Search Movie Plot Summaries & Endings Explained

Mystery · Tense tone · Bittersweet ending

The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

After a break‑in and sabotage at a top‑secret research institute, the wounded intruder is captured but claims total amnesia. Investigator Tuxan must unravel the mystery as the enigmatic Welles and the shadowy sponsors who sent him play a dangerous cat‑and‑mouse game, leading to a surprising climax with a twist that challenges loyalties.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Sweet Sugar (1972)

Bitter Days…Sweet Nights A young woman nabbed in a drug bust chooses to work on a sugarcane plantation with other convicts instead of going to jail.

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Horror · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972)

A group of novice paranormal enthusiasts tries to contact the spirit world, but their séance goes horribly wrong. They accidentally summon Orville, a talkative corpse, unleashing a series of increasingly bizarre and humorous events. The inexperienced necromancer and his friends must deal with the chaotic consequences of their botched ritual as the night unfolds.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Shaft’s Big Score! (1972)

Last time he was nice. This time he’s ice! John Shaft is back as the lady-loved black detective cop on the search for the murderer of a client.

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Drama · Bittersweet tone · Bittersweet ending

The Dawns Here Are Quiet (1972)

In a remote village in Karelia, Sergeant Vaskov commands an anti‑aircraft detachment tasked with protecting a rail depot. After his men are transferred to the front, he is scolded for their drunken and womanizing behavior. Vaskov insists on receiving disciplined replacements, and his request is answered with a unit composed solely of young women fresh from training, now under his command.

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Comedy · Light tone · Happy ending

Mutiny on the Buses (1972)

Bus driver Stan Butler intends to marry Suzy, alarming his mother, daughter Olive and son‑in‑law Arthur. After Arthur is fired, Stan postpones the wedding and pushes Arthur to learn to drive a bus, landing him a job. Stan then coerces the depot manager into giving him the lucrative Special Tours route, but an inspector interrupts his trial run to Windsor Safari Park.

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Comedy · Bittersweet tone · Happy ending

The War Between Men and Women (1972)

A sarcastic, near‑sighted cartoonist who shuns commitment and prides himself on anti‑feminist, dog‑hating sentiments unexpectedly falls for a resilient single mother of three. She becomes the only woman willing to tolerate his relentless sarcasm and controversial views, leading to an unlikely, comedic clash of ideals.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Prime Cut (1972)

Any way they slice it, it’s going to be murder. A band of ruthless Chicago mob enforcers travel to Kansas City to confront the owner of a local slaughterhouse who has pocketed money that isn’t his. Their mission turns into a violent showdown as they seek to reclaim the stolen cash and enforce the mob’s code.

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Horror · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Twins of Evil (1972)

In a bleak 19th-century setting, a determined witch hunter, Peter Cushing, investigates a disturbing mystery involving his twin nieces. Both girls are targeted by the malevolent Count Karnstein, leading the hunter to struggle with discerning who is who. As the Count's influence spreads and fear grips the land, the distinction between innocence and corruption becomes increasingly difficult to determine, placing everyone in grave danger.

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Action · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Duck, You Sucker (1972)

A hardened outlaw and a young Irish revolutionary find themselves unexpectedly allied in revolutionary Mexico. Their shared defiance of authority ignites a rebellion, transforming them from wanted criminals into celebrated figures fighting for freedom. The conflict escalates as they navigate a landscape of danger and uncertainty, facing powerful forces determined to suppress their fight.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Toys Are Not for Children (1972)

Jamie Godard, an emotionally stunted woman with a childlike demeanor, is fixated on her long‑absent father and the toys he gave her as a child. She takes a job in a toy store, marries co‑worker Charlie Belmond, but the marriage fails. Disillusioned, she flees to New York City, where she turns to prostitution, catering to older men who seek a “daddy‑play” dynamic.

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Action · Tense tone · Happy ending

Apna Desh (1972)

After it is revealed that four respected locals—a tradesman, a doctor, a builder, and a wealthy industrialist—are involved in crime and black‑market activities, youthful Akash (Rajesh Khanna) pretends to be an expatriate smuggler. He teams up with his girlfriend Chanda (Mumtaz), who secretly records their evidence, to force confessions and bring the corrupt quartet to justice.

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Action · Tense tone · Bittersweet ending

The Doberman Gang (1972)

After a disastrous bank robbery, an ex‑con, an ex‑waitress and their small crew decide to train a pack of Doberman dogs to carry out the perfect heist. The dogs are taught to bypass security, enter the vault and retrieve the money, turning the animal‑assisted plot into the most audacious caper the city has ever seen.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bleak ending

The Other (1972)

During a sweltering summer in 1935, a small American farm experiences a string of disturbing and violent incidents. The unsettling events draw the attention of two strikingly similar twin girls and their strained family, forcing them to confront a sinister presence hidden beneath the seemingly peaceful community. As the mysteries deepen, the family must grapple with the dark forces at play and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

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Western · Dark tone · Ambiguous ending

Chato’s Land (1972)

Set against the harsh frontier of 1870s New Mexico, a half‑Native, half‑white outlaw is forced to kill a racist sheriff in self‑defense. The sheriff’s men assemble a relentless posse to track him, only to find the unforgiving desert and hidden dangers make the pursuit as perilous as the crime itself.

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Thriller · Tense tone · Ambiguous ending

Z.P.G. (1972)

In a near‑future world choked by smog and dwindling oxygen, governments enforce a one‑generation ban on childbirth, sentencing any birth to death. When a dissatisfied couple replaces their synthetic baby with a real child, they risk the ultimate penalty.

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Horror · Dark tone · Bleak ending

The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972)

An upper‑class Manhattan divorcee becomes convinced that her brother is possessed by the malevolent spirit of a Harlem serial killer who once beheaded young women in Spanish Harlem. As strange phenomena intensify, she battles faith and doubt, desperate to free him from the deadly haunting.

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Thriller · Tense tone · Happy ending

Skyjacked (1972)

Flight 502 carries a hidden bomb that could be anywhere on board, while a deranged Vietnam‑Veteran bomber seizes the Boeing 707, claiming he is a skyjacker and demanding to be flown to Russia. Passengers and crew scramble to survive as an explosion looms and the hijacker’s motives remain unclear.

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Horror · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Tower of Evil (1972)

Trapped inside an ancient tomb, a team of seasoned archaeologists on the hunt for a legendary Phoenician treasure discovers that the only way in was the easy part—now they must survive a string of baffling murders that seem tied to the cursed relic they seek.

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Comedy · Light tone · Happy ending

Kasethan Kadavulada (1972)

A young man collaborates with his cousin and friend to steal money from his stingy stepmother.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Hammersmith Is Out (1972)

Hammersmith, a notorious criminal and eccentric, escapes from a psychiatric hospital overseen by a doctor whose own sanity is questionable. In a loose retelling of the Faust legend, the deranged patient promises an innocent orderly untold riches if he will aid his breakout. The darkly comic chase unfolds as loyalties and madness collide.

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Adventure · Melancholic tone · Bittersweet ending

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Seeking solitude after the Mexican-American War, Jeremiah Johnson ventures into the unforgiving wilderness. A seasoned trapper mentors him, imparting essential survival skills. He discovers love and builds a family, finding peace within the stunning natural landscape. However, their newfound tranquility is shattered when conflict arises with the Crow Indians, demanding resilience and testing the limits of his hard-won existence in the remote mountain territory.

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History · Melancholic tone · Bleak ending

St. Michael Had a Rooster (1972)

Sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal activities, Italian International member Giulio Manieri clings to his political ideals even as the oppressive solitude of his prison cell drives him toward the brink of madness. In the stark confines, he battles inner demons, confronting the thin line between conviction and despair.

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Thriller · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Images (1972)

During a holiday in Ireland, a pregnant children’s author begins to experience unsettling extra‑sensory phenomena. As her mental state unravels, she becomes increasingly paranoid, hallucinates, and sees a doppelgänger that threatens her perception of reality. The film explores the blurred line between imagination and madness, immersing the viewer in her disorienting visions and the tension between what is real and what is imagined.

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History · Dark tone · Sad ending

Dauria (1972)

Set in a Baikal village on the brink of World I and during the October Revolution, the story follows young Cossack Roman Ulybin. At first he worries only about winning Dashutka’s hand against merchant Alyoshka, trading fists for rivalry. As old hierarchies crumble, Roman sees the fight for equality and, true to his Cossack spirit, joins the upheaval rather than remain a by‑stander.

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Crime · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Street Mobster (1972)

After serving time, a defiant street thug is incensed to find his town overrun by two yakuza factions. He gathers his crew and takes them on.

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Comedy · Light tone · Happy ending

Carry On Matron (1972)

The Carry On troupe delivers another prescription of slap‑slap comedy as a band of thieves plot to profit by stealing a consignment of contraceptive pills from Finisham maternity hospital. Disguised as staff, they infiltrate, but their scheme unravels thanks to the hypochondriac Sir Bernard Cutting, the matron and the meddling doctors and nurses.

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Horror · Tense tone · Bittersweet ending

Dear Dead Delilah (1972)

You Pay For The Whole Seat – You Only Use The Edge! The stern matriarch of a family that lives in a creepy mansion discovers a killer hidden inside the house, intent on locating a rumored $600,000 fortune and brutally beheading anyone who interferes with the search, as the terror escalates.

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Comedy · Light tone · Bittersweet ending

Play It Again, Sam (1972)

After a painful divorce, film critic Allan tries to recreate the romance of classic Hollywood by adopting the persona of Humphrey Bogart. His earnest but clumsy attempts to emulate the iconic actor’s charm and sophistication lead to a series of hilarious and disastrous romantic encounters. Allan’s journey is a comedic exploration of heartbreak, self-discovery, and the allure of cinematic heroes.

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Drama · Melancholic tone · Sad ending

We Won’t Grow Old Together (1972)

Jean, a married 40‑year‑old filmmaker, and his young working‑class lover Catherine, navigate a repeatedly cyclical relationship marked by spectacular blow‑ups and tentative reunions. Their contrasting backgrounds and Jean’s marriage heighten the tension, while a relentless mutual desire reignites their passion again and again.

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Comedy · Dark tone · Bleak ending

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972)

A couple copes with caring for their nearly brain‑dead daughter by leaning into razor‑sharp black comedy. They alternate voicing her, confronting the looming presence of death, and using humor to mask the intense emotional trauma that underlies their daily struggle.

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Drama · Hopeful tone · Mixed ending

Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)

From Adam’s Rib to Women’s Lib, society has come a long way. Reporter Sheila returns to her hometown to write an article about the progress of women’s liberation. To her surprise, both her sister and her mother are enthusiastic supporters of feminist ideas, fully embracing the cause. Their support proves the cause now spans generations in the town.

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Comedy · Whimsical tone · Bittersweet ending

Bumbarash (1972)

Private Bumbarash, thought dead from the First World War, returns to his home village to discover no one remembers him because the funds for his memorial were spent long ago. The village is caught in a civil war, with power swapping constantly among Reds, Whites, anarchists and gangsters. Amid the turmoil he strives to rebuild his life and find personal happiness.

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Horror · Dark tone · Ambiguous ending

Vampire Circus (1972)

After murders, the villagers of plague‑stricken Schtettel kill the monstrous Count Mitterhouse. Fifteen years later the Circus of Nights arrives, its troupe of the Count’s former mistress, children and kin. Bound by his dying oath, they unleash revenge on those who impaled him, targeting the village’s children as the bloody circus rehearses its act.

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Family · Whimsical tone · Happy ending

The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (1972)

Four mistreated farm animals seek refuge as a band of traveling musicians in this musical tale narrated by Kermit the Frog.

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Horror · Dark tone

The Iron Crown (1972)

A woman takes revenge on her husband after he leaves her for a younger woman by harassing the couple with unwanted phone calls at night.

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Western · Dark tone · Bleak ending

The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972)

Working as an assistant on a long cattle drive, the young Ben Mockridge contends between his dream of being a cowboy and the harsh truth of the Old West.

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Thriller · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Who Killed the Prosecutor and Why? (1972)

While making love on a beach, young photographer Carlo witnesses a staged hit‑and‑run that conceals the murder of the town’s public prosecutor. He photographs the murderers and tries to sell the images to a gangster and a newspaper owner. As the syndicate reacts, a black‑gloved assassin kills the accomplices, pulling Carlo into a lethal power struggle.

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Drama · Dark tone · Bittersweet ending

Fritz the Cat (1972)

A charming and rebellious cat embodies the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. Fritz explores the hypocrisy and excesses of college life, encountering a colorful cast of characters and navigating a changing world. He's a charismatic provocateur, using wit and charm to challenge societal norms and embrace a life of freedom and anarchy.

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Horror · Dark tone · Bleak ending

Crucible of Terror (1972)

Obsessed with capturing beauty in bronze, a sculptor murders a young woman to use her body as his perfect model. Years later, within the isolated manor where he works, a group of strangers find themselves ensnared in a relentless cycle of revenge, murder and terror.

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