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Rendezvous with Annie (1946) movie poster

Timeline

Rendezvous with Annie (1946) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1946 · 89 mins · English
Directed by
Allan Dwan
Starring
Jeff Corey, C. Aubrey Smith, James Flavin, Mary Field, Will Wright, Wallace Ford

A homesick American soldier stationed in England during World War II slips home without permission to visit his wife, Annie. Only a nightclub singer knows he was there. When Annie discovers she’s pregnant, she hides his visit to protect him, drawing harsh condemnation from the town. After his discharge, the soldier enlists the singer’s help to clear Annie’s name.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (14)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Rendezvous with Annie
  5. 5 Every angle

14 events in order · contains spoilers

Rendezvous with Annie Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Rendezvous with Annie (1946) 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. Incarceration in New Jersey

    Jeffrey Dolan is incarcerated in a New Jersey jail, suspected of murder. The authorities keep him in custody as rumors swirl around his guilt while he awaits the next steps in the case.

    When
    Present
    Where
    New Jersey jail
  2. Dolores visits and prompts recollection

    Dolores Starr visits him in jail and Jeffrey begins recounting the sequence of events that led to his current predicament. Her visit acts as a catalyst for revisiting the night he cannot fully remember.

    When
    Present
    Where
    New Jersey jail
  3. London bomb shelter memory with the Old Duffer

    In London, Jeffrey, then an Air Force clerk, shares a bomb shelter with a British man he calls the Old Duffer and speaks of his wife Annie and her exquisite cakes. He reflects on the longing for home as the war rages outside.

    When
    Past
    Where
    London
  4. AWOL trip: three-day pass and flight to the U.S.

    Jeffrey receives a three-day pass and, with his Air Force friends, decides to go AWOL to visit Annie on their wedding anniversary. They fly overnight toward the United States, with General Trent aboard the plane and nearly discovering him.

    When
    During leave
    Where
    Over Atlantic to the United States
  5. Bongo Club night and reunion with Everett

    After landing, Spence and Avery take Jeffrey to the Bongo Club, where Avery's girlfriend Dolores Starr sings. There, Jeffrey unexpectedly bumps into his old friend Everett Thorndyke, who is with his mistress, and they agree to keep quiet about the visit.

    When
    During AWOL trip
    Where
    Bongo Club
  6. Romantic homecoming with Annie

    Jeffrey returns home to a romantic evening with Annie, who promises not to tell anyone about his trip. She also sends a keepsake back with him, which he later gives to the Old Duffer.

    When
    Evening after visit
    Where
    Jeffrey's home
  7. Nine months later: birth and suspicion

    Jeffrey is discharged and returns home nine months later to find that Annie has given birth to a son. Locals seem to eye the child with suspicion, unaware of Jeffrey's secret trip and his paternity.

    When
    Nine months later
    Where
    Home town
  8. Paternity ultimatum and inheritance race

    A lawyer informs Jeffrey that he must prove paternity within a week, or the baby will lose its inheritance of half a million dollars. The clock is ticking as his future and the child's inheritance depend on his proof.

    When
    One-week countdown
    Where
    Town
  9. Memory probe: denials from key witnesses

    Jeffrey contacts everyone he saw that night, but Thorndyke denies meeting him, and Avery and Spence refuse to discuss the events for fear of court-martial. General Trent also seems to have no memory of the night.

    When
    During the investigation
    Where
    Town
  10. Photograph investigation

    He seeks proof by visiting the photographer Louise Grapa with Dolores and discovers that he is not in the photograph at all. The absence raises questions about the night’s record and his own alibi.

    When
    During investigation
    Where
    Louise Grapa's studio
  11. Photo publishes, confrontation at home

    Dolores' jealous husband Phil Denim is involved and tensions rise as Dolores kisses Jeff and Louise snaps another photo. A newspaper man, Al Morgan, prints the image, prompting Annie to confront Jeffrey about alleged infidelity.

    When
    After photo is printed
    Where
    Town, newspaper office
  12. Arrest over the Old Duffer article

    Jeffrey reads an article about the Old Duffer, Sir Archibald Clyde, and hurries to Clyde's location. He spots Morgan and attacks him in a frenzy, then is apprehended by Clyde's guards on suspicion of trying to murder Clyde.

    When
    Immediately after confrontation with Morgan
    Where
    Clyde's location
  13. Dolores aids the truth; testimony assembled

    Jeffrey explains his full story to Dolores, who decides to help. She brings Clyde, Spence, Avery, and others to Jeffrey's house, and Thorndyke is summoned; the tale becomes newsworthy.

    When
    After arrest
    Where
    Jeffrey's house
  14. Paternity proven; inheritance secured

    With the gathered testimonies and evidence, Jeffrey proves his paternity and his son receives the rightful inheritance. The case is resolved and the family is vindicated.

    When
    Ending
    Where
    Town courthouse and home

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:26

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Timeline questions answered

Rendezvous with Annie Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Rendezvous with Annie (1946): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Annie hide Jeffrey's AWOL visit?

Annie keeps Jeffrey's secret visit hidden to protect him from military consequences. Going AWOL was a serious offense that could have resulted in a court-martial and imprisonment. She chooses to bear the town's suspicion alone rather than expose Jeffrey to legal trouble, which demonstrates her loyalty and love for him.

Foreshadowing: Annie's promise of secrecy is established early when she tells Jeffrey she'll never reveal he was there, even as she hands him a note to give to The Old Duffer.

  • annie
  • awol
  • secret visit
  • protection
  • loyalty
Q2

Why does Jeffrey have only one week to prove paternity?

The lawyer explains that without proof of paternity, the baby will lose a life-changing inheritance worth half a million dollars. The deadline represents the legal window before the inheritance is permanently forfeited, creating urgent stakes for Jeffrey to find witnesses who will confirm his story.

Foreshadowing: The inheritance stakes are introduced when the lawyer warns Jeffrey about the deadline, tying the mystery of the Bongo Club night directly to financial consequences.

  • paternity
  • deadline
  • inheritance
  • one week
  • lawyer
Q3

Why do Thorndyke, Spence, and Avery deny seeing Jeffrey at the Bongo Club?

Each witness has their own reason to stay silent. Thorndyke was with his mistress and doesn't want his infidelity exposed. Spence and Lieutenant Avery fear court-martial for their involvement in the unauthorized AWOL trip. General Trent simply doesn't recall Jeffrey among the passengers. Their collective silence creates the web of doubt around Jeffrey's story.

Foreshadowing: The unwritten rule to avoid discussing their visit is established at the Bongo Club, where the men agree to keep quiet about the AWOL trip.

  • thorndyke
  • spence
  • avery
  • denial
  • witnesses
  • awol
Q4

Why isn't Jeffrey in the photograph from the Bongo Club?

When Jeffrey visits photographer Louise Grapa with Dolores, they discover he doesn't appear in the photograph at all. This absence undermines his alibi and deepens the mystery of that night, suggesting either he was photographed separately or the image was altered, leaving him with no visual proof of his visit.

Foreshadowing: The Bongo Club scene establishes that Jeffrey met Everett Thorndyke there, but the photo fails to capture this key moment.

  • photo
  • bongo club
  • louise grapa
  • proof
  • alibi
Q5

Why does Jeffrey attack the newspaper man Al Morgan?

Jeffrey attacks Morgan after reading an article about The Old Duffer's true identity as Sir Archibald Clyde. The article exposes Clyde's visit to America and draws public attention to the case. Jeffrey's violent reaction stems from frustration and desperation, as the newspaper exposure complicates his ability to clear his name and secure his son's inheritance.

Foreshadowing: Morgan is introduced as a ruthless newspaperman who publishes the compromising photo of Jeffrey and Dolores, escalating the scandal.

  • al morgan
  • attack
  • newspaper
  • article
  • clyde
Q6

Why does the town suspect Annie's baby isn't Jeffrey's?

The townspeople are unaware that Jeffrey secretly visited Annie during his AWOL trip. Since he was supposedly stationed in England during the entire war, and the timing aligns suspiciously close to his discharge, locals assume the child must have been fathered by someone else. Their suspicion is based on Jeffrey's apparent absence, not on any actual evidence of infidelity.

Foreshadowing: Jeffrey's secret romantic evening with Annie happens while he's supposedly still deployed, making the timeline appear suspicious to outsiders.

  • town
  • suspicion
  • baby
  • paternity
  • rumors
Q7

What is the Old Duffer's real identity and why does it matter?

The Old Duffer, Jeffrey's British companion in the London bomb shelter, is actually Sir Archibald Clyde, a wealthy and prominent figure. His identity matters because when Jeffrey attacks Morgan near Clyde's location, he's arrested for suspected attempted murder. Additionally, Clyde's involvement becomes crucial in helping verify Jeffrey's story, as he ultimately testifies on Jeffrey's behalf.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes establish The Old Duffer as a wise, comforting presence who listens to Jeffrey's stories about Annie and her cakes.

  • old duffer
  • archibald clyde
  • identity
  • testimony
Q8

How does Jeffrey prove his paternity in the end?

Dolores, determined to help, gathers everyone who was present that night, Clyde, Spence, Avery, and Thorndyke, to confirm Jeffrey's version of events. With their collective testimony and the support of the now-revealed allies, Jeffrey finally has the evidence needed to prove he's the father, securing the inheritance for his son.

Foreshadowing: Dolores' decision to help stems from her own involvement in the events and her relationship with Jeffrey.

  • paternity
  • proof
  • testimony
  • inheritance
  • dolores
Q9

Why does Dolores decide to help Jeffrey after initially refusing?

Dolores helps Jeffrey because she feels responsible for the situation. She was the one who took Jeffrey to the Bongo Club, and her jealous husband Phil's attack on Jeffrey created further complications. Her change of heart demonstrates her willingness to make things right and help clear Jeff's name despite the risks involved.

Foreshadowing: Dolores is present throughout Jeffrey's investigation, from visiting the photographer to dealing with her husband Phil's jealousy.

  • dolores
  • help
  • decision
  • motivation
  • loyalty
Q10

Why does Annie confront Jeffrey about cheating after the photo is published?

When Al Morgan publishes the compromising photo of Jeffrey and Dolores kissing, Annie believes Jeffrey was unfaithful during his secret visit. The photo appears to show him with another woman, triggering her confrontation about infidelity. This causes a painful rift between them, though the misunderstanding stems from the photo being taken after the original Bongo Club night.

Foreshadowing: Dolores kisses Jeffrey while Louise Grapa takes another photograph, providing the image that Morgan later publishes.

  • annie
  • confrontation
  • photo
  • infidelity
  • misunderstanding

Movie threads

More Movies Like Rendezvous with Annie, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Rendezvous with Annie tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about marriages tested by misunderstanding like Rendezvous with Annie

Stories where a deep bond is threatened by a well-intentioned secret. If you enjoyed the dynamic in Rendezvous with Annie, you'll appreciate these movies featuring couples whose strong bond is challenged by a secret or false accusation. These stories focus on the resilience of love, the pain of public judgment, and the determined efforts to clear a name and mend a relationship.

  • anxious
  • hopeful
  • romantic
  • doubt
  • loyalty
  • vindication
  • Tone: hopeful, warm, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a stable relationship that is suddenly jeopardized by an external incident or a secret coming to light. This creates a central conflict where the protagonist must actively work to uncover the truth or find evidence, often against skeptical communities or institutions, to vindicate their partner and salvage their union.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the 'relationship rescue mission' archetype. They blend romantic stakes with elements of a mild mystery or procedural, maintaining a hopeful tone despite the serious emotional weight of the potential loss, and ultimately affirming the strength of commitment.

Wartime comedies of errors with a similar feel to Rendezvous with Annie

Lighthearted stories where World War era chaos leads to hilarious mix-ups. Fans of Rendezvous with Annie will enjoy these other lighthearted films set during World War II. These movies use the era's unique setting—with soldiers, home front dynamics, and necessary secrets—to generate comedic misunderstandings and anxious situations that are ultimately resolved with warmth and heart.

  • nostalgic
  • warm
  • anxious
  • hopeful
  • comedic
  • period piece
  • Tone: light, warm, nostalgic
  • Pacing: steady, building to a resolution
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot typically involves a well-meaning character, often a soldier or someone connected to the war effort, whose attempt to navigate personal desires within strict military rules leads to a comedic chain of events. The story balances the genuine anxiety of getting caught with the inherent absurdity of the situation, leading to a satisfying unraveling of the truth.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific vibe: the fusion of a serious historical setting with a light, comedic tone. They are united by their use of wartime as a catalyst for plot complications, a steady pacing that builds the farce, and a focus on themes like loyalty, secrecy, and the enduring nature of love and community.

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Every angle

Rendezvous with Annie (1946) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Rendezvous with Annie in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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