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Three Strangers (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 95 mins · Persian
Directed by
Mehdi Mazloumi
Starring
Majid Salehi, Borzoo Arjmand, Leila Otadi, Amin Hayaei, Mohammadreza Sharifinia, Sahar Ghoreyshi

Three undercover agents journey to Iran for a clandestine mission. Upon arriving in Tehran, they unexpectedly encounter a series of humorous and unusual circumstances that complicate their objectives and test their resolve. The challenges they face force them to adapt and improvise as they navigate unfamiliar territory.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (13)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Three Strangers
  5. 5 Every angle

13 events in order · contains spoilers

Three Strangers Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Three Strangers (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Crystal lures the strangers to her London flat for a fortune-wish project

    On Chinese New Year 1938, Crystal Shackleford invites two strangers, solicitor Jerome Arbutny and Johnny West, to her London flat. She believes that if the three of them make the same wish to the idol Kwan Yin, the wish will be granted. They pool money to buy a Grand National sweepstakes ticket and agree not to sell it if it is drawn, intending to hold onto it until the race. Each has a personal motive for wanting the winnings.

    When
    Chinese New Year 1938
    Where
    Crystal's London flat
  2. Crystall reveals backstories: David Shackleford's return and Janet's deception

    David Shackleford, Crystal's husband, has moved to Canada and returns just after the meeting, demanding a divorce. Crystal refuses and even schemes to derail his career promotion. She also lies to Janet Elliott, telling her that David still loves her and that she is pregnant, steering Janet back to Canada. The web of personal vendettas begins to entangle the trio.

    When
    early 1938
    Where
    London
  3. Johnny's hiding and Icey Crane provides a costly alibi

    Johnny West has been hiding after a drunken participation in a botched robbery that resulted in a policeman's death. Icey Crane helps by committing perjury to provide an alibi for the ringleader, Bertram Fallon. The tangled alibis become a weapon in the looming confrontation, while the trio remains under scrutiny.

    When
    after the robbery
    Where
    London
  4. Fallon’s second confession and shifting blame

    With a second witness discredited, Fallon confesses to the robbery but blames the murder on West and Gabby Delaney. The confession tightens the net around Johnny as investigators tighten their case. The truth about the murder grows murkier as loyalties shift.

    When
    after discrediting testimony
    Where
    London, during investigation
  5. Johnny is captured and sentenced; Fallon dies and clears Johnny

    Johnny West is arrested and sentenced to death for the murder. Gabby Delaney discovers Fallon on his way to prison and stabs him, dying as Fallon dies in a railway carriage, thereby clearing Johnny of the murder.

    When
    before execution
    Where
    Railway carriage / London
  6. Arbutny's stock gambit and Lady Belladon rejection

    Arbutny operates with money from Lady Belladon's eccentric trust fund, gambling on stock speculation. When his margin call arrives, Lady Belladon refuses his overture to procure funds and hints that Lord Belladon wants the books checked. The threat of exposure deepens Arbutny's precarious situation.

    When
    during the stock dealings
    Where
    London, in Lady Belladon's circle
  7. Arbutny contemplates suicide and discovers the sweepstakes draw

    Desperate, Arbutny contemplates shooting himself after seeing the margin calls. A newspaper headline reveals that their Grand National sweepstakes ticket has been drawn, jolting him with a possible path to escape punishment. The revelation transforms his plan from self-destruction to preservation of the ticket.

    When
    shortly after margin call
    Where
    Arbutny's location / home
  8. The trio converges on Crystal's flat to decide the ticket's fate

    The three strangers converge back on Crystal's flat. Arbutny wants to sell his share to cover his crime; Johnny is willing to sell; Shackleford remains adamant that they keep the agreement intact. Tensions rise as the plan to safeguard the ticket becomes the flashpoint for conflict.

    When
    after the Grand National draw
    Where
    Crystal's London flat
  9. Arbutny kills Crystal with the Kwan Yin statue

    In a fit of rage, Arbutny accidentally kills Crystal Shackleford with her statue of Kwan Yin during the confrontation. The murder instantly intertwines their fates with the fate of the sweepstakes ticket. The group faces the gravity of what their plan has unleashed.

    When
    immediately after confrontation
    Where
    Crystal's London flat
  10. The Grand National winner is announced on the radio

    Moments after Crystal's death, the radio announces that the Grand National winner has been drawn in their ticket. The outcome would have resolved the fate of the ticket, but the murder complicates the intent to claim or destroy it. The discovery fuels the urgency to manage the ticket's fate.

    When
    immediately after murder
    Where
    Crystal's flat / London
  11. The plan to destroy the ticket is considered

    Johnny points out that destroying the winning ticket would erase their motive to murder Crystal and could expose their crime. They decide to leave the flat and consider destroying the ticket to avoid being implicated. The tension between loyalty and self-preservation heightens.

    When
    post-win announcement
    Where
    Crystal's flat
  12. Arbutny confesses in the street; Shackleford arrives but leaves

    Arbutny panics and stops traffic to confess to the murder in the middle of a busy London street. David Shackleford arrives intending to shoot Crystal for causing Janet's departure but, upon discovering she is already dead, leaves shaken. The street confession cements the unraveling of their plans.

    When
    immediately after the murder
    Where
    Busy London street
  13. Johnny destroys the ticket and returns to the pub

    Johnny goes back to the pub, where Icey Crane finds him. He sets the Grand National ticket on fire, ending any possibility of using the winnings to escape punishment. The film closes on a note of burned fate and ruined plans.

    When
    finale
    Where
    Pub

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:42

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Timeline questions answered

Three Strangers Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Three Strangers (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Crystal lure strangers to her flat for the sweepstakes ticket?

Crystal believes that if three people make the same wish to the idol Kwan Yin on Chinese New Year, the wish will be granted. She invites Jerome Arbutny and Johnny West to her flat to pool money for a Grand National sweepstakes ticket and hold onto it until the race is run, hoping the winnings can remake their futures.

Foreshadowing: Crystal's flat contains the Kwan Yin statue that becomes the murder weapon later.

  • crystal shackleford
  • kwan yin
  • grand national
  • sweepstakes
  • wish
  • superstition
Q2

Why does Crystal sabotage her husband's career?

Crystal's husband David Shackleford returns from Canada demanding a divorce after falling in love with Janet Elliott. Refusing to accept the divorce, Crystal works to undermine his career by sabotaging his promotion at work, using her knowledge of his professional weaknesses to exact revenge.

Foreshadowing: Crystal's manipulative nature is established early when she lies to Janet about David's feelings.

  • david shackleford
  • crystal
  • divorce
  • promotion
  • sabotage
Q3

Why does Crystal lie to Janet about being pregnant?

Crystal tells Janet Elliott that David Shackleford still loves her and that Janet is pregnant, a cruel fabrication designed to manipulate Janet into returning to Canada. This lie drives Janet away and keeps David entangled in Crystal's web of control.

Foreshadowing: This lie ultimately leads David to Crystal's flat intending violence, only to find her already dead.

  • janet elliott
  • crystal
  • pregnancy
  • lie
  • manipulation
Q4

Why is Johnny West hiding after the robbery?

Johnny West participated in a botched robbery while drunk, which resulted in a policeman's death. He went into hiding to avoid arrest, though he was not the actual murderer. His past crime haunts him throughout the story and contributes to the trio's desperate circumstances.

Foreshadowing: The timeline reveals that Johnny's legal troubles mount as the investigation progresses.

  • johnny west
  • robbery
  • policeman death
  • hiding
  • alibi
Q5

How does Icey Crane help Johnny West?

Icey Crane provides Johnny with a false alibi through perjury, claiming he was elsewhere during the robbery. When this alibi is discredited and the truth emerges that Bertram Fallon was the ringleader, Johnny is eventually condemned to death before being cleared by Fallon's dying confession.

Foreshadowing: Icey later finds Johnny at the pub after Crystal's murder, showing their connection persists.

  • icey crane
  • johnny west
  • perjury
  • alibi
  • Bertram Fallon
Q6

Why does Arbutny kill Crystal with the statue?

During an argument at Crystal's flat about whether to sell their sweepstakes ticket share, Arbutny flies into a rage. In the confrontation, he accidentally kills Crystal with her own statue of Kwan Yin, the very idol they had wished upon for fortune. The irony is that their superstitious belief in wishes leads to violence.

Foreshadowing: The Kwan Yin statue has been present throughout as a symbol of their hopes, making its role as a murder weapon thematically significant.

  • arbutny
  • crystal
  • kwan yin statue
  • murder
  • accidental
Q7

Why does Arbutny confess to the murder in the street?

Overwhelmed by guilt after killing Crystal, Arbutny panics and runs into a busy London street, stopping traffic to confess to the murder in front of a crowd and a policeman. His public breakdown represents the collapse of his attempt to maintain composure and control throughout the escalating crisis.

Foreshadowing: Arbutny has been under mounting pressure from his financial crimes and the weight of their collective secrets.

  • arbutny confession
  • guilt
  • street
  • murder
  • breakdown
Q8

Why does Johnny burn the winning Grand National ticket?

After Arbutny confesses and the group realizes their situation is hopeless, Johnny returns to the pub where Icey Crane finds him. He sets the winning ticket on fire, destroying any chance of using the winnings to escape their circumstances. This act symbolizes his resignation to fate and rejection of the dreams that drove the entire scheme.

Foreshadowing: The ticket was meant to remake their futures, but its destruction seals their collective ruin.

  • johnny
  • winning ticket
  • grand national
  • burn
  • fire
  • fate
Q9

How is Johnny cleared of the murder charge?

Johnny is arrested and sentenced to death for the policeman's murder. However, Gabby Delaney, another participant in the robbery, kills Bertram Fallon as he is being transported to prison. On his dying breath, Fallon confesses to the crowd that Johnny was not the murderer, clearing Johnny's name.

Foreshadowing: This twist resolves Johnny's legal trouble just as the sweepstakes situation reaches its crisis point.

  • johnny west
  • Bertram Fallon
  • Gabby Delaney
  • cleared
  • confession
  • death sentence
Q10

Why does Lady Belladon reject Arbutny's request for funds?

Arbutny has been gambling on the stock market using money siphoned from Lady Belladon's trust fund. When his margin call arrives and he desperately needs funds, Lady Belladon refuses after reportedly consulting with her dead husband. She also hints that the books will be checked, threatening to expose his financial crimes.

Foreshadowing: This financial desperation drives Arbutny to want to sell his sweepstakes share to cover his losses.

  • lady belladon
  • arbutny
  • trust fund
  • stock
  • margin call
  • rejection
Q11

Why does David Shackleford arrive at Crystal's flat too late?

David Shackleford arrives at Crystal's flat intending to shoot her for driving Janet away through her lies. However, he finds Crystal already dead from Arbutny's attack. Shaken by the discovery, he leaves without harming anyone, his violent intentions rendered meaningless by someone else's crime.

Foreshadowing: David's arrival adds another layer of tragedy, multiple people had reasons to want Crystal dead, but violence came from an unexpected source.

  • david shackleford
  • crystal
  • arrives
  • too late
  • dead
Q12

Why do the three strangers agree not to sell the ticket if it's drawn?

Each of the three strangers has a personal dream they believe the sweepstakes winnings will fulfill: Crystal wants to win back her estranged husband, Arbutny hopes to secure his place in the prestigious Barrister's Club, and Johnny dreams of buying a bar and starting fresh. Their agreement to hold the ticket represents shared hope in financial transformation.

Foreshadowing: This agreement becomes the source of conflict when Arbutny desperately needs to sell his share to cover his financial crimes.

  • arbutny
  • johnny
  • crystal
  • ticket
  • agreement
  • sell
  • dreams

Movie threads

More Movies Like Three Strangers, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Three Strangers tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about fated ruin like Three Strangers

Stories where desperate individuals are bound together by a shared obsession. If you liked the bleak spiral of Three Strangers, you'll find similar movies here. These stories feature groups of characters whose shared obsession or secret binds them together, leading to irreversible tragedy, moral decay, and a sense of fatalistic doom.

  • fatalistic
  • desperate
  • grim
  • tragic
  • obsessive
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, fatalistic, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread often start with a tempting opportunity that unites disparate characters. Their initial hopes are quickly dashed as individual weaknesses and external pressures turn cooperation into ruthless competition. The plot methodically tightens the noose, culminating in a devastating conclusion where no one escapes unscathed.

Why they belong together: These movies share a dark, fatalistic tone and a steady pacing that builds towards an inevitable, bleak ending. They are grouped by their focus on the destructive power of shared obsession and the heavy emotional weight of watching characters engineer their own ruin.

Dramas about moral decay like Three Strangers

Character-driven dramas where desperation methodically erodes integrity. Find movies similar to Three Strangers that explore the theme of moral decay. These character-driven stories feature a steady pacing that builds tension as protagonists, driven by desperation, make increasingly unethical choices leading to heavy consequences and bleak outcomes.

  • grim
  • anxious
  • desperate
  • suspenseful
  • tragic
  • psychological
  • Tone: dark, grim, tense
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a character or group whose moral compass is systematically dismantled. Financial despair, social pressure, or a chance for escape creates a dilemma. Instead of a sudden fall, the story shows a gradual, believable slope into unethical behavior, often culminating in a point of no return like crime or betrayal.

Why they belong together: They are united by a dark tone, a steady pacing that allows for deep character study, and a high emotional intensity derived from watching integrity crumble. The focus is on the process of moral decay itself, making the bleak ending feel earned and devastating.

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Every angle

Three Strangers (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Three Strangers in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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