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One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977) movie poster

Timeline

One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1977 · 122 mins · French
Starring
Agnès Varda, Mathieu Demy, Gilette Barbier, Marion Hänsel, Ali Rafie, Elsa

You are not born a woman, you become one. In 1970s France two women's lives intersect amid the rising feminist movement that Agnes Varda supported. Pomme helps Suzanne obtain an abortion she cannot afford. After ten years apart they reunite—Pomme is now an unconventional singer, Suzanne a devoted community worker. Their friendship highlights contrasting yet complementary female identities.

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 One Sings, the Other Doesn’t
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977)

Where can you watch One Sings, the Other Doesn’t? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on HBO Max, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

One Sings, the Other Doesn’t Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977) 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. Pauline discovers Suzanne and funds an abortion

    Pauline, a 17-year-old schoolgirl in 1962 Paris, wanders into a gallery and recognizes her old friend Suzanne. She learns that Suzanne's partner is Jerôme, though they are not married, and Suzanne is pregnant with a third child. To help Suzanne, Pauline lies to her parents and secures funds for an illegal abortion, which forces her to leave home and start working as a singer. The upheaval culminates in Jerôme's suicide and Suzanne moving back to her parents' farm.

    When
    1962
    Where
    Paris
  2. Jerôme's suicide and Suzanne's move to the farm

    Jerôme commits suicide amid the turmoil following the abortion money. Suzanne, now with two children and expecting a third, moves back to her parents' farm, enduring social stigma for having illegitimate children.

    When
    1962
    Where
    Paris
  3. Pauline leaves home and starts a singing career

    Pauline leaves her home, drops out of school, and begins working as a singer, seeking independence after the 1962 events. She forges a new life in France and across her travels, embracing a more self-reliant path while staying connected to Suzanne. The upheaval of 1962 marks the beginning of a long, divergent journey.

    When
    1962
    Where
    France
  4. Reunion at the Bobigny abortion rights demo

    Ten years after the 1962 events, Pauline and Suzanne are reunited at a 1972 demonstration in Bobigny for abortion rights. Pauline, now known as Pomme, sings in a feminist folk group, and she and her partner Darius, a grad student she met in Amsterdam during her abortion, begin a new life together. The encounter highlights the enduring friendship between the two women as they confront shared struggles.

    When
    1972
    Where
    Bobigny, France
  5. Suzanne's new path: clinic in Hyères

    Ten years after their first meeting, Suzanne has moved beyond her parents' farm by teaching herself typing and opening a family planning clinic in Hyères. She becomes a pioneer in reproductive health and maintains her activist commitments. The distance between the friends remains bridged by letters and occasional meetings.

    When
    early 1970s
    Where
    Hyères, France
  6. Maintain their bond through postcards

    Pauline and Suzanne continue their bond across distance, keeping in touch by sending postcards. The correspondence preserves their shared history while each pursues her own path as artist and caretaker. Their friendship remains a lifeline through years of separation.

  7. Pauline moves to Iran and marries Darius

    Pauline relocates to Iran, Darius's homeland, where they marry and Pauline becomes pregnant. The move marks a dramatic geographic and cultural shift as she builds a new life abroad while maintaining ties to Suzanne. The pregnancy foreshadows further complexities in her relationships.

    Where
    Iran
  8. Difficulties in Iran and return to France

    The relationship with Darius grows strained, and Pauline returns to France, where she gives birth at Suzanne's clinic. The return reorients her life toward motherhood and music in a familiar French setting. The two women's paths continue to diverge yet remain connected.

    Where
    France
  9. Darius returns to Iran with their infant son

    Darius returns to Iran with their infant son, on the condition that he impregnates Pauline again. This arrangement binds the two of them in a complicated family dynamic as Pauline continues to pursue her career and motherhood. The separation between continents underscores the long reach of their choices.

    Where
    Iran
  10. Pregnant Pomme resumes performing

    While pregnant, Pauline, still called Pomme, goes back on the road as a singer, balancing motherhood and a performing life. She travels and performs to support herself and her family, reflecting her resilient spirit. The touring life becomes a throughline for her eventual reunion years later.

  11. Suzanne's life: sailor affair and marriage

    Suzanne endures an unfulfilling relationship with a sailor before marrying a local doctor in Hyères. Her personal life mirrors the improvisational, nontraditional paths of the women in the story. Despite the challenges, she builds a stable family life while continuing her work in reproductive health.

    Where
    Hyères, France
  12. Epilogue: reunion by the sea

    In a brief epilogue, Pomme and Suzanne, along with their families and friends, reunite by the sea. The gathering offers a quiet, hopeful coda to a decade and more of shared struggle, friendship, and motherhood. The scene emphasizes the enduring bond between the two women.

    When
    epilogue
    Where
    Seaside, France

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:25

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Timeline questions answered

One Sings, the Other Doesn’t Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Pauline leave home after helping Suzanne?

Pauline left home after she lied to her parents about a school trip to secure money for Suzanne's illegal abortion. When her parents discovered what the money was actually used for, they were furious, and Pauline chose to leave rather than face the consequences. She dropped out of school and began working as a singer, adopting the stage name Pomme.

  • paulines departure
  • abortion money
  • leaving home
  • pome singer
Q2

Why did Jerôme commit suicide?

Jerôme committed suicide in the turmoil following the illegal abortion. As Suzanne's partner who she was not married to, the entire situation, Suzanne's unwanted pregnancy, the money crisis, and the secret abortion, created overwhelming stress and personal crisis for him, leading to his decision to take his own life.

  • jerome suicide
  • suzanne partner
  • abortion aftermath
Q3

Why did Suzanne move back to her parents' farm?

After Jerôme's suicide, Suzanne found herself pregnant with her third child and now with two children and no partner. She moved back to her parents' farm because she had no other support system. Her parents looked down on her for having illegitimate children, but she had nowhere else to go during this difficult time.

  • suzanne farm
  • illegitimate children
  • single mother
Q4

How did Pauline and Suzanne reunite after ten years?

Pauline and Suzanne reunited ten years later at a 1972 demonstration in Bobigny for abortion rights. By then, Pauline had become Pomme, singing in a feminist folk group. Suzanne had left her parents' farm by teaching herself typing and opened a family planning clinic in Hyères. The demonstration brought together their shared activism.

Foreshadowing: The 1962 illegal abortion directly connects to their later involvement in the abortion rights movement.

  • bobigny demo
  • abortion rights
  • reunion 1972
  • feminist movement
Q5

Why did Pomme move to Iran with Darius?

Pomme moved to Iran because it was Darius's native country. They married there, and Pomme became pregnant. The move represented a dramatic geographic and cultural shift as she built a new life abroad while maintaining her connection to Suzanne through letters.

  • pomme iran
  • darius
  • married iran
Q6

Why did Pomme leave Darius and return to France?

Pomme's relationship with Darius became strained while they were in Iran. She left Darius and returned to France, where she gave birth to their baby at Suzanne's clinic in Hyères. The strain in their marriage prompted her to seek a new life back in France with her support network.

  • pomme leaves darius
  • return france
  • baby suzanne clinic
Q7

What was the arrangement between Pomme and Darius about having another child?

Before Darius returned to Iran with their infant son, Pomme allowed him to take their child on the condition that he impregnate her again. This unusual arrangement meant Pomme would have another child to keep with her while Darius returned to Iran alone with their son.

  • darius son iran
  • second pregnancy
  • custody arrangement
Q8

Why did Suzanne marry the local doctor after her relationship with the sailor?

Suzanne had an unfulfilling relationship with a sailor before eventually marrying a local doctor in Hyères. Like Pomme, Suzanne also followed a nontraditional path, but eventually chose the stability of marriage to a doctor, settling into conventional family life while continuing her work at the family planning clinic.

  • suzanne marriage
  • doctor hyeres
  • sailor relationship
Q9

Why does Pomme continue performing as a singer while pregnant?

Pomme goes back on the road as a singer while pregnant because touring is her primary means of supporting herself and her family. Her identity as a performer is central to who she is, and she balances motherhood with her career, traveling and performing throughout her pregnancy.

  • pomme singer pregnant
  • touring while pregnant
  • feminist folk singer
Q10

What happened to Suzanne's children from her first relationship?

Suzanne had two children with Jerôme before the events of 1962, and she was expecting a third when she had the illegal abortion. After Jerôme's suicide and her move to her parents' farm, she raised her children there while facing social stigma for having illegitimate children. Their later lives are not detailed in the film.

  • suzanne children
  • jerome children
  • illegitimate
Q11

How do Pomme and Suzanne stay in touch over the years?

After their reunion in 1972, Pomme and Suzanne maintain their bond by sending each other postcards. Despite living in different places, Pomme traveling and eventually moving to Iran, their friendship remains a lifeline through years of separation, with their correspondence preserving their shared history.

  • postcards
  • long distance friendship
  • pomme suzanne letters
Q12

Why is the movie titled One Sings, the Other Doesn't?

The title refers to the two main characters' contrasting paths. Pauline becomes Pomme, a singer who performs folk music as part of the feminist movement, while Suzanne dedicates herself to practical community work running a family planning clinic. Their identities represent complementary yet different expressions of womanhood and activism.

Foreshadowing: Pauline's early decision to become a singer sets up the title's meaning.

  • title meaning
  • pomme singer
  • suzanne clinic
  • contrasting paths

Movie threads

More Movies Like One Sings, the Other Doesn’t, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes One Sings, the Other Doesn’t tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about lifelong female friendship like One Sings, the Other Doesn’t

Intimate portraits of women's lives and friendships that evolve over many years. Find more movies like One Sings, the Other Doesn’t that follow the deep, evolving bonds between women over many years. These similar drama films explore female identity, personal growth, and the sustaining power of friendship through life's changes.

  • reflective
  • heartfelt
  • earnest
  • melancholic
  • uplifting
  • intimate
  • Tone: hopeful, reflective, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows two or more women from youth into adulthood, using time jumps to highlight key moments of change, conflict, and reunion. The central conflict is often internal or societal, focusing on personal choices, aspirations, and the challenges of maintaining a bond despite diverging paths.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their focus on the long-term arc of female relationships, their steady pacing that allows for deep character exploration, and their blend of personal struggles with broader social themes, resulting in a heartfelt and reflective viewing experience.

Hopeful activist dramas with personal journeys like One Sings, the Other Doesn’t

Character-driven stories where political activism and profound self-discovery intertwine. If you liked the feminist activism and personal growth in One Sings, the Other Doesn’t, discover similar movies. These films blend political awakening with intimate character arcs, showing how fighting for change leads to self-discovery and hopeful resolutions.

  • hopeful
  • earnest
  • thought-provoking
  • uplifting
  • reflective
  • empowering
  • Tone: hopeful, earnest, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories often begin with a character becoming aware of an injustice, which propels them into activism. This external journey runs parallel to an internal one of self-definition, challenging old beliefs and relationships. The narrative balances the wins and losses of the cause with the personal costs and triumphs of the protagonists.

Why they belong together: They share a specific mood blend: the earnestness of political struggle is tempered by a hopeful, character-focused tone. The pacing is steady, allowing for both ideological exploration and emotional depth, resulting in a bittersweet but uplifting experience that weighs the personal within the political.

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Every angle

One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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