The Intruder

The Intruder

Year: 1999

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: David Bailey

ThrillerMystery

Catherine meets Nick by accident; after a whirlwind romance they marry and she moves into his apartment. Soon, an unseen intruder begins to stalk her, orchestrating bizarre mind games that aim to drive her insane. As the harassment escalates, Catherine struggles to discern reality from manipulation, fearing she is constantly being watched.

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Timeline & Setting – The Intruder (1999)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Intruder (1999). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day and three years earlier

The narrative plays out across two timelines: the present, focused on Catherine's police station confession, and the past, detailing how Catherine and Nick began their life together and Stella’s murder. The past events influence motives and mistrust in the present, while the possibility of Stella’s survival introduces a confusing overlap of timelines. This dual structure creates suspense around what is real versus what is remembered or imagined.

Location

Nick's apartment, Gallery, Police Station, Loft, Hotel

The story unfolds primarily within an urban residential building that houses Nick and Catherine, with the shared lofts of neighbors below. It also moves to a publicly accessible gallery where the couple first connect, and to the police station where the confession takes place. The hotel scene and the building’s common spaces amplify tension, secrets, and the potential for violence as events spiral.

🏙️ Urban 🕵️‍♀️ Mystery ⏳ Time-related 🏢 Domestic drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

Main Characters – The Intruder (1999)

Meet the key characters of The Intruder (1999), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Catherine Girard (Charlotte Gainsbourg)

Catherine is determined to uncover Stella's fate and the truth behind Nick's past, even as evidence vanishes and her grasp on reality feels precarious. Her love for Nick becomes strained by jealousy and fear, driving her to extreme actions in self-defense. She navigates diary clues, shifting timelines, and possible wormhole interference to discern what really happened.

🧠 Psychological ❤️ Romantic 🕵️‍♀️ Suspenseful

Nick Girard (Charles Powell)

Nick is a widower who clings to Stella's memory while trying to protect his new marriage. He loves Catherine but remains guarded about his late wife and the rumors surrounding infidelity. His cautious demeanor and hidden past contribute to the mounting distrust and tension between him and Catherine.

💔 Troubled 🧭 Mysterious 🕊️ Loyal

Daisy (Molly Parker)

Daisy is Charlie's on-and-off girlfriend who becomes entangled in the couple’s spiraling mystery. Her presence adds strain and serves as a flashpoint for suspicion and danger within their social circle. Her eventual death deepens the sense that the stakes are personal and escalating.

🎭 Drama 💡 Insightful 🔪 Dangerous

Badge Mueller (Nastassja Kinski)

Badge is an art broker and Nick's former girlfriend who resides in the loft below Catherine and Nick. She lends Catherine a pistol and becomes a crucial link to Nick's past. Her involvement complicates loyalties, as she moves between ally and potential obstacle.

🖼️ Art 🕵️‍♀️ Intriguing 🗝️ Vaulted secrets

Charlie (John Hannah)

Charlie is a mathematician and video game programmer living in the same building. He offers a rational perspective amid rising tension, but he is drawn into the dangerous events surrounding the couple. His death adds a sharp, personal cost to the unraveling mystery.

🧩 Intellectual 🌀 Tense 👀 Suspenseful

Stella (unknown actor)

Stella is Nick's deceased wife whose memory and diary entries drive jealousy and suspicion. Her past presence resonates through Catherine's present, acting as a catalyst that provokes questions about motive and truth. She remains a ghostly influence rather than a living character in the film.

💫 Memory 🗃️ Diary 🕳️ Past

Detective Fordham (Mike Tsar)

Detective Fordham leads the investigation and remains skeptical of Catherine's story. He represents procedural caution and the drive for conventional proof, challenging Catherine to prove a narrative that may defy easy evidence. His role heightens the contrast between belief and disbelief in the investigation.

🕵️‍♂️ Investigation 🧩 Puzzle 🔬 Forensic

Saxophonist (Charles Papasoff)

The saxophonist adds texture to the building's ambience, reflecting the urban setting and social dynamics surrounding the central couple. His presence contributes to the moody, atmospheric layer of the story.

🎷 Music 🏙️ Urban

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

Major Themes – The Intruder (1999)

Explore the central themes of The Intruder (1999), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⏳ Time Travel

A central premise involves a wormhole-like idea that lets Stella from the past affect Catherine in the present, blurring the line between chronology. This device is used to explore how memory and possibility shape present decisions. The past continually resurfaces, forcing characters to question what actually happened. The suspense hinges on whether events are fixed or malleable across time.

💔 Jealousy

Jealousy and possessiveness drive the relationships at the story’s core, with Stella’s memory pressing on Catherine and Nick’s marriage. Stella’s diary reveals revenge motifs tied to a rival, intensifying Catherine’s fear of infidelity and betrayal. The tension of imagined and real rivals destabilizes trust and pushes characters toward drastic actions. The theme examines how envy can distort perception and fuel conflict.

🔎 Truth & Evidence

The plot hinges on elusive proof: a weapon dated after the crime, missing diary entries, and disappearing corroboration. Catherine’s pursuit of the truth clashes with disbelief from authorities and those around her. Investigations in the police station contrast with memories that may be unreliable, creating a crowding doubt about what is real. The narrative questions whether truth can be established when timelines and memories collide.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

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The Intruder Summary

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The Intruder Summary

The Intruder Timeline

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The Intruder Timeline

The Intruder Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Intruder Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Intruder

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