The Queen of Spades

The Queen of Spades

Year: 1949

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: Thorold Dickinson

DramaHorrorFantasyHorror the undead and monster classicsTerrifying haunted and supernatural horror

Her obsession with gambling drives an elderly countess to a sinister pact, trading her soul for the uncanny ability to win every card game. A card‑obsessed army officer, learning of the secret, murders her to seize the power, only to be relentlessly haunted by her vengeful spirit.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Queen of Spades (1949)

Trace every key event in The Queen of Spades (1949) 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

Herman abstains from gambling in St. Petersburg

Captain Herman Suvorin watches others play faro with a cool, calculating eye, but he never wagers his own money. His aversion to risk marks him as methodical and controlled in the bustling gambling culture of 1806 St. Petersburg. This stance sets up the tension between restraint and temptation that drives the plot.

1806 St. Petersburg
2

Herman seeks the truth behind Countess Ranevskaya's secret

Herman overhears rumors that Countess Ranevskaya possesses a secret to winning at cards. He buys a sensational book, The Strange Secrets of the Count de Saint Germain, hoping it will reveal the true stories of those who sold their souls for wealth. A chapter claims a 'Countess R***' learned the method decades earlier, which Herman identifies with Countess Ranevskaya.

shortly after the overhearing, 1806 Herman's home, St. Petersburg
3

Andrei meets Lizaveta at the bird market

Andrei, a noble-born military officer and Herman's friend, encounters Lizaveta Ivanovna in a bustling bird market and decides to pursue her as a suitor. The meeting sparks a competing romantic interest and complicates Herman's schemes. The market setting grounds their relationships in St. Petersburg.

Daytime Bird market, St. Petersburg
4

Herman begins courting Lizaveta with letters to gain access

Herman starts sending love letters to Lizaveta to win her trust and to pry into the countess's house. He hides his real motive behind romance, hoping proximity will grant him the coveted secret. The plan tightens the net between the lovers and the aging countess.

Soon after meeting Lizaveta, 1806 Countess's house and Lizaveta's circle, St. Petersburg
5

Andrei warns Lizaveta his friend is dangerous

Andrei discovers Herman's manipulation and warns Lizaveta that Herman is dangerous and capable of exploiting her. Lizaveta rejects the warning, continuing to question whom to trust. The rift between old friendship and new romance deepens.

Soon after the letters, 1806 Lizaveta's home, St. Petersburg
6

Herman confronts the Countess for the secret

Herman gains access to the countess's house and confronts her, demanding the secret in exchange for taking on her sin. He threatens the elderly woman with a pistol, and she dies of fright rather than from the shot. The crime marks a turning point in his arc from restraint to ruthless ambition.

Night Countess's house, St. Petersburg
7

Herman flees to Lizaveta's apartment and confesses

Herman escapes to Lizaveta's apartment and confesses that he frightened the countess to death. He claims the pistol was unloaded to justify his actions, but Lizaveta remains disgusted by his greed. She helps him flee but distances herself emotionally.

Soon after the murder, night Lizaveta's apartment, St. Petersburg
8

The funeral intensifies Herman's guilt

Herman attends the countess's funeral and is terrified when the corpse seems to open its eyes in the coffin, as if accusing him. The eerie moment amplifies the moral peril of his actions and foreshadows consequences to come.

Funeral day Countess's funeral, St. Petersburg
9

The ghost reveals the card secret and a grim condition

That night, Herman reads a chapter titled The Dead Will Give Up Their Secrets and is visited by the countess's ghost. The apparition reveals the secret of the three cards—three, seven, ace—and binds it to a demand that Herman marry Lizaveta. The supernatural encounter seals his fate with a perilous choice.

Night Herman's apartment, St. Petersburg
10

Herman seeks reconciliation but is rebuffed

The next day Herman tries to reconcile with Lizaveta, hoping to salvage his plan through affection. She rejects him again, maintaining her distance from a man driven by greed. The rejection deepens his isolation and desperation.

The following day Lizaveta's home, St. Petersburg
11

First round of faro: Herman bets on three of spades and wins

Herman brings his entire savings to a gaming salon and accepts Andrei's dare to play faro. In the first round, he bets on the three of spades and wins, taking a step deeper into reckless fortune. The crowd's energy heightens as his fortune seems to turn in his favor.

Same day Gaming salon, St. Petersburg
12

Second round: Herman bets on seven of spades and wins

In the second round, Herman wagers on the seven of spades and wins again, inflating his confidence and further blurring his judgment. Andrei watches with a wary sense of inevitability as the stakes rise. The duel of fates tightens around the two men.

Same day Gaming salon, St. Petersburg
13

Third round twists fate: misread ace vs queen

The third round hinges on a misread card: Herman spots the ace of spades in his hand but discovers the revealed card is the queen of spades. He bets on the ace, only to lose everything when the cards are shown. The loss shatters his plans and leaves him crushed and exposed.

Same day Gaming salon, St. Petersburg
14

Andrei withdraws Herman from the table

Andrei escorts a distraught Herman from the gambling table, offering quiet, practical mercy even as Herman mutters the whispered sequence three, seven, ace — three, seven, queen — as though naming fate. The moment marks the end of Herman's financial ascent that day.

End of the session Gaming salon, St. Petersburg
15

Bird-market celebration of Lizaveta and Andrei

Lizaveta and Andrei celebrate their future together by purchasing every bird in the market and setting them free. Their act is a symbol of liberation and hope contrasting Herman's downfall. The scene closes the arc with a hopeful, humane note in the same city of Saint Petersburg.

Following days Bird market, St. Petersburg

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:31

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The Queen of Spades Summary

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The Queen of Spades Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Queen of Spades

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Queen of Spades

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