Loyalties (1986) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

David Sutton had a secret that forced the family to flee England, though the exact nature of this secret is not explicitly revealed in the film. Throughout the narrative, he remains protective and wary about his past, warning Lily not to befriend families with ties to Britain, suggesting his secret involves something from his past that could be discovered through British connections.

Foreshadowing: David's warning at the barbecue about avoiding people with British relatives hints at his fear of his past catching up with him.

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• england
• secret
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• flee

David Sutton was hiding a predatory secret that ultimately manifested when he assaulted Leona, Rosanne's underage daughter, during Lily's birthday celebration. This secret appears to have been the reason the family left England, and David's increasingly protective and secretive behavior throughout the film was designed to prevent anyone from discovering his true nature.

Foreshadowing: David's early warning to Lily about getting too close to families with British ties, combined with his unease at social gatherings, establishes his concealment of something sinister.

• david sutton
• hidden
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• assault

David Sutton assaulted Leona when he returned early from a fishing trip and found her alone babysitting. The assault appears to be a predatory act, as he threatened Leona to prevent her from telling anyone what happened. This reveals David's true nature as someone who preys on vulnerable individuals, connecting directly to whatever forced the family to leave England.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene violence witnessed by a young boy foreshadows David's capacity for predatory behavior.

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Lily left David after discovering he had assaulted Leona, Rosanne's daughter. When Lily and Rosanne returned home and found the dangerous situation, Lily realized she could no longer ignore the threat. She reported the incident to the police and made the painful decision to leave her husband, choosing instead to seek refuge with Rosanne and her children.

Foreshadowing: Lily's earlier confrontations about David's secretive behavior and her growing bond with Rosanne prepare her to take action when the truth emerges.

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• lily
• assault
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• divorce

Rosanne and Lily's friendship developed through proximity and shared motherhood. After Rosanne was assaulted at the bar, David offered her a job helping Lily with the household and children. As they spent more time together, sharing chores, discussing their mothers, and caring for their families, the two women formed a deep bond despite their different class and cultural backgrounds.

Foreshadowing: David's offer to bring Rosanne into their home, ostensibly to help Lily, ironically created the very relationship that would later support Lily after David's betrayal.

• rosanne
• lily
• friendship
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• support

Rosanne and her family were sleeping outside after missing a ride. When David encountered them in this situation, he offered them a lift home and then invited Rosanne to work for the Suttons, providing her with employment and a way to support her family.

Foreshadowing: This moment of vulnerability establishes Rosanne's precarious situation and sets the stage for her entering the Sutton household.

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• david

The film opens with a violent struggle witnessed by a young boy. The scene cuts away before showing the full intensity, creating a sense of looming trouble that threads through the story. This opening violence establishes the themes of abuse and danger that will later converge in David's assault of Leona.

Foreshadowing: The opening violence directly foreshadows David's predatory behavior that emerges later in the film.

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David warned Lily not to befriend the couple with relatives in Britain because he was hiding a secret that forced the family to flee England. He feared that connections to Britain could lead to discoveries about his past, and he maintained a protective, secretive stance throughout their time in Canada.

Foreshadowing: This warning reveals David's paranoia about his secret being exposed, which ultimately relates to his predatory behavior.

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• warning
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Eddy, Rosanne's partner, was violent towards her, as shown in the bar assault scene where he attacked her. The film establishes Eddy as a volatile, abusive boyfriend who poses an ongoing threat to Rosanne and her family. Rosanne's situation highlights the cycle of domestic abuse that exists separate from but parallels David's hidden predatory nature.

Foreshadowing: Jessie's questions about Eddy's apologies show the family navigating the aftermath of this abuse, establishing Eddy as a recurring source of danger.

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Lily and Rosanne returned home early from Lily's birthday celebration at the bar and discovered David in the act of assaulting Leona. The terrifying moment revealed David's true nature to both women, prompting immediate action to stop the violence and protect the child.

Foreshadowing: The birthday celebration and Leona being asked to babysit created the opportunity for David's crime to be discovered.

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• leona
• lily
• david

When Rosanne discovered David assaulting Leona, she returned with a gun intending to stop the violence and protect her daughter. This act demonstrates her desperation and willingness to use deadly force to end the threat to her family, showing the extreme circumstances that forced both women to take decisive action.

Foreshadowing: The buildup of tension throughout the film, including Eddy's violence and David's secretive behavior, culminates in this moment of crisis.

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After Rosanne was assaulted by Eddy at the bar and lost her job because of the fight, she found herself in a precarious position. David encountered her and her family sleeping outside and offered them a ride home, then invited her to work as a housekeeper for the Suttons, providing her with employment and stability.

Foreshadowing: This sequence of events brings Rosanne into close contact with the Sutton family, ultimately leading to the crisis that reveals David's true nature.

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