A Kiss Before Dying
Realising his secret girlfriend Dorothy's pregnancy will sour her relations with her ultra-rich father, career-minded Philadelphia student Jonathan Corliss coolly murders her, making it look like suicide. He then moves to New York to woo her twin sister Ellen. All seems to go well for him, although Ellen's continued investigations into what she is convinced was not a suicide forces him to kill again.
The film earned $15.4M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Kiss Before Dying (1991) demonstrates carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of James Dearden's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 35 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Jonathan Corliss
Ellen Carlsson
Dorothy Carlsson
Thor Carlsson
Mrs. Carlsson
Main Cast & Characters
Jonathan Corliss
Played by Matt Dillon
A charming but sociopathic social climber who murders to gain access to a copper fortune.
Ellen Carlsson
Played by Sean Young
The surviving twin sister who investigates her sister's death and uncovers Jonathan's true nature.
Dorothy Carlsson
Played by Sean Young
Ellen's twin sister who becomes Jonathan's first victim after becoming pregnant.
Thor Carlsson
Played by Max von Sydow
The wealthy copper magnate father of the twins who represents the fortune Jonathan covets.
Mrs. Carlsson
Played by Diane Ladd
The protective mother who is suspicious of Jonathan from the beginning.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Jonathan Corliss and Dory Carlsson appear as a young couple in love. She's pregnant; he's charming and ambitious. The surface seems perfect, but Jonathan's calculating nature is subtly evident.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Dory tells Jonathan her father has cut her off financially because of the pregnancy, making her worthless to his social climbing scheme. This disrupts Jonathan's carefully laid plans.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Jonathan murders Dory by pushing her from the belltower, staging it as a suicide. This irreversible act launches him into the new world of evading detection and pursuing his goal through her twin sister Ellen., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat False victory: Jonathan successfully seduces Ellen and gets closer to the Carlsson fortune. He believes he's won. But Ellen's investigation continues, raising the stakes. The hunter may become the hunted., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 70 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Ellen discovers definitive proof of Jonathan's guilt—possibly finding evidence linking him to Dory or another murder. Jonathan's perfect plan collapses. He realizes he must kill Ellen too or lose everything., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 75 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Ellen realizes she must trap Jonathan and brings in authorities or confronts him directly with evidence. She synthesizes what she's learned about his methods and turns them against him., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Kiss Before Dying's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping A Kiss Before Dying against these established plot points, we can identify how James Dearden utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Kiss Before Dying within the crime genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Batman Forever and 12 Rounds.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Jonathan Corliss and Dory Carlsson appear as a young couple in love. She's pregnant; he's charming and ambitious. The surface seems perfect, but Jonathan's calculating nature is subtly evident.
Theme
Dory or another character mentions something about appearances versus reality, or the danger of trusting the wrong person. The theme: deception and the masks people wear to get what they want.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Jonathan's background as a working-class outsider desperate to marry into the wealthy Carlsson family. Dory's pregnancy threatens his plans. Her father Thor Carlsson is established as a powerful copper magnate.
Disruption
Dory tells Jonathan her father has cut her off financially because of the pregnancy, making her worthless to his social climbing scheme. This disrupts Jonathan's carefully laid plans.
Resistance
Jonathan debates what to do. He pretends to support Dory while secretly planning to eliminate the obstacle she's become. He manipulates her emotions and arranges to meet her at the belltower.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Jonathan murders Dory by pushing her from the belltower, staging it as a suicide. This irreversible act launches him into the new world of evading detection and pursuing his goal through her twin sister Ellen.
Mirror World
Ellen Carlsson is introduced, investigating her twin sister's death. She doesn't believe it was suicide. She represents truth and justice—the moral opposite of Jonathan's deception.
Premise
The cat-and-mouse game begins. Jonathan reinvents himself and pursues Ellen, who is investigating her sister's death. He charms her while covering his tracks. Ellen slowly uncovers inconsistencies in the suicide story.
Midpoint
False victory: Jonathan successfully seduces Ellen and gets closer to the Carlsson fortune. He believes he's won. But Ellen's investigation continues, raising the stakes. The hunter may become the hunted.
Opposition
Ellen discovers evidence that contradicts the suicide ruling. Jonathan must work harder to maintain his cover while eliminating witnesses. His charm begins to show cracks. Ellen gets closer to the truth, creating mounting pressure.
Collapse
Ellen discovers definitive proof of Jonathan's guilt—possibly finding evidence linking him to Dory or another murder. Jonathan's perfect plan collapses. He realizes he must kill Ellen too or lose everything.
Crisis
Ellen processes the horror of the truth—that she's been sleeping with her sister's murderer. Jonathan prepares for a final confrontation. Both face their darkest moment before the inevitable clash.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Ellen realizes she must trap Jonathan and brings in authorities or confronts him directly with evidence. She synthesizes what she's learned about his methods and turns them against him.
Synthesis
Final confrontation between Ellen and Jonathan. A deadly chase or standoff where Jonathan's true sociopathic nature is fully revealed. Justice catches up with deception. Jonathan meets his fate.
Transformation
Ellen has survived and found justice for her sister. Where she began naive and trusting, she now understands the darkness that can hide behind a charming smile. She is transformed by trauma but stronger.