Five Desperate Women

Five Desperate Women

Year: 1971

Runtime: 73 mins

Language: English

Director: Ted Post

DramaThriller

When a group of five young women travel to a remote, isolated island for a vacation, they soon discover they are not alone. A silent, mysterious killer begins stalking them one by one, turning their getaway into a nightmare of terror and survival as they fight to stay alive.

Five Desperate Women (1971) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Five Desperate Women (1971) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a remote stretch of water sits an isolated island that feels more like a secret than a destination. The only link to the mainland is a thin radio signal that fades before night falls, and a small, weather‑worn cottage offers a fragile sense of refuge. The island’s calm beaches and dense, wind‑shaped woods create a backdrop where every rustle and distant call feels amplified, turning ordinary moments into hushed questions about what lies just beyond sight.

The story brings together five friends who have converged for a five‑year college reunion. Beneath their laughter and shared memories, each woman carries personal concerns that surface in the close quarters of the cottage, hinting at unresolved tensions that could fracture the group. Their arrival is overseen by Meeker, the rugged captain who ferries them across the choppy waters, and Michael Wylie, the island’s solitary caretaker who maintains the grounds and supplies. The men’s pragmatic, sometimes brusque attitudes clash with the women’s dynamic, setting up a charged interplay that colors every conversation and glance.

As daylight wanes, the island’s seclusion begins to shape the group’s experience. The absence of outside contact forces them to rely on one another, while the surrounding silence and the occasional, inexplicable disturbance stir a growing sense of unease. The environment itself seems to hold its breath, prompting the friends to question what is real and what might be imagined, and to weigh the thin line between trust and suspicion.

The film unfolds as a slow‑burn thriller, where atmosphere outweighs action. It leans on the stark beauty of its setting and the psychological currents among its characters, inviting the audience to feel the mounting tension of an isolated getaway that slowly transforms into a test of survival and solidarity.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 23:07

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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.

Thrillers about a group under siege like Five Desperate Women

A contained group hunted by an unknown threat in a remote location.If you enjoyed the tense survival story in Five Desperate Women, you'll find similar thrills in these movies about groups trapped and hunted in remote locations. These stories share a claustrophobic atmosphere, mounting paranoia, and a desperate fight for survival against an unseen or unknown enemy.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a group arriving in a secluded setting, only to find themselves trapped and targeted. The plot unfolds as a linear survival story, where characters must determine the nature of the threat and who to trust, all while their numbers dwindle. The climax often involves a final, desperate confrontation with the antagonist.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared premise of a contained group facing an external threat in an isolated environment. They create a similar viewing experience defined by high tension, claustrophobia, and the psychological dynamics of fear and suspicion within a trapped community.

Movies with mounting paranoia like Five Desperate Women

A steady build of distrust and fear within a confined group.Fans of the anxious, distrustful atmosphere in Five Desperate Women will appreciate these movies that masterfully build paranoia. This selection features stories where the fear comes from within the group as much as from an external threat, creating a slow burn of psychological tension and suspicion.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern revolves around introducing a group dynamic and then seeding doubt among its members. The pacing is steady, allowing suspicion to fester and alliances to shift. The central mystery often involves a 'whodunnit' element where the true identity of the threat is hidden, forcing characters to turn on each other.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their primary focus on the psychological erosion of a group through fear and mistrust. They share a specific mood of anxiety and a narrative approach that prioritizes the slow build of tension over sudden shocks, creating a deeply unsettling experience.

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Five Desperate Women Summary

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Five Desperate Women Summary

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Five Desperate Women Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Five Desperate Women

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Five Desperate Women

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