Daisy Kenyon

Daisy Kenyon

Year: 1947

Runtime: 99 mins

Language: English

Director: Otto Preminger

DramaRomance

A Manhattan commercial artist, Daisy Kenyon, is involved in an affair with the domineering, successful lawyer Dan O’Mara, who also has a family. She later meets war veteran Peter Lapham, and despite a tentative courtship, she chooses to marry him, even though her heart still belongs to Dan.

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Timeline & Setting – Daisy Kenyon (1947)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Daisy Kenyon (1947). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Mid-1940s, post-World War II

The events occur in the immediate postwar era, a time of shifting gender roles and social mores. The characters' lives intersect against a backdrop of urban nightlife, courtship, and domestic strain. The aftermath of the war informs the ambitions and emotional stakes of the leads.

Location

Manhattan, Cape Cod, Stork Club (New York)

The story unfolds primarily in Manhattan, capturing the pulse of postwar urban life where a commercial artist navigates romance and ambition. Key scenes also take place at New York's Stork Club, a hub of social climbing and adult encounters. Daisy retreats to Cape Cod for quiet reflection, providing a backdrop of seaside isolation and emotional stakes.

🗽 Manhattan 🌊 Cape Cod 🏙 New York City

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

Main Characters – Daisy Kenyon (1947)

Meet the key characters of Daisy Kenyon (1947), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Daisy Kenyon (Joan Crawford)

A Manhattan commercial artist who becomes entangled in a love triangle between Dan O'Mara and Peter Lapham. Independent, sharp, and emotionally cautious, she weighs passion against stability as she moves toward a decision that will define her future.

💃 Independent 💔 Love triangle 🤔 Pragmatic

Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews)

A successful, arrogant lawyer and Daisy's lover who is married with two children. He wields charm and control, yet his infidelity and manipulative tactics strain his marriage and threaten the happiness he pretends to defend.

💼 Ambitious 💢 Controlling 🎭 Charismatic

Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda)

A widowed war veteran whose moods swing between quiet sorrow and exuberant warmth. He loves Daisy but is haunted by his past and the memory of his wife, shaping his gentleness and stubbornness.

🕊 Gentle 💪 Reserved 🧭 Loyal

Lucille O'Mara (Ruth Warrick)

Dan's wife, a formidable presence in the marriage who uses the prospect of divorce and custody as leverage. She embodies the tension between passion, resentment, and the desire to control.

💔 Bitter 🧭 Calculating 🎭 Dramatic

Rosamund O'Mara (Peggy Ann Garner)

The couple's daughter, a child witness to adult conflicts, whose presence adds emotional stakes to the custody subplot.

👧 Child 🧭 Innocent 💡 Witness

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

Major Themes – Daisy Kenyon (1947)

Explore the central themes of Daisy Kenyon (1947), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Love and loyalty

Daisy finds herself torn between her longtime lover Dan and the war-veteran Peter, highlighting loyalty versus desire. The love triangle tests honesty, commitment, and the true meaning of happiness. The resolution hinges on Daisy's ability to choose authenticity over social convenience.

💪 Postwar independence

Daisy's career as a commercial artist and her agency in choosing her partners reflect a broader shift for women after the war. The film probes autonomy within romance, marriage, and social expectation. It portrays a woman who asserts her own needs even as she navigates complex relationships.

⚖️ Marriage, divorce, and custody

The plot centers on marital strife and the leverage used in divorce proceedings, including custody of the children. Dan's attempts to control the narrative clash with Daisy's desire for autonomy and fairness. The legal and emotional maneuvers reveal the power dynamics within relationships.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

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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.

Bittersweet love triangle dramas like Daisy Kenyon

Stories of romantic entanglement and moral compromise with emotionally mixed resolutions.If you liked the complex romantic entanglements and moody atmosphere of Daisy Kenyon, you'll find more movies here with similar themes. This collection features melancholic melodramas about impossible love, infidelity, and the difficult personal choices that lead to bittersweet endings, perfect for fans of emotionally resonant relationship stories.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow characters caught in emotionally taxing romantic dilemmas, such as extramarital affairs or complicated love triangles. The journey involves intense personal conflict, moral quandaries, and significant sacrifice, ultimately resolving in a way that acknowledges the pain of loss while perhaps offering a sliver of hope or stability for the future.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared focus on morally complex relationships, a consistently melancholic and tense mood, and an emotionally mixed or bittersweet resolution. They prioritize character-driven drama over plot twists, creating a poignant and thoughtful viewing experience about the complexities of the heart.

Character-driven dramas with romantic turmoil like Daisy Kenyon

Intimate portraits of individuals navigating profound emotional and relational conflicts.For viewers who appreciated the steady, introspective focus on Daisy Kenyon's emotional journey, this selection offers similar character studies. You'll find movies that delve deeply into the psyche of their protagonists as they navigate complicated relationships, personal sacrifice, and the search for identity, all unfolding at a deliberate and absorbing pace.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern centers on a protagonist's internal and external conflicts, unfolding through a series of relational developments and confrontations rather than high-stakes action. The story arc is defined by personal growth, difficult decisions, and the nuanced exploration of how characters are shaped by their romantic and moral challenges.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their steady, deliberate pacing that allows for rich character development, a medium level of emotional intensity that feels engaging but not overwhelming, and a primary focus on the psychological landscape of individuals in states of romantic or personal turmoil.

Unlock the Full Story of Daisy Kenyon

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

Daisy Kenyon Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Daisy Kenyon, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Daisy Kenyon Summary

Daisy Kenyon Timeline

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

Daisy Kenyon Timeline

Daisy Kenyon Spoiler-Free Summary

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Daisy Kenyon Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Daisy Kenyon

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

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