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The Bitch (1979) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1979 · 89 mins · English
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Directed by
Gerry O’Hara
Starring
John Ratzenberger, Ian Hendry, Peter Wight, Antonio Cantafora, Joan Collins, Mark Burns

After the Stud The owner of a trendy disco starts having problems with the men in her life and the Mafia, which is trying to move in on her place.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Bitch
  6. 6 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Bitch Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Bitch (1979) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Fontaine's post-divorce life and faltering nightclub

    Fontaine Khaled enters life after divorce with a jetset image, but her finances are fragile. Her London nightclub, The Hobo, is bleeding customers as newer venues lure away the crowds. She must cope with the fear of losing everything while trying to keep up appearances.

    When
    After the divorce
    Where
    London
  2. Nico Cantafora enters Fontaine's orbit on a flight

    On a flight from New York to London, Fontaine meets Nico Cantafora, who woos her with the guise of wealth. Unbeknownst to her, he is a conman who owes money to the mafia and aims to exploit her for his schemes. The encounter drags them both into a dangerous, entangled relationship.

    When
    Mid-journey
    Where
    On a flight from New York to London
  3. Nico uses Fontaine to smuggle a stolen ring

    Nico covertly uses Fontaine to smuggle a stolen diamond ring through airport customs, planning to sell it in London to pay his debts. Fontaine carries the ring without realizing its true purpose. The plan immediately casts a shadow over her trust in him.

    When
    Shortly after their meeting
    Where
    London airport
  4. Nico tracks Fontaine, they spend a night together

    Nico tracks Fontaine down to retrieve the ring and they spend the night together. In the morning, Fontaine discovers the ring was planted, and she throws him out. The betrayal deepens her vulnerability while the con continues to ripple through their lives.

    When
    Soon after the flight
    Where
    Fontaine's London home
  5. The ring is revealed as a fake; Fontaine forgives Nico

    Nico later reveals that the ring is fake and gifts it to Fontaine as a lighthearted token, and she forgives him. The moment softens their relationship but does not erase the danger surrounding them. Their bond remains a volatile lifeline amid mounting financial pressures.

    When
    Following the confrontation
    Where
    London
  6. Fontaine's finances worsen; Rinstead warns

    Fontaine's financial problems escalate as expenses mount and revenue declines. Her advisor Arnold Rinstead warns that she is rapidly running out of money. With the club's fortunes in peril, she resolves to revive The Hobo and recapture past glory.

    When
    After forgiveness
    Where
    London
  7. Nico is beaten; Fontaine learns of his mob ties

    Nico is beaten by local gangsters due to the money he still owes, exposing his mob connections. Fontaine learns the extent of his criminal ties, complicating their relationship and her attempts to regain control of her life. The revelation increases the dangers surrounding both of them.

    When
    After the beating
    Where
    London or nearby
  8. Invitation to the Grants' country estate

    They are invited to the country estate of Fontaine's best friends, Leonard and Vanessa Grant, where the stakes rise with a high-stakes derby looming. The Grants' racehorse Plato is the favorite to win, adding a new financial angle to the drama. The country retreat sets the stage for later intrigues tied to the derby.

    When
    Before the derby
    Where
    Grant estate
  9. Introduction of Plato and the derby intrigue

    Plato becomes central as the derby approaches, with money and power on the line. Mafia debts and personal ambitions converge around the race, turning the event into a bargaining ground. The tension between loyalty, greed, and ambition grows louder.

    When
    Pre-derby
    Where
    Derby track and Grant estate
  10. Nico is ordered to fix the race

    Nico is instructed by the mafia boss Thrush Feathers to cause Plato to lose, and he begins pressuring the jockey to throw the race. The pressure tightens as the deadline nears, showing how far Nico will go to protect his debts. The plot thickens with each manipulation of the race outcome.

    When
    Race day prep
    Where
    Derby track and stables
  11. Fontaine negotiates with Feathers for a cut

    Fontaine overhears Nico's plan and confronts Feathers, requesting a cut of the payoff if the scheme succeeds. Feathers agrees to the arrangement, making Fontaine indebted to him and expanding his grip on her life. The alliance with Feathers shifts the power balance in the group.

    When
    Before race day
    Where
    Feathers' meeting place
  12. Derby day: the race and Fontaine's gambit

    Race day arrives and the jockey falls as planned, ensuring Plato loses. Fontaine pretends she has gambled her entire fortune on Plato to win and acts broke, provoking Nico's elation at the apparent victory. The scheme temporarily buys her time while the mob's reach remains looming.

    When
    Race day
    Where
    Derby track
  13. Nico is captured by Feathers' men

    After handing Fontaine Nico's winning tickets, he is carted off by Feathers' henchmen, disappearing from the arrangements. Fontaine seizes the opportunity to claim both sets of winnings and tighten her position. The mafia's grip tightens around Nico as Fontaine moves toward final control of her finances.

    When
    After race
    Where
    Derby track or nearby
  14. Fontaine's financial windfall and nightclub revival

    With the winnings from Nico's tickets and her cut from Feathers, Fontaine's finances are revived and The Hobo regains life. She finally stabilizes her business and wardrobe, enjoying a period of relief. Yet Feathers' influence continuing to loom over her future.

    When
    Post-race
    Where
    London, The Hobo
  15. Feathers becomes the new owner of The Hobo

    In a final twist, Feathers proclaims himself as the new owner of The Hobo, signaling a drastic shift in Fontaine's control of her own club. The power dynamic tilts toward organized crime, leaving her uncertain about what comes next. The ending closes on a bittersweet note, with survival but without true independence.

    When
    End
    Where
    The Hobo nightclub, London

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:21

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Timeline questions answered

The Bitch Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Bitch (1979): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Nico use Fontaine to smuggle the diamond ring?

Nico needs to get the stolen diamond ring from New York to London to sell it and pay off his mafia debts. Since he's being watched by gangsters who want the money he owes, he uses Fontaine as an unsuspecting courier because she appears wealthy and legitimate, making her less likely to be searched at customs.

Foreshadowing: The earlier description establishes that Nico is a conman who owes money to the mafia, explaining why he needs to resort to risky schemes.

  • nico smuggler ring
  • fontaine carries ring
  • mafia debt
  • new york to london
Q2

Why does Fontaine forgive Nico after discovering he planted the ring in her coat?

After the confrontation, Nico discovers the ring is actually a fake and returns it to Fontaine as a lighthearted gift. This act, combined with Fontaine's desperate financial situation and her emotional connection to Nico, leads her to forgive him despite the betrayal.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows their volatile relationship develops rapidly, with trust issues but also strong attraction.

  • fontaine forgives nico
  • fake ring
  • relationship
  • betrayal
Q3

Why does the mafia want Plato to lose the Derby?

The mafia doesn't care about the horse race outcome itself. Mafia boss Thrush Feathers uses the fixed race as leverage over Nico, who owes them money. By ordering Nico to ensure Plato loses and then arranging the payoff, Feathers keeps Nico under his control while also creating an opportunity to expand his influence into Fontaine's world.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the timeline, Nico is beaten by gangsters for his debts, showing the mafia's pressure is mounting.

  • thrush feathers
  • mafia fix race
  • nico debt
  • derby favorite plato
Q4

How does Fontaine trick Nico into giving her his winning tickets?

Fontaine overhears Nico's plan to fix the race and makes her own deal with Feathers. On race day, she pretends that she gambled her entire fortune on Plato to win and is now ruined. This convinces Nico, who believes his horse will win and the mafia will leave him alone, to hand over his winning tickets for her to cash in, thinking he's helping a desperate friend.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Fontaine negotiates her own cut with Feathers before the race, setting up her double cross.

  • fontaine tricks nico
  • winning tickets
  • derby scheme
  • fontaine pretends broke
Q5

What happens to Nico after he gives Fontaine the winning tickets?

After Nico hands over the tickets, Feathers' henchmen immediately grab him and haul him away. He's taken by the mafia, presumably to settle his debts or face consequences for his role in the scheme. He's never seen again in the story, leaving Fontaine to claim his winnings.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Feathers had ordered Nico to fix the race, showing Nico was always being manipulated by the mafia.

  • nico taken by mafia
  • nico disappears
  • feathers men
  • nico caught
Q6

Why does Thrush Feathers become the new owner of The Hobo at the end?

Feathers has been expanding his criminal influence throughout the story. By making a deal with Fontaine during the race-fixing scheme and taking Nico out of the picture, Feathers positions himself to take direct control of The Hobo. The ending shows that Fontaine's financial survival came at the cost of letting organized crime infiltrate her club.

Foreshadowing: Fontaine's deal with Feathers to get a cut of the race payoff already establishes their financial entanglement.

  • feathers owns hobo
  • the hobo new owner
  • organized crime
  • fontaine club taken over
Q7

Why does Fontaine side with the mafia against Nico?

Fontaine is drowning in financial trouble and sees an opportunity. When she overhears Nico's plan to fix the race, she approaches Feathers directly to demand a cut of the payoff. This allows her to collect double winnings, her cut from Feathers plus Nico's tickets, giving her enough money to revive The Hobo. She's willing to betray Nico because her survival depends on it.

Foreshadowing: Arnold Rinstead's warning about money running out establishes how desperate Fontaine's financial situation has become.

  • fontaine betray nico
  • fontaine deals with mafia
  • fontaine survival
  • race scheme
Q8

Why does Nico agree to fix the Derby race for the mafia?

Nico is under intense pressure from Feathers because of the substantial money he owes. The mafia has already beaten him once, and they want their money. By agreeing to fix the race, Nico believes he can pay off his debts and finally be free of Feathers' control. It's a desperate attempt to escape his mounting debts.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Nico was previously beaten by gangsters, demonstrating the consequences of not paying.

  • nico forced fix race
  • nico owes money
  • mafia pressure
  • nico desperation
Q9

How does Fontaine end up with enough money to save The Hobo?

Fontaine executes a three-part scheme: she makes a separate deal with Feathers for a cut of the race payoff, pretends to Nico that she's broke so he'll give her his winning tickets, and then collects both sets of winnings. The combined money from Nico's tickets and her cut from Feathers is enough to pay off her debts and restore her nightclub.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows her financial situation worsening as patrons leave and expenses mount.

  • fontaine wins money
  • save the hobo
  • double payout
  • fontaine financial recovery
Q10

Why is Fontaine willing to risk everything on the Derby scheme?

Fontaine has no choice, she's running out of money and her nightclub is failing. Her advisor Arnold Rinstead has warned her that funds are depleting rapidly. The Derby scheme represents her last realistic opportunity to secure a large sum quickly. She calculates that aligning with Feathers, despite the risk, offers better odds than watching her business collapse.

Foreshadowing: Rinstead's warning about finances establishes the urgency of Fontaine's situation.

  • fontaine desperate
  • financial risk
  • arnold rinstead warning
  • club failing
Q11

What motivates Nico to stay with Fontaine despite the danger?

Nico is genuinely attracted to Fontaine and finds himself emotionally entangled with her, even as his criminal life puts her at risk. Despite being a conman, he develops real feelings for her. Additionally, Fontaine represents a ticket to legitimacy, he hopes that being with her can help him escape his criminal past and mafia debts.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows them spending a night together early on, indicating a strong personal connection beyond the con.

  • nico feelings for fontaine
  • nico legit
  • nico fontaine relationship
  • attraction
Q12

Why does Fontaine take Nico back after throwing him out for planting the ring?

After throwing Nico out, she learns the ring was fake and he returns it as a playful gift. This softens her anger, and she's drawn back to him despite knowing he's a conman with mob connections. Her financial desperation and loneliness make her willing to overlook his deception, especially since he represents both excitement and a potential solution to her money problems.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows a pattern of their relationship swinging between trust and betrayal.

  • fontaine takes back nico
  • fake ring returned
  • volatile relationship
  • fontaine vulnerability

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Bitch, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Bitch tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about survival in a treacherous jet-set world like The Bitch

Characters use their wits and charm to stay afloat in a treacherous, high-society world. If you liked The Bitch, you'll appreciate these movies where characters face financial ruin and criminal threats within a glamorous facade. They feature resourceful protagonists in high-stakes worlds where survival means making difficult, morally ambiguous choices.

  • glamorous
  • anxious
  • treacherous
  • cynical
  • resourceful
  • high-stakes
  • Tone: cynical, anxious, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a protagonist, often a business owner or social climber, whose luxurious lifestyle is threatened by external forces like the mafia or financial collapse. The plot revolves around a series of schemes, alliances, and betrayals as the character fights to maintain their status and security, leading to a bittersweet resolution where they survive but are forever changed.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a glamorous yet anxious atmosphere, a central conflict between survival and integrity, and a narrative that pits a resourceful individual against powerful, corrupt systems.

Movies with bittersweet endings after moral compromise like The Bitch

Stories where achieving a goal comes at the price of personal integrity or happiness. Fans of The Bitch will find similar themes in these stories of costly success. The movies feature characters who achieve their objectives but are left in a morally compromised state, exploring the complex price of survival and ambition.

  • bittersweet
  • cynical
  • morally-ambiguous
  • poignant
  • anxious
  • deceptive
  • Tone: bittersweet, cynical, poignant
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative arc follows a character under severe pressure who engages in increasingly dubious actions to solve a central problem. The climax resolves the external conflict (e.g., financial security is achieved), but the resolution highlights the personal cost, such as a loss of trust or an uneasy alliance with corrupt forces, resulting in a poignant and ambiguous ending.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films through their shared emotional journey: a medium-intensity, steady-paced plot that leads to a conclusion where the protagonist's success is fundamentally undermined by the compromises they made to get there.

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Every angle

The Bitch (1979) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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