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You Are a Widow, Sir (1971) movie poster

Timeline

You Are a Widow, Sir (1971) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1971 · 97 mins · Czech
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Directed by
Václav Vorlíček
Starring
Stella Zázvorková, Zdeněk Svěrák, Zdeněk Srstka, Lubomír Kostelka, Iva Janžurová, Helena Růžičková

After a soldier severs the king’s cousin’s arm, the monarch orders the army disbanded. The generals plot his murder, creating an assassin shaped like actress Evelina Keleti but implanted with serial killer Fany Stubová’s mind. They kill astrologer Stuart Hampl; his brain is mistakenly transferred into the assassin, killing Keleti and sparking chaos.

Comedy Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like You Are a Widow, Sir
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

You Are a Widow, Sir Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of You Are a Widow, Sir (1971) 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. King disbands the army

    In the near future, King Rosebud IV disbands his army after a serious accident injuring his cousin. The move unsettles the generals who fear losing power and prestige. They begin to hatch a plan to remove him without overt confrontation.

    Where
    Rosebud IV Royal Court

  2. Generals plot assassination

    The army generals decide to eliminate the king in a covert way. General Otis and Major Steiner emerge as the primary conspirators behind the scheme. Their intrigue aims to subvert the throne without open rebellion.

    Where
    Royal Army Headquarters

  3. Clone plan at Sommer Clinic

    At Professor Sommer's clinic, a duplicate of actress Evelyna Kelletti is created from veal. The conspirators intend to implant the brain of the sadistic Ms Stub into this clone to carry out the king's elimination. The bizarre experiment reflects the lengths to which the plot will go.

    Where
    Professor Sommer's Clinic

  4. Bobo seeks future via horoscope

    Officer Bobo, recently released from the army, seeks guidance about his future and asks the renowned astrologer Stuart Hample to read his horoscope. The reading promises more mystery than clarity, hinting at fates rather than certainties. Bobo eagerly awaits what the stars might reveal.

    Where
    Bobo's Residence

  5. Hample's fortune foretells twists

    Hample's horoscope predicts a sequence of strange events: he will be killed, then saved by Bobo. It also foresees that Hample will become a widower and eventually marry Molly, who is the girlfriend of Major Steiner. The forecast plants seeds of intertwined destinies.

    Where
    Stuart Hample's Study

  6. King learns of assassination plan

    King Rosebud IV uses Hample's services and learns that an assassination attempt is being planned against him. He orders his officers to investigate, unaware that Otis and Steiner are the ones orchestrating the plot. The king's caution sets the stage for deeper deception.

    Where
    Royal Court

  7. Otis and Steiner investigate

    Otis and Steiner are tasked with uncovering the threat, but they continue with their covert agenda. They promptly decide that Hample is too dangerous and must be eliminated, turning suspicion toward the astrologer. The investigation gears toward mutual destruction rather than truth-seeking.

    Where
    Army Intelligence Offices

  8. Hample is murdered

    Stuart Hample is murdered, removing a potential obstacle and shifting the balance of power. His brain is destined for archival storage, a fate that foreshadows the strange scientific turn of events to come. The murder leaves unresolved questions in its wake.

    Where
    Hample's Residence

  9. Brain mis-swaps during autopsy

    During the autopsy, a mistake is made with Ms Stub's brain, and Hample's brain ends up inside Evelyna Kelletti's clone. The swap creates an uncanny hybrid and corrupts the intended purpose of the clone. This error becomes the seed of a cascade of misfortunes.

    Where
    Autopsy Lab

  10. Chaos from the brain swap

    With Hample's brain now living inside Evelyna's duplicate, a whirlwind of confusions and assassinations begins. Characters misinterpret loyalties and intentions, triggering unpredictable reactions. The line between ally and foe blurs as events spiral.

    Where
    Various locations in Rosebud IV

  11. Romance and loyalties tangled

    Molly, Steiner's girlfriend, becomes entangled in the shifting loyalties spurred by the brain swap and the conspiracies. Relationships are strained as secret motives collide with public plots. The personal ties heighten the stakes of every decision.

    Where
    Rosebud IV City

  12. Cascade of confusions begins

    The plot devolves into a cascade of confusions, misunderstandings, and assassinations. The initial intents of the conspirators are overshadowed by unintended consequences and shifting alliances. The story pivots toward an unpredictable, chaotic aftermath.

    Where
    Rosebud IV

Last updated: February 24, 2026 at 13:52

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Timeline questions answered

You Are a Widow, Sir Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of You Are a Widow, Sir (1971): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did King Rosebud IV disband his army?

King Rosebud IV disbanded his army after a serious accident severely injured his cousin. The incident, caused by Officer Bobo's blunder, prompted the king to make this drastic decision. The move shocked the military establishment and directly triggered the generals' conspiracy against him.

  • king rosebud iv
  • army
  • disband
  • cousin injury
  • generals
Q2

Why did the army generals want to kill King Rosebud IV?

The generals plotted to assassinate King Rosebud IV because they feared losing their power and prestige after he disbanded the army. Without the military under their control, their influence over the kingdom would vanish. They chose a covert approach to remove him rather than open rebellion.

  • generals
  • conspiracy
  • assassination
  • king
  • power
  • army disbandment
Q3

How did the generals plan to assassinate the king using a clone?

The conspirators created a lifelike duplicate of actress Evelyna Kelettiová at Professor Sommer's clinic, using veal as the base material. Their plan was to implant the brain of condemned serial killer Ms. Stubová into this clone, then use it to approach and kill the king, who was an admirer of the actress.

  • clone
  • evelyna
  • professor sommer
  • brain transplant
  • assassin
Q4

Why was astrologer Stuart Hample killed?

Stuart Hample was murdered because he had become dangerous to the conspirators. He had read the king's horoscope and discovered that an assassination was being planned against Rosebud IV. The king tasked Generals Otis and Steiner, who were themselves orchestrating the plot, to investigate. To protect their scheme, the generals ordered Hample eliminated.

  • stuart hample
  • astrologer
  • murder
  • conspiracy
  • assassination plot
Q5

What caused the brain swap during the autopsy?

During the autopsy of Stuart Hample, a critical error occurred: Hample's brain was mistakenly transferred into Evelyna Kelettiová's clone instead of Ms. Stubová's brain. This mixup transformed the intended assassin, meant to carry Stubová's violent mind, into a completely different person, corrupting the conspirators' entire plan.

  • brain swap
  • autopsy
  • evelyna clone
  • stuart hample
  • ms stubova
Q6

What did Stuart Hample predict in Bobo's horoscope?

Stuart Hample told Bobo that he would be killed, then saved by Bobo himself. The prophecy also stated Hample would become a widower and eventually marry Molly Adamsová, who was Major Steiner's girlfriend. This bizarre prediction intertwined the fates of multiple characters in the unfolding conspiracy.

  • horoscope
  • prophecy
  • bobo
  • molly
  • stuart hample
  • steiner
Q7

How did the brain swap lead to chaos in the story?

With Stuart Hample's brain now inside Evelyna's clone body, a cascade of mistaken identities and confused loyalties erupted. The original assassin plan was completely derailed. Characters could no longer distinguish allies from enemies, triggering a whirlwind of misunderstandings, shifting alliances, and multiple assassination attempts.

  • chaos
  • mistaken identity
  • brain swap
  • confusion
  • assassinations
Q8

Why was serial killer Ms. Stubová's brain used in the clone?

The conspirators specifically chose to implant Ms. Stubová's brain, a condemned serial killer's mind, into the Evelyna clone because they needed someone capable of carrying out the assassination. They believed the killer's ruthless nature would ensure the king's death would be carried out without hesitation or remorse.

  • ms stubova
  • serial killer
  • brain implant
  • assassin
  • evelyna clone
Q9

What was Bobo's role in triggering the king's decision?

Bobo was the army officer whose blunder caused the accident that seriously injured the king's cousin. This incident directly prompted King Rosebud IV to disband the army. After being released from service, Bobo sought out astrologer Stuart Hample to learn about his future, becoming inadvertently entangled in the larger conspiracy.

  • bobo
  • army officer
  • accident
  • cousin injury
  • king rosebud iv
Q10

How was Major Steiner involved in the conspiracy?

Major Steiner was one of the two primary conspirators (alongside General Otis) plotting to assassinate King Rosebud IV. He led the covert operation while simultaneously dating Molly Adamsová. The astrologer's prophecy predicted that Hample would eventually marry Molly, creating an ironic twist in Steiner's own scheme.

  • major steiner
  • conspirator
  • molly
  • general otis
  • assassination plot
Q11

What happened to actress Evelyna Kelettiová in the end?

Evelyna Kelettiová's original fate in the clone plan was to have her body used as a vessel for Ms. Stubová's brain. However, due to the autopsy mixup, she was killed when her brain was removed for the transplant. Stuart Hample's brain was placed in her cloned body instead, leaving her ultimate fate unclear but effectively ending her life.

  • evelyna kelettiova
  • clone
  • death
  • brain transplant
  • body swap

Movie threads

More Movies Like You Are a Widow, Sir, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes You Are a Widow, Sir tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Absurd conspiracies gone wrong like in You Are a Widow, Sir

When carefully laid schemes spiral into absurd, uncontrollable mayhem. If you enjoyed the farcical spiral of You Are a Widow, Sir, you'll love these movies where meticulously planned schemes catastrophically unravel. Similar films feature mistaken identities, accidental brain swaps, and plots that spiral into delightful chaos.

  • farcical
  • absurd
  • chaotic
  • darkly humorous
  • mistaken identity
  • escalating
  • Tone: darkly humorous, chaotic
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically begin with a seemingly clever plan that immediately hits unexpected complications. Mistakes multiply, identities get mixed up, and the intended outcome becomes impossible as characters struggle to regain control. The humor grows from seeing how chaos spreads from a single miscalculation.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a common DNA of farcical misunderstandings and escalating absurdity. They're united by plots where clever schemes backfire spectacularly, creating a whirlwind of comedic confusion that audiences find both hilarious and delightfully unpredictable.

You Are a Widow, Sir movie poster

You Are a Widow, Sir

1971
The Comedy of Terrors movie poster

The Comedy of Terrors

1963
Botched movie poster

Botched

2007
Susan’s Plan movie poster

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1998
American Dreamz movie poster

American Dreamz

2006
Crimewave movie poster

Crimewave

1986
Wag the Dog movie poster

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1997
Breaking News in Yuba County movie poster

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2021

Grotesque scientific comedies like You Are a Widow, Sir

When scientific experiments result in hilariously twisted consequences. If you liked the brain swap absurdity in You Are a Widow, Sir, these movies offer similar dark comedies about scientific experiments gone horribly funny. Films featuring botched transplants, bizarre bodily transformations, and farcical medical mishaps.

  • body horror
  • satirical
  • bizarre
  • grotesque
  • dark comedy
  • scientific mishap
  • Tone: satirical, unsettling
  • Pacing: fast, irreverent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically revolve around a scientific or medical procedure that goes comically wrong, leading to unexpected transformations or swaps. Characters often struggle with their new realities while the story emphasizes the absurd humor over genuine horror, creating a unique blend of grotesque and hilarious situations.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared approach to body horror as a source of dark comedy rather than genuine terror. They treat grotesque transformations and scientific mishaps as setups for farcical situations and satirical commentary.

The Comedy of Terrors movie poster

The Comedy of Terrors

1963
You Are a Widow, Sir movie poster

You Are a Widow, Sir

1971
TerrorVision movie poster

TerrorVision

1986
Diagnosis: Death movie poster

Diagnosis: Death

2010
I Sell the Dead movie poster

I Sell the Dead

2009
A Dog’s Breakfast movie poster

A Dog’s Breakfast

2007
I Survived a Zombie Holocaust movie poster

I Survived a Zombie Holocaust

2014
Terror Toons 4 movie poster

Terror Toons 4

2022

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Every angle

You Are a Widow, Sir (1971) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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