The Gift

The Gift

Year: 1979

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Don Taylor

TV MovieDrama

Three Days of Passion and Conflict That Will Change His Life Forever A sailor on Christmas leave visits his boozing, one-legged father and dreamer mother in 1950s Brooklyn.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Gift yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – The Gift (1979)

Trace every key event in The Gift (1979) 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

Pete returns home on Christmas leave

Pete Devlin, a 17-year-old sailor, returns home to Brooklyn for Christmas leave from the Navy. His homecoming sets the stage for a quiet, intimate portrait of a father and son. The 1950s Brooklyn backdrop frames their emotional distance and the promise of reconciliation.

Christmas leave, 1950s Brooklyn
2

VFW hall honors Billy; slide show interrupts

The local VFW post honors Billy with an honorary membership and stages a slide show of his prewar soccer glory. As the presentation runs, Billy interrupts to insist the display stop. The moment reveals the father's pride and his reluctance to dwell on past glories.

Christmas event VFW Hall, Brooklyn
3

Pete learns Kathleen has a new boyfriend

Pete visits Kathleen and shares his dream of marrying and moving to Paris as an artist. He learns Kathleen has a new boyfriend who doesn't entertain their Parisian fantasies. The news strains Pete and foreshadows conflict between love and loyalty.

Christmas season Kathleen's home, Brooklyn
4

Pete asks Patsy for a gun

Pete seeks a gun to confront Kathleen's new rival, hoping violence might resolve the situation. He asks Patsy, a local gun dealer, who refuses to sell to him. The refusal highlights Pete's fragile judgment and mounting desperation.

Evening, Christmas week Patsy's shop
5

Teddy buys a gun

Teddy, Pete's younger brother, buys a gun with a reckless plan to rob a gas station. The act introduces a dangerous undercurrent in the family’s Christmas week. The gun will set up the later confrontations in the story.

Christmas week Brooklyn, location unspecified
6

Pete disarms Teddy

Pete intervenes and takes the gun from Teddy, trying to keep him from spiraling into violence. The moment shows Pete's sense of responsibility clashing with his own volatile impulses. The gun will later factor into Kathleen's party incident.

Later in Christmas week Brooklyn
7

Kathleen attends a party with Eddie Riggs

Kathleen arrives at a party with her new boyfriend, Eddie Riggs, challenging Pete's hopes for their future. Pete keeps the gun with him, signaling how close danger and jealousy are to him. The party becomes a turning point as tensions mount.

Christmas party night Kathleen's party, Brooklyn
8

Pete contemplates violence and discards the gun

With the gun in his possession, Pete contemplates using it against Eddie but ultimately throws it out the window. He reveals the volatility of his emotions and his desire to avoid hurting Kathleen's new partner. The moment marks a shift from threat to impulsive action.

Evening Kathleen's party
9

Pete punches Eddie and Kathleen is left behind

Pete sucker-punches Eddie Riggs, knocking him out, and Kathleen leaves with him. A gun is found on Eddie, amplifying the sense of danger at the party. Pete’s act closes the romantic chapter with Kathleen for the moment.

That night Kathleen's party
10

Pete visits his father at the bar; quest for connection

Pete goes to the bar to confront his father about why he never talks about the accident. He longs for honesty and a stronger father-son connection. The father begins to open up, setting the stage for a deeper reconciliation.

That night Bar, Brooklyn
11

Father explains his past and loss

The father recounts how he loved soccer, how the war and hospital treatment cost him his leg, and why he never wanted others to feel sorry for him. He remembers the moment the doctors cut off his leg and the sound of the saw. The revelation reframes the father’s silence as a shield rather than indifference.

Past Hospital and memory
12

Bar confrontation and reintroduction of son

A young man at the bar calls the father a 'gimp,' and Pete and his father defend themselves by throwing him out. The father then formally reintroduces his son to the bar as someone he’s proud of. They share a moment of solidarity, singing Irish songs as they ascend to their apartment.

Night Bar, Brooklyn
13

Bonding through music and home

Pete and his father reconnect through shared drinks and Irish songs, deepening their bond after years of silence. The warmth of the moment contrasts with the earlier pain, signaling a fragile reconciliation. They climb toward their apartment together, supported by a newfound mutual respect.

Night Apartment stairs, Brooklyn
14

Leaving for the Navy; narrator reflects

Pete departs Brooklyn to return to the Navy as his Christmas leave ends. He reflects that this modest gift of time meant more because his father loved him back. The older Pete’s voice-over frames the film as a coming-of-age story about responsibility and family.

Morning after Christmas leave Brooklyn, at the apartment

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:30

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The Gift Summary

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The Gift Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Gift

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Gift

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