Subway

Subway

Year: 1985

Runtime: 104 min

Language: French

Director: Luc Besson

Thriller

A skilled cat burglar and a captivating socialite find their lives unexpectedly colliding within the labyrinthine tunnels of the Paris subway. Drawn into a world of shadows and intrigue, they become entangled in a dangerous game of seduction and deception. Their paths intertwine, threatening to expose secrets and upend their carefully constructed worlds in this stylish and suspenseful thriller.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Subway yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Subway (1985)

Trace every key event in Subway (1985) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Fred robs a safe during Helena's party

At Helena's birthday party, Fred uses dynamite to blow open a safe and steal papers. He escapes in Helena's car with her husband’s associates, all dressed in tuxedos. The theft sets off a perilous escape that threads through the party and toward the city streets.

Helena's home, Paris
2

Pursuit into the Paris Metro

Fred crashes his car into the entrance of a Paris Métro station, igniting a tense chase. The pursuit continues on foot and into a subway train as he attempts to shake his pursuers. By skillful maneuvering, he manages to lose them in the labyrinth of tunnels.

Paris Métro station and tunnels
3

Plan to exchange papers for money

From a position of cautious leverage, Fred phones Helena to arrange an exchange of the papers for money. The deal is cut, but he accepts far less than what was discussed, hinting at a more intimate, uneasy bond between them. The moment marks a shift from cold crime to fragile attraction.

Metro
4

Escape from pursuing associates

The husband’s associates renew the pursuit, forcing Fred to jump under a passing train to escape. He bolts deeper into the metro's backrooms, slipping away from view. Before disappearing, he tells Helena that not all the papers have been returned.

Paris Métro backrooms
5

New metro allies and a roguish plan

In the metro's hidden underworld, Fred befriends Jean-Louis, Big Bill, a flower seller, and a rhythm section consisting of a bass player and a drummer. They propose robbing the weekly money couriers who pass through the station. A plan forms to exploit the metro's rhythm and corridors for their crime.

Beneath Paris Metro
6

Morning attempt to meet Helena with the documents

The next morning, Fred arranges to see Helena alone to exchange for the documents. Because Jean blocks the meeting, Helena enlists metro chief Gesberg and his assistant Batman to mediate. The flower vendor’s behavior helps Gesberg deduce that Jean-Louis is aiding Fred.

Metro station / Gesberg's office
7

Helena locates Jean-Louis and reunites with Fred

Helena tracks down Jean-Louis and he brings her to Fred. The reunion strengthens the group in the metro and sets the stage for the next tense exchange. Trust is thin but growing as plans proceed.

Metro station
8

Confrontation and a night in the empty station

Helena confronts Fred with a gun and demands the papers, but Fred claims he doesn't have them and feeds her a false trail. After this tension, they choose not to fight and instead spend the night together in the empty metro with Jean-Louis, the drummer, and Big Bill, sharing food, music, and marijuana.

Empty Paris metro station
9

Ransom note and a new threat

The next morning, Helena's husband shows a ransom note demanding 50,000,000 francs for the papers and takes her back home. He orders Jean to 'take care' of Fred, increasing the danger around him.

Husbands' home
10

Magistrate party and Helena's defiance

That evening, at a magistrate's party, Helena defiantly insults everyone and leaves. She later returns to Gesberg and asks him to bring Fred in before her husband's associates kill him.

Magistrate's home; Gesberg's office
11

Batman misses the arrest; Jean-Louis is uncovered

Batman encounters Fred by accident but fails to arrest him. Gesberg captures Jean-Louis and learns that he wrote the ransom note, exposing his key role in the scheme.

Metro / Gesberg's office
12

Robbery and a metro concert

Fred and the flower vendor rob the money couriers and use the money to finance a concert in the metro station. The plan is to turn the tunnels into a stage by assembling the band with the existing players.

Paris Metro station
13

Concert finale and the fatal shot

The concert is a hit and Helena sees Fred and runs toward him. Jean shoots Fred as he collapses, but he remains on his feet enough to sing along with the band; Helena kisses him as she rebukes Jean for attempting to take her away.

Metro station stage

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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Subway Summary

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Subway Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Subway

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Subway

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