The Amateur

The Amateur

Year: 1981

Runtime: 112 mins

Language: English

Director: Charles Jarrott

ActionThrillerCrime

In a world dominated by professional assassins, an amateur has no place. A CIA researcher persuades his superiors to authorize a covert mission behind the Iron Curtain, seeking vengeance for his wife's murder by hostile agents. Once there, he uncovers a tangled web of deception that lies beneath the circumstances of her death.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Amateur (1981)

Trace every key event in The Amateur (1981) 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

Charlie restores a vintage Cessna as a gift; Sarah departs for London

Charlie spends weeks restoring an old Cessna as a personal gift for his wife. Sarah leaves on a business trip to London, setting the stage for a quiet moment before the storm. The plane's revival becomes a symbol of hope amid rising tension.

Charlie's workshop
2

Revelations from Inquiline and the news of Sarah's death

Inquiline provides classified files that reveal that Moore has used drone strikes as suicides. Samantha informs Charlie that Sarah was killed in a terrorist attack. Grief fuels Charlie to dig deeper into the agency's secrets.

CIA Decryption and Analysis division
3

Charlie identifies four suspects linked to Sarah's kidnapping

After reviewing the arms deal fallout, Charlie names four suspects: Mishka Blazhic, Ellish, Gretchen Frank, and Horst Schiller. Moore and Caleb push back, insisting they will take down Schiller's network instead. Charlie vows to hunt them down.

CIA HQ
4

Charlie demands mission resources and training at The Farm

Grieving but determined, Charlie presents his findings to the CIA leadership and demands the resources and mission specific training at The Farm. He intends to personally pursue the four leaders across the globe. The tension with Moore grows as he refuses to back down.

CIA HQ
5

Training at Camp Peary; Henderson notes Charlie's limits

Charlie is sent to Camp Peary to train under Colonel Robert Henderson. He excels at making bombs, but Henderson concludes he is not yet capable of killing. The training pushes him toward a darker path he fears he cannot complete.

Camp Peary
6

Henderson's pursuit; Marseille confrontation

Henderson is ordered to eliminate Charlie after he tampers with the files. In Marseille, Charlie traps Henderson in a bar and triggers an explosion in the bathroom to make his escape. The pursuit intensifies as both men escalate their means.

Marseille, France
7

Davies reveals herself as Inquiline; Blazhic traced to Madrid

In Istanbul, Davies reveals herself as Inquiline, the Russian widow who replaced a murdered ex-KGB officer. They trace Mishka Blazhic to a luxury hotel in Madrid, moving the investigation to Europe.

Istanbul
8

Madrid showdown with Mishka Blazhic

In Madrid, Charlie confronts Blazhic at his rooftop pool. Blazhic refuses to cooperate, and Charlie shatters the glass, sending him to his death. The math of vengeance tightens around him.

Madrid, hotel rooftop pool
9

Samantha's protective move and Henderson's attack; Charlie escapes

During the Madrid operation, Henderson is attacked by Samantha's operative; Henderson is shot but kills the operative, and Charlie escapes. Samantha increases protection around Charlie as the hunt continues.

Madrid
10

Davies killed as a Russian FSB strike team arrives in Istanbul

Caleb tracks Davies after her help to Charlie; a Russian FSB strike team is dispatched to Istanbul, and Davies is killed as she flees with Charlie. The network's reach tightens around Istanbul.

Istanbul
11

Romania: Ellish reveals Schiller's Baltic operation

Charlie tracks Ellish to Romania under the guise of selling missiles; Ellish is forced to reveal that Schiller operates from a ship on the Baltic Sea. The pursuit shifts toward the Baltic region.

Romania
12

Final confrontation aboard Schiller's ship and its fallout

Charlie travels to Primorsk to observe Schiller's operation; The Bear confronts him, but Charlie refuses to end his vendetta. He boards Schiller's ship, hacks its controls, and sails toward the Gulf of Finland, where Schiller is taken into custody by Finnish police and Interpol. Moore and Caleb are arrested for unsanctioned actions, Samantha announces a purge of the agency, and Henderson visits Charlie as he completes restoring his plane.

Schiller's ship / Primorsk / Gulf of Finland

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:50

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The Amateur Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Amateur

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