Once Is Not Enough

Once Is Not Enough

Year: 1975

Runtime: 121 mins

Language: English

Director: Guy Green

DramaRomance

The film chronicles the lives of the elite as they fly first‑class, dine in the finest restaurants, broker astonishing deals, and indulge in scandalous affairs. An over‑the‑hill movie producer marries a wealthy, spiteful woman and a closeted lesbian simply to appease his spoiled daughter. In retaliation, she seduces a rich playboy and a local screenwriter, sparking a tangled web of desire and deceit.

Bittersweet
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

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Timeline & Setting – Once Is Not Enough (1975)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Once Is Not Enough (1975). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1970s

Set in the contemporary 1970s, the film channels an era of opulence, flirtation with excess, and evolving social mores. The Hollywood milieu and European schooling of January echo a world of disposable wealth and shifting relationships. The period’s permissive yet complicated attitudes toward sex and power shape the characters’ choices and consequences.

Location

Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York City

The story unfolds across glamorous West Coast hubs and the urban East Coast, reflecting Hollywood luxury and power plays. It centers on Beverly Hills mansions, hotel suites in Los Angeles, and nightlife along Manhattan streets. These settings frame the film as a portrait of wealth, reputation, and personal disintegration in a glittering yet demanding industry.

🎬 Film Setting 🏙️ Cityscape

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:10

Main Characters – Once Is Not Enough (1975)

Meet the key characters of Once Is Not Enough (1975), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mike Wayne (Kirk Douglas)

Mike Wayne is a once-powerful Hollywood producer whose career has fallen on hard times. He relies on wealth to command respect and to secure his lifestyle, entering a loveless marriage with Deidre Milford Granger. His resentment toward January's romance with Colt fuels outbursts and a controlling, protective stance. The plane crash that ends his marriage underscores a nihilistic crisis for the family.

💼 Ambition 🧭 Control 💥 Power

January (Deborah Raffin)

January is a pampered heiress who has grown up in Europe and America’s luxury lifestyle. She worships her father but seeks meaning through love and independence. After her father marries Deidre, she navigates a tangled love triangle with Tom Colt and confronts disillusionment with adult relationships. Her inheritance of $3 million opens a path to self-determination, even as she remains adrift in a world of wealth.

💔 Rebellion 💡 Self-discovery 🗺️ Independence

Deidre Milford Granger (Alexis Smith)

Deidre is among the world's wealthiest women, having married multiple times and knowing how to bend others to her will. She exerts control over Mike and January while secretly carrying on a lesbian affair. Her demands and arrogance create constant friction and emotional harm, culminating in a shared tragedy when she dies in the plane crash. Beneath glamour lies a calculating, uncompromising ruthlessness.

💰 Wealth 🗝️ Control 🏳️‍🌈 Secret affair

Tom Colt (David Janssen)

Tom Colt is a hard-drinking, aging novelist who embodies a counterpoint to the era's optimism. He is January's lover and a foil to Mike, offering passion and danger in equal measure. His cynicism about power and wealth clashes with January's innocence, and his practical mistrust of romance complicates their bond. He remains a volatile figure who resists being drawn into the family politics.

💔 Heartbreak 🕊️ Escape 🎭 Romance

Linda Riggs (Brenda Vaccaro)

Linda is a free-spirited magazine editor who encourages January to break out of conventional mores, modeling a life of liberated love. She acts as a confidante to January but suffers a brutal turn when she is fired for having sex with her boss, illustrating the double-edged nature of the era's sexual openness. She embodies ambition and resilience amid personal and professional turmoil.

📰 Media 💃 Freedom 💥 Consequences

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:10

Major Themes – Once Is Not Enough (1975)

Explore the central themes of Once Is Not Enough (1975), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Wealth & Power

Wealth is both a currency and a weapon in the story. Mike Wayne uses money to command others and secure his lifestyle, while Deidre Milford Granger leverages her fortune to set terms and expectations. The film critiques how financial clout distorts relationships, breeding control, resentment, and strategic alliances. Money fuels the drama and propels the couple’s volatile dynamics.

💔 Love & Autonomy

January's pursuit of genuine connection clashes with a world built on parental and societal power. Her romance with Tom Colt offers a path to independence but also vulnerability and conflict. The narrative probes how love can become a battleground for freedom versus obligation. Ultimately January must decide between security and self-determination.

🌀 Fame & Isolation

The glamorous milieu exposes loneliness behind the smiles and public success. Linda Riggs embodies ambition and the liberating promise of the era, only to be undone by a brutal consequence of sexual openness. The film suggests that wealth and fame can magnify isolation, leaving individuals wandering in the afterglow. Behind the glitter lies a sense of emotional drift.

🧭 Family & Loyalty

Parental influence drives many choices, with Mike’s protective but domineering stance shaping January’s path. The story examines loyalty within a fractured family and the cost of pursuing desire when loved ones are collateral. Tragic events force painful reflections on what family really means and how power dynamics redefine loyalty.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:10

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Once Is Not Enough Summary

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Once Is Not Enough Summary

Once Is Not Enough Timeline

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Once Is Not Enough Timeline

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Once Is Not Enough (1975) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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Once Is Not Enough (1975) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow