Set in the early 1970s, the narrative unfolds on the final day of Jake Hannaford, portrayed by John Huston, an elderly Hollywood director whose life ends tragically in a car crash on his 70th birthday. The story is narrated by Brooks Otterlake, a former protégé, who recounts Hannaford's last attempts to revitalize his dwindling career through an experimental film, rich in sexual content and violence, but which has failed to gain traction. This film, aptly titled The Other Side of the Wind, remains incomplete after its star unexpectedly storms off the set, leaving audiences in suspense regarding the cause.
During the festivities of Hannaford's birthday party, a peculiar screening occurs, featuring incomprehensible excerpts from his unfinished project, aimed at securing funding from the studio head, Max David. The legendary director is notably absent, while Billy Boyle, played by Norman Foster, makes a clumsy attempt to elucidate the film's meaning to the curious press. As the event progresses, various attendees journey towards the Arizona ranch for the celebration.
Among the guests is a young Otterlake, a successful director who credits much of his achievement to studying Hannaford closely. Journalists seize the occasion to pry into Hannaford's personal life, particularly questioning his sexuality and suggesting he might be a closeted homosexual, despite his rugged public demeanor. Throughout his career, Hannaford has had a reputation for seducing the partners of his leading men yet shows a strong attraction towards them as well.
The conspicuous absence of John Dale, played by an unnamed actor, raises eyebrows. Hannaford, the first to discover him during a botched suicide attempt at the Pacific Ocean, soon learns that Dale's eagerness to find him was masked by prior deception. As the party unfolds alongside various scenes from the film in a private screening room, it becomes evident why Dale stormed off—he was pushed away during a sex scene by Hannaford's off-screen provocations.
As the evening wears on and Hannaford sinks into drunkenness, he finds himself despondent in the restroom, ultimately pleading with Otterlake for assistance to revitalize his career. A sporadic power failure throughout the event adds to the chaos, with festivities continuing under the glow of lanterns before transitioning to an empty drive-in cinema for the film's concluding portion to be screened.
A realization dawns upon Hannaford that Otterlake may not provide the financial backing he hoped for, leading to a poignant farewell between the two, signaling the end of their friendship. Amidst this tension, journalist Juliette Rich provokes Hannaford with audacious questions, culminating in a drunken slap from Hannaford while Billy Boyle comes to his defense. As dawn breaks, a now sober John Dale arrives at the nearly deserted residence, missing the opportunity to join Hannaford as he departs in his sports car, ultimately sealing his fate in a fatal car accident.
In the meantime, the symbolic film screens to an almost-empty drive-in, with only the actress, Oja Kodar, remaining to watch the final scene, poignantly departing as Hannaford's narrative echoes his final thoughts.
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