Only When I Larf (1968) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The joke comes from the previous day when Lowther made a humorous remark to the Lebanese banker about his money being safe 'only when I laugh.' When he returns to collect the funds, the banker remembers this and checks with his boss before releasing any cash, thwarting Lowther's attempt to secure the £500,000 commission. This callback from the earlier social encounter at the Carlton Hotel proves crucial in blocking the con's final payoff.

• lebanon con
• only when I laugh
• joke
• banker
• commission

Lowther is married to Liz, making her his wife. Bob is Lowther's son from a previous marriage, making him Liz's stepson. This family dynamic is revealed when they arrive in London and Lowther discusses his British Army past. The revelation adds personal stakes to their professional partnership, especially after Bob steals a kiss from Liz in Africa, creating tension and complicating their trust dynamic.

• lowther
• liz
• bob
• family
• married
• son
• stepmother

At the final standoff in Umm Al Amad, Liz ultimately betrays both Lowther and Bob by taking the cash for herself and driving away alone. This marks the collapse of their partnership and the ultimate betrayal in their escalating game of double-crosses. The ending reflects the film's theme that in a world of cons, loyalty ultimately loses to self-interest.

Foreshadowing: Bob's earlier kiss and the growing tension between the trio foreshadows the breakdown of their trust.

• liz
• cash
• betrayal
• umm al amad
• final con

In Africa, Lowther poses as a brigadier and Bob as a corporal to demonstrate anti-tank weapons for their mark Maurice 'Gee Gee' Gray. However, Lowther plans to sell Awana scrap metal disguised as guns rather than actual weapons. Awana is gagged and placed in a crate when he becomes problematic, while All Lin, the real leader, questions Awana's competence. The con relies on the mark not inspecting the goods closely enough to discover they're worthless.

• africa
• guns
• scrap metal
• brigadier
• corporal
• gee gee gray
• awana

Bob kisses Liz, his stepmother, during the Africa con, creating a significant moment of personal tension within the trio. This act blurs the professional boundaries of their partnership and introduces romantic betrayal into their otherwise professional relationship. It foreshadows the later betrayals and adds complexity to the trust dynamics between the con artists.

• bob kiss
• liz
• africa
• stepmother
• loyalty
• romance

The trio infiltrates a New York office by assuming false identities, Lowther as Mr Stevens, Bob as Mr Glover, with Liz by their side. They convince two Americans to write a cheque for $250,000 while preparing another cheque for $2 million for themselves, hidden in a fake wall-safe. Bob extracts the smaller cheque first, then disguises himself as a security guard to escort Liz to the bank where she successfully withdraws the $250,000 cash.

• new york
• cheque
• scam
• identity
• bank
• cash
• disguise

After completing the New York con, Lowther rejoins Bob and Liz on the rooftop of the Pan Am Building near the Chrysler Building, and they escape by helicopter. This dramatic getaway marks a turning point in the film as it signals the widening scale of their operations, moving from a local American con to an international criminal enterprise.

• helicopter
• pan am building
• escape
• new york
• rooftop
• international

In London, Lowther extorts £500,000 from Spencer by promising a 20% commission on a fictional £5 million Lebanon deal. When they arrive in Lebanon, Spencer has no cash and attempts to transfer funds from a Swiss bank. Lowther tries to collect the money but is blocked by the Lebanese banker who remembers the 'only when I laugh' joke, preventing the final payoff.

Foreshadowing: The joke from the London hotel setup directly causes the Lebanon con to fail.

• lebanon
• deal
• spencer
• extortion
• swiss bank
• failure

At the Carlton Hotel, Bob meets his friend Spider in the kitchens, who spots Spencer in the restaurant and invites him to join their table. Lowther is introduced as Longbottom, a private secretary, while posing as Mr Appleyard. They engage in social games including golf, squash, billiards, and clay pigeon shooting. This social grooming sets up the extortion scheme where Lowther promises Spencer a 20% commission on a fake £5 million Lebanon deal for £500,000 upfront.

• carlton hotel
• london
• spider
• spencer
• social con
• golf
• squash

The view of Tower Bridge and the Thames signals the shift from New York to London in the film. During this scene, Lowther reveals his past in the British Army and most importantly, discloses that he is married to Liz and that Bob is his son from an earlier marriage. This revelation fundamentally shifts the dynamic of the trio and adds personal stakes to their professional con partnership.

• tower bridge
• london
• revelation
• british army
• family
• marriage