Marnie

The film opens with Marnie Edgar, a mysterious woman, seen carrying a suitcase on a train platform. She has just committed a theft, making off with nearly $10,000 that she has hidden in a yellow purse, which is suggestively positioned under her arm.

Business owner Sidney Strutt vents his frustrations to detectives about being robbed by Marnie. He describes her as stunning but expresses his disdain for her lack of professional skills, unaware of her true nature as a thief.

After changing her appearance from brunette to blonde, Marnie escapes south to Virginia. She intends to distance herself from her past crime while heading to visit her mother, Bernice, who has a complicated relationship with her.

Marnie visits her mother in Baltimore, showering her with gifts in a bid for her affection. However, Bernice remains emotionally distant, showing more warmth towards a local girl named Jessie, which deepens Marnie's feelings of jealousy.

Marnie adopts a new identity as Mary Taylor and secures a job at a Philadelphia printing company. Ironically, the company is owned by Mark Rutland, a client from Sidney Strutt’s office, who recognizes her as the thief but is intrigued by her.

Mark Rutland, instead of turning Marnie in, blackmails her into marriage after tracking her attempts to rob him. He becomes obsessed with the chase, further complicating their relationship and Marnie’s troubled psyche.

On their honeymoon aboard a cruise ship, Mark discovers Marnie's intense fear of intimacy. His obsession leads to a violation of her boundaries, culminating in a traumatic event that affects their relationship deeply.

Overwhelmed by despair after Mark’s assault, Marnie attempts suicide by trying to drown herself in the ship’s pool. Luckily, Mark intervenes in time, saving her from her dire decision.

Lil, Mark's late wife’s sister, begins to see Marnie as a rival for Mark’s affections. She learns of Mark's actions to cover up Marnie's past by settling Strutt, and sees an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage.

While hunting with her beloved horse Forio, Marnie experiences a panic attack, leading to a horrific accident. Forio is seriously injured, and Marnie faces the heart-wrenching decision to put him down, which devastates her emotionally.

To help Marnie understand her anxieties, Mark takes her back to her mother’s home in Baltimore. In a cathartic moment, Marnie relives a traumatic memory from her childhood involving her mother and comes to terms with her painful past.

During this visit, Bernice reveals the circumstances around Marnie's birth and her troubled past. This disclosure sheds light on Marnie's deep-seated fears and offers insights into her destructive behavior.

After reconciling with her past, Marnie believes she can escape her life of crime. With newfound hope, she considers the possibility of a genuine relationship with Mark, indicating a desire for change.

The film concludes with Marnie and Mark riding back to his family estate. As they journey together, Marnie feels hopeful about starting afresh free from the shadows of her past.