Every Man for Himself

Every Man for Himself

Year: 1980

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: French

Director: Jean-Luc Godard

Drama

A look at the sexual and professional lives of three people — a television director, his ex-girlfriend, and a sex worker.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Every Man for Himself (1980)

Trace every key event in Every Man for Himself (1980) 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

Paul leaves the deluxe hotel

In the opening sequence, filmmaker Paul Godard leaves the deluxe hotel he has moved into. He rebuffs a male hotel attendant, signaling the emotional distance that haunts him. This prologue frames the fractured relationship that threads through the rest of the story.

Opening sequence Deluxe hotel
2

Denise begins anew on a farm

Denise starts an independent life separate from Paul, moving into a room on a farm in exchange for helping with the cattle. She takes on a manual job in a local town and begins to craft a routine away from their shared life. The move marks the start of her self reliance and the Imaginary section's exploration of her possible future.

Farm (country town)
3

Denise works at the local newspaper

Denise lands a manual job at a local newspaper run by an old friend, perhaps an old lover, establishing new ties in the community. She also contemplates writing a new project that may become a novel. This step widens her independence and her professional circle.

Local newspaper office
4

Denise keeps working at the TV station and searches for a tenant

Even as she starts this new life, Denise still works at the television station where she and Paul previously collaborated. She also tries to find a new tenant for her city flat, attempting to detach from the life she once shared with Paul.

Television studio and city flat
5

Denise asks Paul to interview Marguerite Duras

Late one day, Denise phones Paul to ask if he can collect Marguerite Duras for an interview. He agrees, despite not being in the mood to help, signaling the lingering tension between them. The moment keeps their professional ties alive even as their personal one frays.

City apartment
6

Paul collects Cécile after soccer practice

Paul picks up his daughter Cécile from soccer practice, a mundane duty that sits amid his broader existential unease. The moment hints at his attempt to maintain family ties despite his emotional drift. It grounds the story in ordinary life before it spirals further.

Soccer practice field
7

Paul collects Duras from college; she refuses to speak

Paul goes to the local college to collect Marguerite Duras, who was due to give a talk. She refuses to participate; Paul reads aloud parts of her notes, including her claim that she makes films because she lacks the courage to do nothing. The encounter deepens Paul's self-questioning and loneliness.

Afternoon Local college
8

Duras returns to the airport; Denise loses the interview

After the talk, Duras asks to be taken back to the airport; Paul complies. Denise is furious because the interview never happened, setting a tone of blame and missed opportunity. The day underscores how fragile their professional and personal ties remain.

Evening Airport
9

Cécile's birthday dinner and family tensions

That evening, Paul takes Cécile and her mother to a restaurant for the girl's birthday. Denise's mercenary expectations and the family dynamics frame the meal, highlighting the distance between their lives. The scene foreshadows the continuing disconnect.

Evening Restaurant
10

Paul and Denise quarrel in a bar

Leaving the restaurant in anger, Paul meets Denise again in a bar. They quarrel and part, underscoring their inability to bridge the emotional gap that separates them. The moment intensifies the sense of alienation between them.

Evening Bar
11

Isabelle appears in the late-night cinema queue

In a late-night cinema queue, Paul is approached by Isabelle, a prostitute who will pull him into a new, transactional world. The chance encounter shifts the film’s focus toward Isabelle’s section and her struggle for autonomy. The city’s underbelly becomes the stage for the next phase.

Late night Cinema
12

Isabelle’s night with Paul and the pimp’s control

Isabelle spends the night with Paul, but the morning reveals a harsher reality as she is drawn into a pimp’s control. A spanking later underscores the price of independence within a commercial system. This underscores the theme of trade and power in her life.

Night Pimp's place
13

Isabelle helps her sister enter prostitution

Isabelle’s younger sister arrives seeking money after her lover and his associates are jailed. Isabelle agrees to coach her for a month into prostitution in exchange for half of the earnings. The family bond deepens amid the economic pressures of their world.

Evening Shared apartment
14

Courier opportunity and Denise’s apartment reveal

An old school friend offers Isabelle a lucrative courier opportunity, but the courier boss finds her naive. A hotel corridor meeting leads to the inspection of an apartment that turns out to be Denise’s, where Paul is present trying to rekindle their relationship. The moment brings past and present together in a single echo.

Night Hotel corridor / Denise's apartment
15

Final accident and orchestra

Isabelle seems to prosper in her new life while Denise moves on. Paul runs into his ex-wife and daughter and asks to spend more time with them, but as they walk away, he steps backward into a car and is struck. The scene ends with a small orchestra playing the film’s theme in a garage yard as Isabelle’s sister flees with the car’s driver.

Ending Garage yard and city streets

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:22

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Every Man for Himself Summary

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Every Man for Himself Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Every Man for Himself

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