The Man Who Loved Women

Mourners gather to bid farewell to David Fowler, the celebrated sculptor, at his funeral. The scene underscores the film's preoccupation with a life lived through romantic entanglements and creative ambitions. Among the attendees is his psychiatrist, Dr. Marianna Solari, signaling the psychological thread that will persist throughout the story.

In a therapy session, David confronts a deepening dilemma about whether his many affairs define him or trap him. He glimpses a woman's legs through the window, follows her, and fakes a hit-and-run as a reckless test of agency. When he returns home, he learns the woman is Agnes Chapman, triggering a new fixation.

David meets Agnes Chapman at a gas station and gives her his phone number, instantly feeling drawn to her. He then stalks her at her aerobics class, escalating his fixation. The day ends with their decision to become intimate, as they sleep together that evening.

David recalls his first romantic dalliance with Darla, a prostitute, when he was 15, revealing early patterns of sexual risk. He also remembers his mother, who was frequently absent as she slept with various men. These memories highlight a lifelong search for affection and control that haunts his present choices.

On a rainy night, David picks up Nancy, a street prostitute, and brings her back to his residence. He decides not to sleep with her but pays her $200 to stay the night, exposing his transactional approach to intimacy. The scene illustrates how his desire often clashes with his moral or emotional impulses.

David unveils his latest sculpture in Houston, where he meets Louise Carr, the wife of Texas millionaire Roy Carr. Louise takes him to her penthouse and the two begin a discreet but escalating sexual affair, continuing in various public places. The affair deepens as Louise offers affection that contrasts with David's creative block.

Louise confesses her love for David, complicating their affair. Roy Carr unexpectedly returns with a new pet dog, Simba, shattering the secrecy. David hides in a closet as Roy showers, and when the moment passes, he escapes in a Rolls-Royce with his hands glued to Simba and his boots glued to the carpet in a moment of chaotic escape.

After leaving Houston, David finds himself creatively impotent, blocked by his tangled relationships. Louise is charged with attempted murder after Roy discovers the affair, intensifying the consequences of their liaison. The romance now feels weighed down by suspicion and danger.

During another therapy session, an earthquake interrupts the proceedings, yet the moment also rekindles David's interest in Marianna. He begins new affairs with Courtney Wade and Sue, a college student seeking work as a babysitter, showing a continued pattern of restless pursuit. The therapy room becomes a space where romance and risk collide.

Marianna, wary of the cycles of David's relationships, recommends another therapist to him as she flies overseas to see her stepson. Feeling dejected, David resumes the affair with Louise after her release, seeking a renewed spark that never seems stable. The cycle of dependence continues, now shadowed by Marianna's absence.

David experiences genuine affection for Marianna, but she declines his marriage proposal. Shortly after, Marianna flies overseas to see her stepson. He also encounters Agnes again, only to learn she is engaged, a setback that reinforces his sense of isolation.

Months pass and David meets Janet during Christmas shopping, noticing another woman's legs and pursuing her, a fatal misstep when he is hit by an oncoming car. He is hospitalized, and in a final act, he jumps from a window to his death. In the waiting room and later at his gravesite, all of his past lovers mourn him, completing the film's tragic arc.