Zandalee

Zandalee

Year: 1991

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Sam Pillsbury

DramaRomanceThriller

Zandalee, tired of her bland marriage to Thierry—a once‑burnt‑out poet now working as a corporate executive—finds herself entangled with Johnny, an old friend of her husband who is both manipulative and egotistical. Driven by longing, she is drawn into a sensual, passionate and ultimately destructive love triangle.

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Timeline & Setting – Zandalee (1991)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Zandalee (1991). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

New Orleans, Bayou, Old Quarter

Zandalee takes place primarily in New Orleans, a city renowned for its vibrant culture, architecture, and nightlife. The Bayou scenes provide a moody, lush backdrop where passion and danger collide. The Old Quarter frames intimate encounters with its historic streets and balconies, underscoring the story's themes of desire and consequence.

🌆 Urban 🚤 Waterways 🎷 Jazz heritage

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:35

Main Characters – Zandalee (1991)

Meet the key characters of Zandalee (1991), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Zandalee Martin (Erika Anderson)

Zandalee is a young boutique store owner in New Orleans who is sexually frustrated and seeking fulfillment. She enters an adulterous affair with Johnny, drawn by passion and vulnerability. The relationship destabilizes her marriage to Thierry and drives the plot toward tragic consequences.

💄 Seductive 🧠 Calculated 💔 Vulnerable

Thierry Martin (Judge Reinhold)

Thierry is a former poet who now runs the family communications business. Emotionally adrift and distant, he struggles with a lack of passion in his marriage and is eventually overwhelmed by disillusionment. His reckless confrontation with the lovers culminates in his death during a speedboat incident.

💼 Businessman 💔 Disillusioned 🌀 Impulsive

Johnny Collins (Nicolas Cage)

Johnny is a painter who lives for self-gratification. He also sells and mules cocaine, adding danger to his pursuit of Zandalee. Charming and free-spirited, he becomes consumed by obsession with Zandalee, pushing the story toward explosive outcomes.

🎨 Artist 💊 Risk-taker 🔥 Charismatic

Tatta (Viveca Lindfors)

Tatta is Zandalee's grandmother, a figure who hosts the main characters in her home and appears as a grounding presence in the narrative. She witnesses the unfolding drama and represents a traditional, protective influence within the family.

👵 Elderly 🏠 Family anchor 🎗 Wise

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:35

Major Themes – Zandalee (1991)

Explore the central themes of Zandalee (1991), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔥 Infidelity

The film centers on a dangerous affair that destabilizes two marriages, exploring how passion can override loyalty. Zandalee's longing collides with Thierry's emotional distance, pushing them toward a torrid liaison with Johnny. The affair exposes vulnerabilities and erodes trust, driving the narrative toward explosive consequences.

💔 Betrayal

Betrayal threads through both romantic and social realms as characters navigate loyalties and secrets. Thierry's sense of abandonment collides with Johnny's self-serving pursuit, culminating in a deadly triangle. The betrayal lingers in the aftermath, shaping the characters' choices and fates.

🌀 Obsession

Johnny's desire for Zandalee grows into an obsessive fixation that refuses to be denied. As he paints and pursues her, he descends into self-destructive behavior, masking his insecurity with bravado and cocaine. The fixation escalates until it drives actions with fatal consequences.

😢 Tragedy

From attraction to ruin, the romance spirals toward death, as Thierry drowns during a speedboat ride and Zandalee is killed in a drive-by after protecting Johnny. The film's dramatic losses highlight how jealousy and desire can crush lives. The final aftermath focuses on the fragility of love under violent forces.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:35

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Zandalee Summary

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Zandalee Summary

Zandalee Timeline

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Zandalee Timeline

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