The Idol

Year: 1966

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: English

Director: Daniel Petrie

Drama

The film follows a rebellious student who, despite the appearance of affection, embarks on a forbidden affair with his best friend's mother. Neither a conventional love story nor a tale of worship, the tryst spirals into tragic, irreversible consequences that shatter relationships and reveal the darkness beneath desire.

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The Idol (1966) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of The Idol (1966), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Marco, a young, arrogant art student, is friendly with Timothy, a medical student, and Sarah, Timothy’s girlfriend. Timothy is dominated by his wealthy and beautiful mother, Carol, who is divorcing her husband. There is an Oedipal undercurrent between mother and son, and Timothy is not happy that Carol plans to marry again. Nevertheless, as Carol continues to control his life, Timothy wishes to be more independent.

[Marco] finds a studio apartment, and Timothy pays the first two months’ rent, planning to move in with his friend and switch from medicine to art. An angry Carol prevents the move, and Sarah, who has fallen in love with Marco, moves in instead.

During a party at her weekend cottage, Carol becomes furious when she finds Marco and Sarah kissing in Timothy’s room, and she orders Marco from the house. Later, Timothy is involved in a pub brawl, and Marco defends him and brings him home unconscious. Carol is appreciative, and warms to him. Later at a bar, Marco and Carol dance, and it is clear the repressed Carol is attracted to him. Timothy looks on, uneasy.

On New Year’s Eve, Marco arrives at Carol’s house to accompany Timothy to a party. But Timothy had already left, and Marco is left alone with Carol. He seduces her, then scorns her in retaliation for his earlier humiliation at the cottage. He leaves for the party which is on a boat, and arrives drunk accompanied by a streetwalker. He hints broadly to Sarah of his conquest of Carol, which Timothy overhears. Anguished, Timothy runs up on deck and Marco stumbles after him. Timothy violently thrusts him away, but a woozy Marco falls into the water and drowns, despite Timothy’s efforts to save him. Questioned by the police, Timothy refuses to reveal the cause of the fight. Thus, without his admitting to the actual provocation, it is determined that Marco drowned at Timothy’s instigation. Carol, who has arrived during the questioning, reaches out to Timothy as he is being led away by the police, but he coldly turns away.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:11

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Forbidden affair tragedies like The Idol

Stories where illicit passions lead to irreversible ruin and shattered relationships.If you liked the destructive affair in The Idol, explore more movies about taboo relationships and illicit passions that lead to tragic consequences. These films share a heavy emotional weight and a bleak outlook, focusing on the irreversible damage caused by crossing forbidden lines.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a central, forbidden relationship—often with a significant power imbalance or age gap—that begins with intensity but quickly reveals its corrosive nature. The plot builds steadily towards an inevitable climax of betrayal, emotional destruction, or death, offering no redemption.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the catastrophic fallout of crossing moral and social boundaries. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a commitment to tragic, bleak endings that underscore the futility and danger of the central desire.

Oppressive psychological dramas like The Idol

Character-driven dramas steeped in a suffocating atmosphere of psychological tension.Fans of The Idol's claustrophobic tension will appreciate these similar psychological melodramas. These movies use a steady pace to build an anxious, oppressive atmosphere, focusing on complex character dynamics and the heavy emotional fallout of manipulation and desire.

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Narrative Summary

These stories are typically linear and character-focused, often centered on a psychologically complex triangle. The narrative relies on slow-burning tension, manipulation, and repressed emotions that simmer beneath the surface, eventually boiling over into a devastating, character-shattering conclusion.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their ability to create a palpable sense of psychological claustrophobia and dread. They share a melancholic and anxious mood, a steady, deliberate pacing that builds unease, and a high intensity derived from emotional manipulation rather than physical violence.

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