Crossroads

Crossroads

Year: 1942

Runtime: 83 mins

Language: English

Director: Jack Conway

DramaMystery

Where women wait to seal your fate! A French diplomat who’s recovered from amnesia is blackmailed over crimes he can’t remember.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Crossroads 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!

Timeline – Crossroads (1942)

Trace every key event in Crossroads (1942) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

1922 train disaster and amnesia begins

A devastating train accident in 1922 leaves David Talbot with amnesia and a murky past. Dr. Tessier treats him after the wreck, hoping to recover his identity. The incident raises the possibility that two similar men boarded the train and only one survived, casting doubt on which man Talbot really is.

1922 Train and hospital
2

Ransom note interrupts marriage; extortion arrest

During their 1935 celebration, a note from Le Duc demands one million francs for an old debt, and Talbot is arrested for attempted extortion. Le Duc is hauled into court to face charges. In his testimony, Le Duc claims he knew David in 1922 as a petty criminal named Jean Pelletier.

1935 Paris
3

Amnesia vs. identity: trial confrontation

At the trial, Talbot's amnesia is challenged by Dr. Alex Dubroc, who convinces Tessier to concede the diagnosis's unreliability. He suggests Talbot fabricated his memory loss to hide his real identity. The judge and witnesses are left with the unsettling possibility that Pelletier and Talbot could be the same man, with no definitive proof.

1935 Courtroom
4

Allaine enters as defense witness

Michelle Allaine, a glamorous nightclub singer, is introduced as a defense witness. She studies David and identifies him as Pelletier, her former lover, complicating Talbot's claimed amnesia. Her testimony connects David to Pelletier's past.

1935 Courtroom, Paris
5

Sarrou's evidence undermines amnesia; Pelletier died

Henri Sarrou presents documents showing he and Pelletier were roommates in an African hospital, and that Pelletier died of illness. This evidence undermines Talbot's claim of identity and helps convict Le Duc of extortion.

1935 Courtroom
6

Sarrou privately pressures Talbot

Sarrou privately confronts David, asserting that David is actually Pelletier and that he helped with a decade-old robbery involving a murdered courier. He warns that he will recant unless Talbot pays the million francs. David's fear of exposure grows as the threat looms.

1935 Talbot's residence, Paris
7

Allaine corroborates and reveals the locket

Allaine corroborates the claim that David and Pelletier are the same man, and she still has feelings for him. She shows him a locket containing a photo of the two of them and hints that she will present it as evidence to Sarrou. Her testimony deepens the stakes of the conspiracy.

1935 Talbot home
8

Allaine's warning and suspicion in the Talbot home

Allaine appears at the Talbot home and implicitly threatens exposure, planting suspicions in Lucienne's mind. David conceals his fears from his wife, though his doubt about his own identity grows stronger. The couple's stability begins to fracture under the pressure.

1935 Talbot residence, Paris
9

David seeks Allaine again at the nightclub

David clandestinely visits Allaine at the nightclub where she works, hoping to draw her out. She continues to treat him as Pelletier and accuses him of faking amnesia to betray his friends. She also reveals that his mother is living in penury.

1935 Nightclub, Paris
10

David meets Madame Pelletier; fraud revealed

David goes to the address given by Allaine and meets Madame Pelletier, who claims that he is not her son, though her demeanor suggests otherwise. He learns that the real Pelletier is dead and that an actress has been hired to play Madame Pelletier. The fraud behind his identity grows increasingly tangled.

1935 Address of Madame Pelletier, Paris
11

Escape attempt blocked; money is discussed

David collects his passport and tries to flee the country, but Sarrou blocks his escape while hinting that a stash of government funds in Talbot's office can be taken as an outside robbery. The two men discuss hijacking the funds as a bargaining chip in the scheme.

1935 Talbot's office / Foreign Ministry, Paris
12

Raid on the safe and confrontation

With Sarrou watching, David and Sarrou sneak past guards at the Foreign Ministry and open the safe, retrieving the million francs. Lucienne has followed and tries to intervene, but the police arrive to stop the confrontation.

1935 Foreign Ministry, Paris
13

Arrests and initial confessions

At the police headquarters, David confesses to the old robbery and admits that he and his co-conspirators must be punished for murder. Allaine panics and admits that David is not Pelletier, turning the case's direction.

1935 Police headquarters, Paris
14

The truth about the locket and identity

David reveals that the locket image was a fabrication used to mislead Sarrou, and that the passport photo he wore as proof of identity does not match the real story. The revelation finally resolves the question of who he really is.

1935 Police HQ / Courtroom, Paris
15

Resolution: Talbot cleared; marriage and career saved

With the blackmailers behind bars, Talbot is cleared of the charges and his reputation is restored. Lucienne remains by his side, and his ambassadorial career is saved. The film ends with the truth prevailing and the couple's future secured.

1935 Paris

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:18

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Crossroads Summary

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Crossroads Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Crossroads

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