Enid Is Sleeping

Enid Is Sleeping

Year: 1990

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: English

ComedyCrime

Enid appears to be merely sleeping, but she is dead. After she discovers her husband Harry in bed with her sister June, a confrontation leads June to unintentionally kill Enid. June must conceal the homicide from the police, including her officer husband Floyd. She later tries to stage the death as an accident, manipulating evidence to hide the truth.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Enid Is Sleeping (1990)

Trace every key event in Enid Is Sleeping (1990) 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

1959 flashback: a family in Las Moscas

In early 1959, a household in Las Moscas, New Mexico, is overwhelmed by chores and tension. Enid's anger erupts as she violently acts toward her baby sister June by attempting to place her in the oven while their mother is momentarily away. The scene foreshadows the dark family dynamics that will haunt them years later.

1959 Las Moscas, New Mexico
2

1984: Enid returns home

Twenty-five years later, Enid returns home to an unloving marriage with Harry and confronts the uneasy dynamic between them. She discovers Harry's affair with June, reigniting old resentments and setting the stage for a violent reckoning. The reunion exposes shared secrets that will drive the plot forward.

1984 Enid's home / Las Moscas, NM
3

Murder attempted; Enid presumed dead

During a tense confrontation, Enid aims to shoot Harry and June with a police gun, but June retaliates by smashing a vase over Enid's head, leaving her apparently dead. The trio immediately considers a cover story to stage Enid's disappearance as an accident. Tension spirals as the plan takes shape.

1984 Enid's home
4

Plan to fake Enid's death

June and Harry decide to stage Enid's death as a car accident while they visit their mother. They hope to dispose of the body and hide the truth behind an accidental scenario, sacrificing truth for a fragile illusion of safety. The scheme sends them scrambling to keep the lie alive.

1984 On the way to visit their mother
5

Guilt complicates the cover story

As they advance the plan, Floyd, Harry's partner, becomes entangled in their path without realizing the truth. June grapples with lingering guilt and begins a prolonged monologue with Enid to ease her conscience, delaying critical decisions. The moral burden threatens to break their already fragile plan.

1984 Desert road / roadside
6

Desert road twists reality

While transporting Enid's body toward the intended staging point, June discovers that a real accident has already occurred at the same desert curve. The overlap between their ruse and a genuine tragedy complicates their attempt at an authentic cover-up. The discovery intensifies the danger surrounding them.

1984 Desert road curve
7

Truck driver interferes

A drunken trucker drives up, flirting with June and Enid, forcing June to fend him off. The encounter attracts unwanted attention and pulls Harry and Floyd deeper into the pursuit. The added scrutiny raises the risk of exposure for their scheme.

1984 Desert highway
8

Failed disposal near the Indian burial ground

June attempts to push the car off a cliff to hide Enid's body but fails and becomes stuck near an Indian burial ground. The setback heightens the stakes as time runs out and the crime edges closer to being uncovered. The moment catalyzes a series of increasingly risky choices.

1984 Desert near Indian burial ground
9

Harry and Floyd's consequences

After calling for help, Harry abandons Floyd at a rest stop. Floyd then becomes involved in an armed robbery and shoots one of the robbers, drawing more attention to the supposed victim. The violence complicates the original alibi and escalates the danger for everyone involved.

1984 Rest stop
10

Motel exile and roadside danger

The group retrieves the body but is subsequently forced to a road motel where a drunk trucker revisits them. The motel manager ejects them, underscoring how the cover story is unraveling. The trio faces mounting pressure as their situation spirals out of control.

1984 Road motel
11

Descent to the river

Forced to stop by a fallen tree, June pushes Enid's body into the Sanchez River, but a young couple witnesses the act and reports it to the police. The attempt to dispose of the body becomes a public matter, increasing the risk of exposure for the conspirators.

1984 Sanchez River area
12

The river rescue and its fallout

Harry helps June retrieve the car from the river after dumping Floyd, highlighting the deepening entanglement among the adults. The actions cement their uneasy alliance, yet the consequences continue to pile up. The lie grows heavier as the authorities grow closer.

1984 River crossing
13

The trunk twist and near-discovery

On the way home, June falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into a billboard. A state trooper opens the trunk and is knocked out by Enid, who remains alive. The moment reveals the fragility of the lie and the constant threat of exposure creeping closer.

1984 Roadside, trunk
14

Final confrontation: the truth and its price

June deposits Enid at her home, but is kidnapped by a fugitive robber. The car explodes, killing the robber and burning the body, leaving Enid alive. When Harry returns home, he finds a slightly scorched June and the still-living, furious Enid waiting for him, ending on a shocking, unsettled note.

1984 Enid's home / road

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:30

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Enid Is Sleeping Summary

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Enid Is Sleeping Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Enid Is Sleeping

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Enid Is Sleeping

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