The Disappearance

The Disappearance

Year: 1977

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Stuart Cooper

ThrillerDrama

A fierce, violent bond keeps a couple together until the same brutality tears them apart. When the contract killer’s wife suddenly vanishes, he is hired by an international organization to eliminate a target. He soon suspects the assignment is linked to her disappearance.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Disappearance (1977)

Trace every key event in The Disappearance (1977) 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

Wife disappears at Mallory's Montréal apartment

Jay Mallory returns to his downtown Montréal apartment to find his wife, Celandine, missing. He suspects she left him of her own accord, given their turbulent but passionate marriage. The disappearance raises questions about her loyalties and hints at danger tied to Mallory's work.

one cold winter day Montréal, downtown apartment
2

Burbank hints the disappearance ties to Mallory's last hit; then vanishes

Burbank, Mallory's point of contact at the Organization, suggests Celandine's disappearance could be connected to Mallory's most recent assassination. The hint unsettles him and hints at a larger conspiracy within the Organization. Before he can ask questions, Burbank himself disappears, leaving Mallory with more questions than answers.

soon after Organization office, Montréal
3

New assignment in Suffolk, England

The Organization assigns Mallory a new contract in rural Suffolk, England, without revealing the target or many details. He learns the assignment is linked to Celandine's disappearance, deepening his sense that he is being used. Despite misgivings, he accepts to see how it unfolds.

shortly after Suffolk, England (rural)
4

Flight to London; Atkinson provides the 'shy' weapon

Mallory travels to London to meet his new contact, Atkinson, who equips him with a weapon for the assassination, referred to as a 'shy'. The exchange confirms the Organization's willingness to push Mallory into the unknown. The mission feels like a setup, heightening his suspicion.

upon arrival London, England
5

Drive to rural Suffolk; suspicion of betrayal grows

After obtaining the weapon, Mallory rents a car and heads to rural Suffolk, where isolation and unclear orders amplify his sense of betrayal. He keeps moving, wary of traps and ulterior motives from the Organization. The journey steepens the tension as he nears the target.

shortly after starting the assignment Rural Suffolk, England
6

Conversation with Catherine Deverell; learns about Roland's affair

In Catherine Deverell's house, Mallory learns that Roland Deverell is a serial womanizer but that his affair with Celandine had seemed exclusive. The meeting fills in character details and motives behind the missing wife. During this visit, Atkinson calls with new confirmation of the assassination details.

during the visit Catherine Deverell's house, Suffolk
7

Atkinson reveals target's name; Deverell's assassination details

Atkinson informs Mallory of the target's name, Roland Deverell, tying the hit directly to him. The call confirms the Organization's plans and deepens Mallory's sense of being used. Deverell's name anchors the mission to a specific individual.

during the visit Phone call while at Catherine's house; Suffolk
8

Infiltration and confrontation at Deverell's country house

Mallory breaks into Roland Deverell's large country house and is confronted by Deverell, who claims to be the Organization's head Mallory has never met. Deverell reveals that Celandine left England and orchestrated the hit to free herself and enable Mallory to leave the Organization. A struggle ensues, and Mallory kills Deverell in self-defense.

during the break-in Deverell's country house, Suffolk
9

Return to London and head home to Montréal

With Deverell dead, Mallory travels back to London briefly before flying home to Canada. The trip hints at a complicated web of loyalty and betrayal within the Organization. The mission ends with Mallory on a flight back to his homeland.

after the Deverell confrontation London, then Montréal
10

Celandine returns and explains the plan

Mallory arrives at his Montréal apartment to find Celandine back, and she confesses involvement with Deverell as part of a broader plan to free herself and exit the Organization. She explains how she used middlemen to orchestrate the hit and secure Mallory's complicity. The couple appears to reconnect emotionally.

after arrival Montréal apartment
11

The next morning; Mallory is killed by a sniper

Feeling confident after their reconciliation, Mallory goes out to buy breakfast, leaving Celandine behind. An unseen sniper shoots him outside the apartment, killing him and shattering the fragile moment of happiness. The murder preserves the Organization's predatory world and leaves Celandine alone.

the next morning Outside Mallory's Montréal apartment

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:26

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The Disappearance Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Disappearance

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