The Two Mrs. Carrolls

The Two Mrs. Carrolls

Year: 1947

Runtime: 99 mins

Language: English

ThrillerDramaThrillers and murder mysteriesNoir and dark crime dramasCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

Struggling artist Geoffrey Carroll meets Sally during a country holiday and falls in love, yet he hides that he is already married. Tormented by mental illness, he returns home, paints his wife as Angel of Death and murders her. He later marries Sally, but a compulsion to depict her as the Angel of Death again threatens to repeat the tragedy.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)

Trace every key event in The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947) 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

Sally ends the romance in Scotland

While on vacation in Scotland, Sally learns Geoffrey is married to an invalid wife. Realizing the relationship cannot continue, she ends the affair. She returns to London, leaving Geoffrey to face the consequences of his double life.

During a vacation in Scotland Scotland
2

Geoffrey returns to London, marries Sally, and buys a dangerous substance

Back in London, Geoffrey is married to Sally and living with her and Beatrice. He buys a dangerous substance from chemist Horace Blagdon, signing the register under a false name. He is also painting his wife as the Angel of Death during this period.

After returning from Scotland to London London
3

Two years later: life in a small-town mansion

Two years pass. Sally's first wife has died and Geoffrey is now married to Sally, living in the mansion she inherited. Geoffrey's career is thriving, but he feels increasingly uninspired by his work.

Two years later Small-town mansion
4

Penny brings Cecily into the picture

Lawyer Charles Penny Pennington visits Sally with his wealthy client Mrs. Latham and her icy daughter Cecily. They are introduced to Sally and Geoffrey at the couple's home. Cecily asks Geoffrey to paint her portrait, and their connection begins.

Shortly after Penny's visit Their home in the small town
5

Cecily begins an affair with Geoffrey

Cecily asks Geoffrey to paint her portrait; they begin an affair. The arrangement unfolds in Geoffrey's studio, where boundaries blur between professional commission and romantic interest. The affair sets off a dangerous chain of blackmail and deceit.

Shortly after Cecily's portrait request Geoffrey's studio
6

Blagdon blackmails Geoffrey

Blagdon, now in debt from horse betting, tracks Geoffrey down and begins to blackmail him for money. Geoffrey tries to handle the pressure by paying what he can, but the threat grows heavier. The strain of the double life tightens its grip on him.

Months after the affair begins Blagdon's chemist shop / surrounding area
7

Sally's illness and the planned dinner

Sally experiences intermittent weakness and headaches for three weeks, hoping Dr. Tuttle will approve her hosting a dinner party that evening. The doctor, though bumbling, believes her condition to be nerves and urges rest. The household continues with preparations for the party.

Three weeks into Sally's illness Their home
8

Cecily invites Geoffrey to South America

Cecily visits Geoffrey in secret to tell him she is going to South America in two days and invites him to come along. Geoffrey contemplates a future away from Sally. The secret plan deepens the tension of their double life.

That secret visit day Geoffrey's home
9

Bea hints at Geoffrey poisoning Sally

Bea packs to go to boarding school and reveals that her mother was not an invalid. She suggests that Sally's illness began after Geoffrey's return from Scotland, hinting at poisoning by Geoffrey via nightly milk. Sally is unsettled but focused on Bea's reactions.

Around Bea's boarding school packing Their home
10

The Angel of Death portrait is revealed

Bea and Sally go to Geoffrey's studio and are shocked to find a painting depicting Sally as the Angel of Death. The artwork confirms Sally's suspicions about Geoffrey's manipulation and possible poisoning. The discovery heightens the tension between husband and wife.

During Bea's studio visit Geoffrey's studio
11

Geoffrey murders Blagdon

Geoffrey, having paid only part of Blagdon's demanded money, beats the chemist to death when threatened. The murder removes a dangerous obstacle to his pursuit of a new muse. The crime compounds the peril surrounding Sally and Bea.

Shortly after the blackmail demands Blagdon's premises
12

Dinner party proceeds; Geoffrey plans to flee

The dinner party goes on as if nothing is wrong, but Geoffrey returns home determined to reveal his affair and go to South America with Cecily. He tells Cecily he will disclose the affair to Sally and flee with her. The plan adds a chilling layer to the evening's events.

That evening The mansion
13

Bea leaves for boarding school; milk moment

The maid takes Bea to boarding school, and Geoffrey brings Sally her milk, which she quietly pours out the window. Sally refuses to let him in, signaling she knows his treachery. The house settles into a tense quiet as the confrontation looms.

After the boarding-school procession The house
14

Geoffrey's final confrontation and arrest

Geoffrey realizes Sally has discovered his crime and begins to terrorize her; he ransacks the living room and breaks back into the house. He tells Sally that she must die to become his muse again. Penny arrives outside with two police officers as Geoffrey lunges, but the police enter and arrest him on the staircase.

That night The house, staircase

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:11

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Two Mrs. Carrolls

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