The Fortune (1975) Plot Summary Explained

Nicky suggests Freddie marry Oscar because he is already married and both men are worried about the Mann Act, which prohibits crossing state lines with immoral intent. By having Freddie marry Oscar, Nicky can continue his secret affair with her while still controlling her fortune through Oscar.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the men specifically discuss how the Mann Act complicates their plans to be with Freddie.

• mann act
• married
• nicky
• oscar
• freddie
• marriage scheme

Oscar agrees to the marriage because he is facing embezzlement charges and sees Freddie's wealth as his escape from legal trouble. He believes he can profit from the marriage and clear his debts, even though he knows Nicky will continue seeing Freddie behind his back.

Foreshadowing: Oscar's desperate financial situation is established early when the embezzlement charges are mentioned.

• oscar
• embezzlement
• marriage
• freddie
• charges

Freddie proves smarter than Nicky and Oscar anticipated, using her sharp instincts to see through their deceptions. Her intuition forces the duo to resort to increasingly desperate and questionable tactics to separate her from her fortune.

Foreshadowing: Initially, Nicky and Oscar believe Freddie's naive nature makes their plan foolproof.

• freddie
• intelligence
• outsmart
• los angeles
• schemes

After Freddie outsmarts them and they find themselves cornered with no other options, Nicky and Oscar turn to murder as their last desperate measure to eliminate the obstacle standing between them and her fortune.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows their tactics becoming increasingly dubious before they resort to murder.

• murder
• nicky
• oscar
• desperate
• fortune

Freddie's announcement that she intends to donate her immense wealth to charity completely derails Nicky and Oscar's plans. Since their entire scheme depended on getting her money, her charitable intentions forces them to scramble and pivot their strategy.

Foreshadowing: This twist comes right after they resort to murder, adding ironic timing to their criminal act.

• freddie
• charity
• donation
• fortune
• twist

Freddie never died - she merely fainted. When Detective X investigates the aftermath of Nicky and Oscar's crimes, he discovers Freddie is very much alive and had simply fainted from the chaos surrounding her.

Foreshadowing: The film's screwball comedy tone prepares viewers for absurd twists like this.

• freddie
• fainted
• alive
• detective
• comedy

The Mann Act was a real law passed in 1910 that prohibited transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes. Since Nicky is already married and having an affair with Freddie, crossing state lines with her could lead to serious legal trouble under this act, which is why their relationship is described as forbidden.

Foreshadowing: The complications arising from the Mann Act directly lead to Nicky's marriage scheme.

• mann act
• immoral
• state lines
• legal
• 1920s

Nicky and Oscar are arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and end up confessing to their crimes. Their confessions about the elaborate scheme, including their attempted murder of Freddie, become absurdly comedic when the detective discovers Freddie is actually alive.

Foreshadowing: Their reckless behavior throughout the movie builds toward this inevitable capture.

• nicky
• oscar
• arrested
• police
• confession
• lapl