The Other Side of Midnight

The Other Side of Midnight

Year: 1977

Runtime: 165 mins

Language: English

Director: Charles Jarrott

RomanceThrillerDrama

Noelle Page, a French actress, falls for American pilot Larry Douglas, expecting marriage. Larry returns to the U.S. and marries innocent Catherine. Heartbroken, Noelle dates wealthy Greek Constantin and builds a successful acting career, vowing revenge. When her plot unfolds, she and Larry rekindle their passion and conspire to eliminate Catherine.

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Timeline & Setting – The Other Side of Midnight (1977)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Other Side of Midnight (1977). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1930s–1940s

Set in the late 1930s as Europe teeters on the brink of war, the narrative tracks a romance that flourishes amid glamorous but precarious circumstances. The onset of World War II reshapes loyalties and opportunities, forcing characters to adapt to shifting power dynamics. The postwar period shows the survivors facing the consequences of their choices.

Location

France, Hollywood, Chicago, Greece

France serves as the initial romantic backdrop just before World War II, where Noelle and Larry begin their torrid affair. The story winds through Hollywood's film industry and European high society, exposing glamour, hunger, and ambition. Chicago is introduced as Catherine's hometown, framing a contrast with Noelle's ascent. Greece becomes the stage for the murder plot and its fallout, including a corrupt court and tragic endings.

🇫🇷 France 🎬 Hollywood 🇺🇸 Chicago 🇬🇷 Greece

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:55

Main Characters – The Other Side of Midnight (1977)

Meet the key characters of The Other Side of Midnight (1977), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Noelle Page (Marie-France Pisier)

Noelle is a driven, beautiful woman who turns heartbreak into ambition after a harrowing abortion. She uses seduction and social ascent to become a famous actress and then the mistress of a gilded tycoon, all while nursing a taste for revenge. Her calculations and lack of empathy propel the plot and bring about tragedy. A calculating survivor, she cannot escape the consequences of her choices.

💃 Ambitious 💼 Ruthless 💋 Seductive

Catherine Alexander Douglas (Susan Sarandon)

Catherine is a sweet, trusting woman from Chicago who becomes Larry's wife. She is initially unaware of Larry's past and Noelle's machinations, embodying innocence and resilience. Her life is upended by the affair and the murder plot, yet she endures and, in the end, survives, seeking solace in a convent.

💖 Kind-hearted 🕊️ Resilient 🎭 Victim of circumstance

Larry Douglas (John Beck)

Larry starts as a charming American pilot whose warmth masks a propensity for manipulation and self-interest. He uses his allure to win Catherine and later becomes entangled in Noelle's calculated plan for money and status. His inconsistent loyalties and vanity drive the tragedy that unfolds for all involved.

💔 Charismatic 🧭 Self-serving 🏁 Tragic

Constantin Demeris (Raf Vallone)

Constantin is a powerful Greek tycoon whose wealth and influence extend into high society and legal spheres. He views people as instruments to advance his interests, shaping events behind the scenes rather than through romance. His presence anchors the social and legal pressures that drive the plot toward its grim conclusion.

💎 Wealth 🤝 Power broker ⚖️ Corrupt influence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:55

Major Themes – The Other Side of Midnight (1977)

Explore the central themes of The Other Side of Midnight (1977), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Obsession

Noelle's love for Larry quickly morphs into an all-consuming fixation after a life-changing abortion. She uses her charm to climb social ladders—from actress to mistress of a gilded tycoon—driven by a longing to possess what she couldn't keep. The obsession blinds her to moral boundaries, setting in motion a deadly chain of revenge. The film portrays how desire, when fused with power, can ruin both lovers and innocents.

💰 Power & Wealth

Wealth and social status drive the plot as Noelle brazenly leverages relationships to attain high society; Constantin Demeris epitomizes wealth's influence, wielding power over courts and destinies. The pursuit of money becomes a moral test, revealing manipulation, contracts, and danger. The theme shows how money can corrupt justice and personal loyalty.

⚖️ Justice & Fate

The Greek court's verdicts reveal the thin line between justice and influence, as Constantin's power sways outcomes. The murder plot ends with execution, but Catherine's survival adds a twist of fate and resilience. The film suggests that fate and law are tangled in glamour-driven cultures.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:55

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Obsessive Revenge Melodramas like The Other Side of Midnight

Stories where a deep romantic wound fuels a consuming and tragic quest for vengeance.If you liked the consuming vengeance plot of The Other Side of Midnight, explore more movies about obsessive revenge. These films feature characters whose hearts, broken by betrayal, turn to dark, calculated plans for retaliation, blending high drama with tragic, emotionally heavy outcomes.

vengefulobsessivemelodramatictragicfatalistictorridbetrayal

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a character who, after a deep romantic betrayal, channels their pain into a long-term, often elaborate, plan for revenge. The story spans years, showing their rise in power or status, culminating in a climactic confrontation that frequently backfires, leading to a bleak or fatalistic conclusion for all involved.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared focus on obsessive love curdled into revenge, a steady pacing that builds the scheme methodically, and a dark, melodramatic tone that embraces tragic, high-stakes emotions and morally ambiguous characters.

Doomed and Torrid Affairs like in The Other Side of Midnight

Passionate, illicit romances that spiral into betrayal, murder, and inevitable tragedy.For viewers who enjoyed the fatalistic passion of The Other Side of Midnight, this section features movies about doomed love affairs. These stories explore illicit romances that ignite with intense desire but are destined to end in betrayal, murder plots, and bleak, tragic consequences.

torridfatalistictragicadulterybetrayaldarkmelodramatic

Narrative Summary

The emotional journey follows characters who enter a whirlwind, all-consuming affair that exists outside societal norms. This passion quickly becomes a destructive force, leading to deceit, conspiracy, and often violent acts. The narrative structure builds steadily towards an inevitable collapse, emphasizing the fatalistic nature of their choices and the heavy price of their desire.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared dark tone, high emotional intensity, and focus on the destructive power of illicit passion. They share a steady pacing that allows the doomed relationship to unfold tragically, culminating in a bleak ending that feels both shocking and inevitable.

Unlock the Full Story of The Other Side of Midnight

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Other Side of Midnight 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 Other Side of Midnight is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Other Side of Midnight Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Other Side of Midnight, 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 Other Side of Midnight Summary

The Other Side of Midnight Timeline

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

The Other Side of Midnight Timeline

The Other Side of Midnight Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Other Side of Midnight 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 Other Side of Midnight Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Other Side of Midnight

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Other Side of Midnight: 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 Other Side of Midnight

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