Murder by Natural Causes (1979) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Arthur reveals that he has known about the affair for months. As a mentalist who specializes in reading people, he was able to deduce the betrayal long before it became explicit. Rather than confront them immediately, he used his knowledge as leverage to orchestrate an elaborate counter-plan, turning their murder attempt into his own game of psychological manipulation.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Arthur's phone call with Allison hints at hisawareness of her deception, though viewers may not catch it initially.

• affair
• betrayal
• mentalist
• manipulation
• foreknowledge

Arthur had already replaced all the bullets in the gun with blanks weeks before the confrontation. This calculated move ensured that when George fired at him, Arthur would appear dead without suffering fatal injuries. The blanks allowed Arthur to stage his death and later reappear with the advantage of surprise.

Foreshadowing: The earlier reveal that Arthur swapped bullets explains why he was confident enough to let the murder plot unfold.

• bullets
• blanks
• survival
• trap
• shooting

George Brubaker was not just Arthur's lawyer and friend, he was Allison's true lover, not Gil. When George arrives and shoots Arthur, he believes he is eliminating the final obstacle to be with Allison. His action completes the betrayal triangle, as George chose his romantic allegiance over his long-standing professional relationship with Arthur.

Foreshadowing: George's dual role as trusted lawyer and hidden lover sets up his willingness to commit murder for Allison.

• george brubaker
• lawyer
• lover
• betrayal
• murder

Gil posed as a journalist to gain access to Arthur's home without raising suspicion. The staged interview gave him the opportunity to be alone with Arthur and execute the planned scare tactic, an intruder threatening Arthur with a pistol to induce a fatal heart attack. The journalist cover made the intrusion appear legitimate rather than criminal.

Foreshadowing: The initial setup explains that the plan required a believable pretext to keep Arthur off guard.

• gil weston
• journalist
• staged burglary
• home invasion

Gil used Arthur's competitive ego against him by challenging him to perform fifty push-ups. The goal was to physically exert Arthur's heart, making it more vulnerable to the shock of a staged attack. Arthur's willingness to comply stemmed from his need to prove his mental and physical superiority, which Gil exploited as part of the murder scheme.

Foreshadowing: Gil's manipulation through psychological pressure rather than direct violence hints at the cerebral nature of the plot.

• push-ups
• heart attack
• manipulation
• physical exertion

Arthur chose to let the plot develop because he wanted to expose and control the people betraying him. Rather than simply confronting Allison and Gil, he used their scheme as a trap to reveal the full scope of the conspiracy, including discovering that George was also involved. His motivation was psychological revenge and maintaining his position as the one who controls the game.

Foreshadowing: Arthur's revelation that he knew for months shows his patience in allowing the betrayal to fully materialize.

• revenge
• control
• manipulation
• conspiracy
• exposure

When Arthur points his pistol at Allison and asks her to read his mind, he is asserting that psychological manipulation, not physical force, remains his ultimate weapon. The line underscores that even after all the betrayals and violence, Arthur still views their relationship as a game of mental control. The loaded gun with real bullets and his taunt leave the power dynamic unresolved, emphasizing intellect over physical resolution.

Foreshadowing: The entire film has built toward mental dominance as the true measure of power between the characters.

• read my mind
• final line
• psychological warfare
• dominance
• ambiguous ending

Arthur's body was never really there, he had swapped the bullets with blanks, so when George shot him, Arthur was only playacting death. After George and Allison left, Arthur recovered and removed himself from the scene. The missing body was part of his larger deception, designed to make his enemies believe they had succeeded before he revealed his survival.

Foreshadowing: The reveal that Arthur had already replaced the bullets earlier makes the staged death possible.

• missing body
• staged death
• deception
• survival

As a mentalist skilled at reading people, Arthur detected changes in Allison's behavior and noticed the signs of infidelity and conspiracy. His profession revolves around perceiving what others try to hide, so when Gil entered the picture, Arthur's observations combined with his investigative resources allowed him to uncover the plan. He then used his knowledge to turn the tables on his would-be killers.

Foreshadowing: Arthur's professional abilities are central to his survival and his capacity to outmaneuver everyone.

• mentalist
• reading people
• discovering plot
• surveillance

Allison was motivated by greed and ambition, not just romantic desire. Gil was a would-be actor hoping to leverage the intrigue of Arthur's world for his own fortune. Together, they plotted murder rather than simply leaving because they wanted Arthur's wealth and status. The conspiracy was about inheritance and power, not just escaping an unhappy marriage.

Foreshadowing: Gil's ambition to ride Arthur's world into his own success reveals his true motivation for participating.

• allison
• greed
• ambition
• inheritance
• murder plot

Their marriage was fundamentally transactional. Arthur, a wealthy mentalist, married a much younger woman, and their relationship was built on appearances rather than genuine affection. Allison's secret affairs and murder plot suggest she saw Arthur as a barrier to her desires, while Arthur viewed his wife as someone to control and ultimately punish for her betrayal.

Foreshadowing: The cold, calculated nature of their interactions throughout the film reflects this transactional dynamic.

• marriage
• power dynamic
• control
• infidelity
• transactional relationship