The Users (1978) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds primarily in Hollywood's elite social scene, with key scenes also taking place in Las Vegas (where a wedding occurs) and Phoenix (where a film is shot). The setting emphasizes the contrast between glamour and the hidden costs of fame.

• hollywood setting
• las vegas
• phoenix
• movie locations

The film is set in the late 1970s Hollywood, specifically around the era of the 51st Academy Awards. This was a period of bold personalities and shifting studio power, characterized by obsession with prestige, spectacle, and the blurred lines between art and commerce.

• 1970s
• late 1970s
• academy awards
• era

The film explores three interconnected themes: Fame & Power, showing how influence and image govern careers in Hollywood; Showbiz Corruption, depicting a system where deals and favors blur artistry with profit; and Romance & Betrayal, revealing how personal relationships become transactional tools for career advancement.

• fame
• power
• corruption
• hollywood
• betrayal
• themes

Elena Scheider (played by Jaclyn Smith) is the protagonist, a poised courtesan who uses charm and wit to enter Hollywood's inner circle. She orchestrates romantic and professional moves to restore her husband Randy's failing career, revealing a calculating streak beneath her elegant exterior.

• elena scheider
• jaclyn smith
• protagonist
• main character

Randy Brent (played by Tony Curtis) is a once-famous actor whose career is in decline following his wife's death. Vulnerable and insecure, his fate becomes tied to Elena's schemes as she plots to revive his career. He oscillates between admiration for Elena and fear of renewed downfall.

• randy brent
• tony curtis
• actor
• declining career

The Fame & Power theme shows how influence and image govern careers in Hollywood. Elena climbs the insider ladder by charming executives and stars, exposing how productions bend to the desires of the powerful. The film portrays the seductive pull of fame and the moral compromises it demands.

• fame
• power
• moral compromise
• hollywood ambition

The film depicts producers, studio heads, and writers operating in a web of deals and favors that blur artistry with profit. Projects like The Last Man and Rogue's Gallery become battlegrounds for leverage, where casting decisions are driven by money, status, and access to powerful parties rather than talent.

• showbiz corruption
• studios
• producers
• deals
• power dynamics

Grace St. George (played by Joan Fontaine) is a wealthy socialite who embodies the Hollywood establishment's charm and influence. She mentors Elena into the insider circuit, exposing the social networks that link glamour to advantage. Her calm, controlling presence represents the era's elite circles.

• grace st george
• joan fontaine
• mentor
• socialite
• establishment

The film has a consistently dark tone, presenting a cynical portrayal of Hollywood as a system built on mutual exploitation. While themes of manipulation and betrayal are serious, the focus remains on cold, strategic maneuvering rather than deep emotional trauma, creating gripping but not overwhelming intensity.

• dark tone
• cynical
• hollywood exploitation
• tone

Romance & Betrayal shows how personal bonds are weaponized for career gains in Hollywood. Elena's marriages and affairs reveal strategic calculations, where love becomes both a route to ascent and a vulnerability exploited by others. Trust is fragile as partners pursue self-interest.

• romance
• betrayal
• relationships
• transactional love
• manipulation

Adam Baker (played by George Hamilton) is a powerful film producer whose infidelity illustrates the double life many industry figures lead. He serves as a link between the film world and Elena's ascent, both resisting and enabling others' ambitions through his complicated relationships.

• adam baker
• george hamilton
• producer
• infidelity

The ending is bittersweet: Randy and Marina achieve the fame they desired, but this success is built on Elena's transactional relationships. Ultimately, Elena leaves Randy for a new, presumably more advantageous marriage to Reade Jamieson, signaling a new balance of power.

Foreshadowing: The film foreshadows Elena's departure through her calculated approach to relationships, showing her willingness to use love as a strategic tool throughout.

• ending
• bittersweet
• elena leaves
• randy fame
• 结局