play a fatal game of cat-and-mouse.If you liked the fatal cat-and-mouse game in Crime and Passion, you'll enjoy these movies. This section features tense thrillers where characters are trapped in a high-stakes game of deceit, facing a calculating opponent in a fight for survival. Find movies with similar paranoid vibes and deadly plots.

deadly gameparanoidcalculatinghigh-stakescat-and-mousedeceitfulruthless

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow a protagonist, or group of protagonists, who become pawns in a meticulously orchestrated scheme by a powerful and intelligent antagonist. The plot revolves around a series of escalating challenges, betrayals, and narrow escapes, where survival depends on outthinking a ruthless opponent.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared core premise of a life-or-death game orchestrated by a manipulative force. They create a consistent mood of high-tension paranoia and feature a fast-paced, relentless series of threats that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Cynical thrillers with bittersweet endings like Crime and Passion

Stories where survival comes at a heavy moral and emotional cost.Looking for movies like Crime and Passion that end on a complex note? This collection features thrillers with bittersweet or morally ambiguous conclusions. The heroes may survive, but their victories are tarnished by loss, betrayal, or their own compromised ethics, similar to the ending of Crime and Passion.

bittersweetcynicalmorally grayheavycost of survivalambiguous victoryemotional fallout

Narrative Summary

The journey in these films often involves the protagonist engaging in morally questionable actions to overcome a threat. The climax resolves the immediate danger, but the aftermath highlights the collateral damage—lost lives, shattered trust, or the protagonist's own descent into the darkness they fought against. The ending focuses on the price of survival.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their emotionally heavy conclusions that subvert a purely happy ending. They share a tone of moral ambiguity and a focus on the psychological fallout of violent conflict, appealing to viewers who appreciate complex, thought-provoking resolutions.

Unlock the Full Story of Crime and Passion

Don't stop at just watching — explore Crime and Passion 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 Crime and Passion is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Crime and Passion Timeline

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

Characters, Settings & Themes in Crime and Passion

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Crime and Passion. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Crime and Passion Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Crime and Passion that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

More About Crime and Passion

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

Similar Movies to Crime and Passion

Discover movies like Crime and Passion that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.