The Entertainer

The Entertainer

Year: 1960

Runtime: 96 min

Language: English

Director: Tony Richardson

Drama

Jacko Carter, a struggling entertainer, finds himself consumed by a relentless pursuit of fame. Driven by a desire for fleeting recognition, he jeopardizes his personal relationships and risks losing himself in the process. As his star power diminishes, he must confront the painful truth about his ambitions and the sacrifices he’s made in search of the spotlight.

Melancholic
Sad ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Slow pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Entertainer 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 & Setting – The Entertainer (1960)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Entertainer (1960). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1956

Set against the backdrop of the Suez Crisis, 1956 was a turbulent time for Britain, marked by political strife and anti-war sentiments. The events of this period resonate throughout the film, highlighting themes of loss, disillusionment, and familial strife, as the country faced significant changes both domestically and abroad.

Location

London, seaside resort town

The movie takes place in a summer of discontent during the late 1950s. London, known for its cultural vibrancy, serves as the starting point for Jean's journey. The seaside resort town, once flourishing, symbolizes nostalgia and decay, reflecting the personal and social upheaval of the era.

🏖️ Beach 🏙️ City

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:14

Main Characters – The Entertainer (1960)

Meet the key characters of The Entertainer (1960), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jean Rice

A disillusioned art teacher grappling with personal turmoil and societal upheaval. Jean's journey reflects her emotional conflict and sadness as she copes with the pressures of family expectations and the realities of her father's fading career.

🎨 Art 💔 Heartache 📚 Teacher

Archie Rice

A once-popular music-hall performer struggling with his declining career and family relationships. Archie exhibits charm on stage but is deeply flawed, ignoring his family's crises while clinging to the hope of past glory.

🎤 Performer 🎭 Theater 🍷 Conflict

Mick Rice

Jean's soldier brother, whose capture during the Suez Crisis reverberates throughout the story. His fate underlines the film's themes of loss, sacrifice, and the personal impact of global conflict on families.

⚔️ Soldier 🇬🇧 Heroism 💔 Loss

Phoebe Rice

Archie's cynical second wife who openly critiques her husband's past infidelities and declining career. Phoebe represents the disillusionment of family life, having grown weary of Archie's failures.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Marriage 🎭 Drama 🔍 Judgment

Billy Rice

Jean's grandfather and a former star of the music hall. Billy's quiet retirement contrasts with Archie's frantic attempts to salvage his career and reflects the generational shifts within the family.

🌟 Legacy 👴 Wisdom 🎤 Music Hall

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:14

Major Themes – The Entertainer (1960)

Explore the central themes of The Entertainer (1960), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Disillusionment

The theme of disillusionment permeates the film, particularly through Jean's struggles with her broken engagement and the fading glory of her family's resort. Characters grapple with personal failures and unfulfilled dreams, culminating in a profound sense of despair and resignation.

⚖️ Conflict

Both personal and societal conflicts drive the narrative, with the backdrop of the Suez Crisis representing broader global tensions. Family dynamics are fraught with betrayal and denial, highlighting the characters' internal struggles as they navigate their relationships amidst external chaos.

🎭 Theatricality

The world of entertainment and performance serves as a double-edged sword in the film. While it grants characters like Archie a momentary escape from their reality, it also reflects their struggles and the hollowness beneath the surface. This theme emphasizes the contrast between public persona and private despair.

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:14

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about fading glory and personal decline like The Entertainer

Character studies of individuals confronting their own obsolescence and faded dreams.If you liked The Entertainer, you might enjoy these movies about fading glory and personal decline. This collection features similar character studies of entertainers, artists, and individuals confronting obsolescence and the painful reality of their faded dreams.

fadingnostalgicmelancholicresignedsomberdesperate

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a protagonist on a downward trajectory, often set against a backdrop that reflects their decline. The story unfolds through their resistance to change, strained relationships, and eventual, often sad, acceptance of their new reality.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the melancholy theme of decline, their character-driven slow pacing, and their emotionally resonant portrayal of individuals struggling to let go of their former selves.

Grim dysfunctional family sagas similar to The Entertainer

Unflinching portraits of families fractured by conflict, failure, and shared despair.Find movies like The Entertainer that explore grim dysfunctional family sagas. These films share a similar tone of quiet despair, focusing on families crumbling under the weight of personal failure, grief, and unresolved conflict in a realistic, somber manner.

dysfunctionalgrimsomberdesperateresignedmarital strife

Narrative Summary

The plot is often driven by the interactions and clashes between family members, weaving together individual struggles into a collective portrait of dysfunction. Key events like deaths, financial ruin, or betrayals act as catalysts, exposing deep-seated resentments and leading to a somber resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their grim tone, their focus on family dysfunction as a central theme, and their medium emotional weight that delivers a punch of realism without being overly sensationalized.

Unlock the Full Story of The Entertainer

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Entertainer in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Entertainer is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Entertainer Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Entertainer, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Entertainer Summary

The Entertainer Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Entertainer with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Entertainer Timeline

The Entertainer Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Entertainer that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

The Entertainer Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Entertainer

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Entertainer: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Entertainer

Explore More About Movie The Entertainer

The Entertainer (1960) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

The Entertainer (1960) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

The Entertainer (1960) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow