Dulcima

Dulcima finds the widowed Parker unconscious in the farmyard after a drunken fall. She notices his hat stuffed with cash and decides to help, offering to clean and tidy his filthy, chicken-ridden house. Her decision marks the start of her employment and sets up the power dynamics to come.

Parker reluctantly agrees to hire Dulcima as his housekeeper after she offers help. She moves into the house and begins cleaning, all while trying to manage the awkward and tense dynamic between them. The arrangement gives Dulcima a foothold in the house and access to Parker's hidden world of money.

On a warm day Parker's attraction to Dulcima grows, and he makes a crude advance. To fend him off, Dulcima fabricates a pretend boyfriend named Albert, inspired by a magazine model. She keeps her deception as a shield while continuing to work.

Dulcima is introduced to Parker's murky livelihood, especially at the local livestock auction. She learns of the cash hoard tucked away in various hiding places and begins to tally the wages Parker owes her. The sense of danger and money in the house grows.

Parker tries to spy on Dulcima while she bathes and invites her to share a beer in the parlour. She declines and leaves, continuing to work. The moment underscores Parker's creeping possessiveness.

Dulcima discovers the cash stash again and begins to use the money to influence Parker, reminding him that he owes her wages. He deflects her reminders, but the knowledge of the hoard fuels her strategy. She steps into a more intimate and controlling role.

Dulcima and Parker share Dulcima's bed, but she still refers to him as 'Mr Parker'. The relationship becomes sexualized, though she maintains some distance and control through her wages and economic leverage. Her careful manipulation continues to shape his behavior.

Out walking, Dulcima meets Ashby, a young gamekeeper who resembles her imagined Albert. He asks her to pass on a request to enter Parker's land when his pheasants stray, but Dulcima does not help him. Parker later catches sight of Ashby on his property and is displeased.

Parker presses Dulcima to marry him, buys a TV to furnish their future, and reveals his hidden cash hoard. Dulcima knows about the hoard but keeps her plans flexible as she toys with the idea of marriage and independence. Her sense of agency grows as she negotiates the terms of their relationship.

Parker impulsively buys a wedding dress and hides it in a gift box, then follows Dulcima when she says she is visiting her family. He spots her meeting Ashby in a field, the two kiss, and they head toward Ashby's cottage as Parker watches in jealousy. The moment deepens Parker's paranoia.

Parker returns drunk and violent, smashing the living room, destroying the TV, and tearing up the wedding dress. He pleads forgiveness through Dulcima's locked door, but she stays silent and distant. The emotional storm signals the collapse of their arrangement.

The next morning Dulcima sees Ashby entering the farmyard through her bedroom window. She discovers a ruined dress and a wedding ring in a box, moved to tears by the turn of events. Parker is gone, leaving an ominous absence.

Ashby arrives at the farm and is confronted by Parker, who shoots him dead from an attic window. The act is the culmination of Parker's desperation and possessiveness, sealing Dulcima's fate in the tragedy. The scene marks the film's violent climax.