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Ivy (1947) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1947 · 99 mins · English
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Directed by
Sam Wood
Starring
Alan Napier, Henry Stephenson, Matthew Boulton, Cedric Hardwicke, Joan Fontaine, Claire Du Brey

Desperate to escape the tangled affections surrounding her, Ivy, an elegant Edwardian socialite, finds herself drawn to the affluent Miles while still married to the meek Jervis and entangled with the charismatic Dr. Roger. Torn between husband, lover, and suitor, she devises a ruthless scheme to eliminate both men.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Ivy
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Ivy Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Ivy (1947) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ivy's discontent sparks a dangerous scheme

    In Edwardian England, Ivy Lexton is a woman with a taste for the finer things. Despairing of her husband Jervis's poor prospects, she sees wealthy Miles Rushworth as a ticket to a more luxurious life. She also continues an affair with Dr. Roger Gretorex, adding another dangerous obstacle to her plans.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Ivy Lexton's home
  2. Miles is attracted but refuses after the kiss

    Miles Rushworth is initially attracted to Ivy but refuses to act on the attraction because of her marriage. A brief kiss occurs in the dark, after which he apologizes and declines any further involvement. He makes clear that social propriety and loyalty constrain him.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Social setting with Miles Rushworth
  3. Ivy presses for divorce

    Ivy tries unsuccessfully to persuade her husband to divorce. She clings to the idea that a separate life with Miles could be hers, but Jervis resists.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Jervis's home
  4. Ivy poisons Jervis and frames Roger

    Ivy poisons Jervis, hoping to remove the obstacle of the marriage. She tries to pin the murder on Roger Gretorex, counting on his involvement to ruin him and push Miles closer.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Jervis's residence
  5. Inspector Orpington begins the investigation

    Inspector Orpington is summoned to investigate Jervis's mysterious death. He begins to scrutinize motives, including Ivy's wealth ambitions and Roger Gretorex's possible role.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Jervis's residence
  6. Roger confesses under Ivy's influence

    Ivy's frame-up appears to work, and Roger Gretorex is drawn into the charge. He becomes so devoted to Ivy that he ultimately confesses to the murder.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Ivy's apartment
  7. Inspector suspects foul play and informs the family

    The Inspector remains skeptical and tells Jervis's mother that he believes Roger is sacrificing himself for Ivy. He notes that fresh clues could still change the direction of the case.

    When
    Following confession
    Where
    Jervis's mother's home
  8. New evidence challenges Roger's guilt

    The Inspector uncovers new evidence that challenges Roger's guilt and prompts a reevaluation of the case. This development raises questions about who else might be manipulating outcomes and where the truth truly lies.

    When
    Later
    Where
    Police investigation site
  9. Roger is freed; Ivy's leverage wanes

    Roger's lawyer informs Ivy that Roger is free, signaling a turning point in the legal situation. Ivy's hold over Roger weakens as the truth begins to surface.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Ivy's apartment
  10. Miles abandons Ivy after learning the truth

    Miles, having learned of Ivy's schemes, walks out on her, ending the dangerous liaison. The rupture underscores Ivy's isolation as her plans crumble.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Ivy's apartment
  11. Ivy flees the apartment

    Distraught by the unraveling plot and Miles's departure, Ivy flees the apartment. She tries to escape the consequences of her actions.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Ivy's apartment
  12. Ivy's death in the elevator shaft

    In a final tragic turn, Ivy falls down an empty elevator shaft to her death. The fall marks the collapse of her schemes and the price of her ambitions.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Elevator shaft in a building

Last updated: February 24, 2026 at 09:47

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Timeline questions answered

Ivy Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Ivy (1947): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Ivy poison her husband Jervis?

Ivy poisons Jervis to escape her marriage and pursue a wealthier life with Miles Rushworth. She views her husband's lack of prospects as an obstacle to the luxurious lifestyle she desires. After Miles refuses to pursue a relationship with her because she is married, Ivy decides to remove the marriage obstacle permanently by murdering Jervis and framing Dr. Roger for the crime.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Ivy despairingly complains about Jervis's poor prospects while fixating on Miles's wealth.

  • ivy
  • jervis
  • poison
  • murder
  • marriage
  • miles
Q2

Why does Miles Rushworth reject Ivy after their kiss?

Miles is attracted to Ivy but refuses to pursue a relationship because she is married to another man. After they share a brief kiss in the dark, he apologizes and declines any further involvement, stating that social propriety and loyalty to her husband constrain him from acting on his feelings.

Foreshadowing: Miles demonstrates his moral stance early by maintaining that he will not pursue a married woman.

  • miles rushworth
  • kiss
  • rejection
  • marriage
  • honor
Q3

Why does Dr. Roger Gretorex confess to a murder he didn't commit?

Roger confesses to Jervis's murder out of twisted devotion to Ivy. Although he is innocent, he is so infatuated with her that he willingly accepts blame for the crime, believing he is sacrificing himself to protect her. This devotion is exactly what Ivy counted on when she framed him.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Roger demonstrates his intense infatuation with Ivy, making him vulnerable to her manipulation.

  • dr roger gretorex
  • confession
  • devotion
  • false confession
  • ivy
Q4

How does Ivy attempt to frame Dr. Roger for the murder?

Ivy poisons her husband Jervis and deliberately leaves evidence pointing to Dr. Roger, who was having an affair with her. She calculates that Roger's involvement in her infidelity would provide sufficient motive for the police to suspect him of the murder, allowing her to eliminate both her husband and her lover while clearing the path to Miles.

Foreshadowing: Ivy's affair with Roger was ongoing throughout the timeline, giving her the means to plant evidence linking him to the crime.

  • ivy
  • frame
  • dr roger
  • poison
  • murder
  • evidence
Q5

Why does Inspector Orpington suspect Ivy of the crime?

Inspector Orpington remains skeptical of Roger's confession from the beginning. He tells Jervis's mother that he believes Roger is sacrificing himself for Ivy, not genuinely guilty. The inspector recognizes the inconsistencies in the case, particularly Ivy's wealth ambitions and the convenient timing of the murder, and continues investigating despite Roger's confession.

Foreshadowing: The inspector's initial investigation scrutinizes motives, including Ivy's desire for wealth and freedom.

  • inspector orpington
  • suspicion
  • investigation
  • ivy
  • roger
Q6

What evidence emerges to clear Dr. Roger's name?

New evidence surfaces during the investigation that challenges Roger's guilt and prompts a reevaluation of the case. This evidence exposes who was truly manipulating the outcomes and redirects suspicion away from Roger. His lawyer then informs Ivy that Roger is free, marking a turning point in the legal proceedings.

Foreshadowing: Inspector Orpington's continued investigation into inconsistencies in the case leads to this breakthrough.

  • roger
  • evidence
  • cleared
  • investigation
  • lawyer
Q7

Why does Ivy fall to her death in the elevator shaft?

After Miles learns of Ivy's scheming and walks out on her, her entire plan collapses. Distraught and unable to face the consequences of her actions, Ivy flees her apartment in panic. In the chaos of her escape, she falls down an empty elevator shaft, meeting a tragic end that mirrors the collapse of her criminal schemes.

Foreshadowing: Miles's departure represents the final abandonment of Ivy, leaving her with no one and no way out.

  • ivy
  • death
  • elevator shaft
  • miles
  • escape
  • fall
Q8

Why does Ivy try to get a divorce before resorting to murder?

Ivy attempts to persuade her husband Jervis to divorce her first, hoping to legally end the marriage and become free to pursue Miles. However, Jervis refuses to grant her a divorce, leaving her trapped in the marriage. This rejection pushes Ivy toward the more desperate solution of murdering her husband.

Foreshadowing: Ivy's initial fixation on Miles as her ticket to a better life precedes her divorce attempt.

  • ivy
  • jervis
  • divorce
  • marriage
  • refusal
Q9

What happens to Ivy after Dr. Roger is freed?

Once Roger's lawyer informs Ivy that he is free, her leverage over the situation evaporates. She no longer has control over the narrative, and the truth begins to surface. When Miles learns of all her schemes, her affair, her murder of Jervis, and her attempt to frame an innocent man, he abandons her. With her plans completely unraveled and no one left to turn to, Ivy is driven to flee and ultimately meets her death.

Foreshadowing: The moment Roger is freed marks the turning point where Ivy loses all power.

  • ivy
  • roger freed
  • miles leaves
  • collapse
  • abandoned
Q10

Why does Ivy prefer Miles Rushworth over Dr. Roger?

Ivy is primarily motivated by wealth and social status. While she maintains an affair with Dr. Roger, she sees him as merely a lover, not a viable long-term prospect. Miles Rushworth represents the wealthy, luxurious life she desperately desires. She views Miles as her ticket out of her dull marriage and into a life of opulence, making him her primary target despite his moral objections to her marriage.

Foreshadowing: Ivy's initial discontent stems from her dissatisfaction with her husband's modest prospects.

  • ivy
  • miles
  • roger
  • wealth
  • preference
  • status

Movie threads

More Movies Like Ivy, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Ivy tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Thrillers about scheming socialites like Ivy

A ruthless protagonist commits murder to secure a life of wealth and status. If you enjoyed Ivy's story of a desperate socialite plotting murder for wealth, you'll find more movies about ruthless ambition and deadly deception in this thread. These films feature protagonists who use charm and cunning to climb the social ladder, no matter the cost.

  • deceptive
  • ruthless
  • anxious
  • cold
  • claustrophobic
  • harsh
  • Tone: dark, cynical, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist, usually a woman, trapped by her circumstances who sees crime as the only way out. The plot methodically details the planning and execution of a scheme—often involving poison, infidelity, and framing an innocent party—leading to an investigation, trial, and a tragic downfall where their web of lies collapses.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on a specific type of villain: the elegant, calculating social climber. They blend crime thriller elements with a dark, character-driven drama, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where personal ambition leads to moral collapse.

Movies with claustrophobic tension like Ivy

The suffocating tension of a protagonist trapped by their own lies closing in. For viewers who appreciated the anxious, suffocating atmosphere of Ivy as her scheme unraveled, this thread features movies where characters are psychologically trapped by their actions. Find similar stories of mounting dread and moral collapse.

  • claustrophobic
  • anxious
  • tense
  • desperate
  • uneasy
  • paranoid
  • Tone: dark, tense, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story focuses on the internal and external pressure a character faces after committing a consequential act, often a crime. The narrative structure builds tension steadily, not through action, but through the growing threat of discovery, paranoia, and the tightening grip of consequences, leading to a bleak resolution.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films based on a shared, palpable mood of psychological claustrophobia and high-stakes tension. The experience is defined by a steady pacing that methodically increases unease, a dark tone, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from the protagonist's moral downfall.

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Movies Like Ivy

Similar movies to Ivy: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Ivy (1947) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Ivy in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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