The Girl with a Pistol

The Girl with a Pistol

Year: 1968

Runtime: 102 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Mario Monicelli

Comedy

A Sicilian woman is dishonored by her lover, then goes to London with a pistol intending to murder him.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Girl with a Pistol (1968)

Trace every key event in The Girl with a Pistol (1968) 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

Love in a Sicilian village

In a small Sicilian village, Assunta falls for Vincenzo, who serenades her from the window. Their romance is immediate and intimate, setting the stage for the conflicts to come. The scene establishes a traditional world that will soon be tested by distant forces.

Sicily, Italy
2

Bride kidnapping scare

Two men in a car cut off Assunta and her sisters, and a passer-by warns they are attempting a bride kidnapping. Assunta senses Vincenzo is behind the ploy and throws herself toward the car to resist. When Vincenzo finally appears, he explains he was after her cousin Concetta, not Assunta.

Sicily, Italy
3

Vincenzo's confession and flight

Vincenzo admits the kidnapping was aimed at Concetta and refuses to marry Assunta, then flees to the United Kingdom to avoid arrest. Assunta returns to her village, left to face the consequences of honor and tradition. The escape marks a turning point that pushes her toward drastic action.

Sicily, Italy
4

Honor code demands revenge

Local tradition holds that the offender must be killed to restore the family’s honor, leaving Assunta and her sisters unable to marry. She resolves to go to the United Kingdom to kill Vincenzo and restore their honor. Before leaving, she receives 11,000 lire in notes and a handgun for the mission.

Sicily, Italy
5

Departure to the United Kingdom

Assunta undertakes a perilous journey to the United Kingdom, entering a world with different customs. She carries the money and the handgun, determined to track Vincenzo and end the threat to her family's honor. The journey marks a drastic shift from Sicily to a broader, unfamiliar landscape.

United Kingdom
6

Search across Britain

She travels through Edinburgh, Sheffield and Bath in her pursuit of Vincenzo, enduring the unfamiliar culture of Britain. The quest exposes her to new people and places far from home. Each stop deepens her resolve and tightens the sense of dislocation.

United Kingdom (Edinburgh, Sheffield, Bath)
7

Vincenzo spotted in Bath

At a Bath rugby match, Assunta spots Vincenzo in his new job as an ambulance stretcher bearer. She follows him to the hospital, closing in on the man she seeks. The pursuit marks a turning point as personal history collides with modern life.

Bath, United Kingdom
8

Hospital encounter and Frank

Assunta follows Vincenzo to the nearby hospital, but accidentally interrupts an operation and faints. During her recovery she meets Frank, a patient who advises her to forget Vincenzo and devote herself to her own life.

Bath, United Kingdom
9

Vincenzo's death hoax and engagement

Vincenzo simulates his own death, and Assunta becomes engaged to Frank. This apparent happiness is unsettled by the shadow of Vincenzo and the ongoing struggle of their relationship.

Bath, United Kingdom
10

Dr Osborne's revelation

Dr Osborne, the physician who treated both Frank and Assunta, reveals that Frank is homosexual. The discovery leads Assunta to rethink marriage and she rejects the idea of a settled life with Frank, choosing instead to pursue independence in London.

Bath, then London, United Kingdom
11

Vincenzo's disappointment and a proposal

Meanwhile, Vincenzo grows frustrated with British women and realizes he cannot return to Italy. He contacts Assunta and proposes marriage on the condition that she gives up her freedom.

United Kingdom
12

A renewed but fragile contract

Having given herself to him again, Assunta contemplates the terms of their renewed arrangement. The next day, she abandons Vincenzo and boards a boat to join Dr Osborne.

United Kingdom
13

Escape to a new life

Assunta boards a boat and joins Dr Osborne, beginning a new life apart from Vincenzo. Vincenzo watches her depart from the shore, unable to stop the changing course of their relationship.

United Kingdom
14

Vincenzo's final judgment

From the dock, Vincenzo watches Assunta leave and judges her an 'easy girl' as she sails away. The film closes on his reproachful gaze, signaling the end of their saga without reconciliation.

Dock/Port, United Kingdom

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:47

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The Girl with a Pistol Summary

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The Girl with a Pistol Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Girl with a Pistol

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