Dying Young
After she discovers that her boyfriend has betrayed her, Hilary O'Neil is looking for a new start and a new job. She begins to work as a private nurse for a young man suffering from blood cancer. Slowly, they fall in love, but they always know their love cannot last because he is destined to die.
Despite a moderate budget of $18.0M, Dying Young became a commercial success, earning $82.3M worldwide—a 357% return.
3 nominations
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%)
Dying Young (1991) demonstrates carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Joel Schumacher's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 51 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 5.9, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Hilary O'Neil
Victor Geddes
Richard Geddes
Gordon
Main Cast & Characters
Hilary O'Neil
Played by Julia Roberts
A working-class woman who takes a job caring for a young man dying of leukemia and falls in love with him.
Victor Geddes
Played by Campbell Scott
A wealthy young man battling leukemia who hires Hilary as his caretaker and develops a deep romantic connection with her.
Richard Geddes
Played by David Selby
Victor's wealthy, controlling father who disapproves of Hilary and wants his son to continue aggressive cancer treatment.
Gordon
Played by Vincent D'Onofrio
Hilary's ex-boyfriend, a blue-collar worker who represents her former life and tries to reconnect with her.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Hilary O'Neil works as a server in a working-class environment, living paycheck to paycheck with dreams of something more meaningful, representing her unfulfilled ordinary world.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Hilary is hired and meets Victor for the first time, discovering he's a brilliant but dying young man undergoing brutal chemotherapy. The reality of death and suffering enters her protected world.. 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 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Hilary makes the active choice to stay and truly commit to Victor despite the difficulty, crossing into Act 2. She chooses authentic connection over safety, transforming from employee to genuine companion., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory: Victor appears to be in remission or improving significantly. They reach the peak of their happiness, celebrating life together. But the stakes are raised—the deeper their love, the more devastating potential loss becomes., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Victor's condition reaches a crisis point—he becomes critically ill or they face the undeniable reality that he is dying. The "whiff of death" is literal. Their dream dies as medical intervention becomes unavoidable., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 89 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Hilary realizes that loving Victor—truly being present with him through his suffering and death—is the meaning, not the outcome. She synthesizes authentic love with acceptance of mortality, choosing to return and be with him regardless of the ending., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Dying Young'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 Dying Young against these established plot points, we can identify how Joel Schumacher utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Dying Young within the drama genre.
Joel Schumacher's Structural Approach
Among the 17 Joel Schumacher films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Dying Young takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Joel Schumacher filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Joel Schumacher analyses, see Batman Forever, The Phantom of the Opera and Trespass.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Hilary O'Neil works as a server in a working-class environment, living paycheck to paycheck with dreams of something more meaningful, representing her unfulfilled ordinary world.
Theme
During the interview, Victor's father mentions that true companionship means being present through suffering, not just joy—stating the film's theme about authentic connection versus surface-level relationships.
Worldbuilding
Hilary's mundane life is established: dead-end job, shallow boyfriend, working-class struggles. She interviews for a mysterious caretaker position for a wealthy young man with leukemia, learning about Victor Geddes and his privileged but isolated world.
Disruption
Hilary is hired and meets Victor for the first time, discovering he's a brilliant but dying young man undergoing brutal chemotherapy. The reality of death and suffering enters her protected world.
Resistance
Hilary debates whether she can handle the emotional weight of caring for someone dying. Victor is difficult, demanding, and emotionally distant. She witnesses the brutality of chemotherapy and questions if she should stay or leave.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Hilary makes the active choice to stay and truly commit to Victor despite the difficulty, crossing into Act 2. She chooses authentic connection over safety, transforming from employee to genuine companion.
Mirror World
Victor and Hilary begin developing a romantic relationship that mirrors the theme—she represents life, vitality, and authentic feeling, teaching him to live rather than merely survive. Their love becomes the emotional core carrying the story.
Premise
The promise of the premise: Hilary and Victor fall deeply in love, escaping to a coastal town where they build an idyllic life together. She helps him experience joy, art, and genuine living. The audience experiences the beauty of their connection against the ticking clock of his illness.
Midpoint
False victory: Victor appears to be in remission or improving significantly. They reach the peak of their happiness, celebrating life together. But the stakes are raised—the deeper their love, the more devastating potential loss becomes.
Opposition
Reality closes in: Victor's health deteriorates, his family pressures him to resume treatment, and the fantasy life they built begins crumbling. Hilary's fears about losing him intensify. Medical reality and class differences create mounting pressure on their relationship.
Collapse
Victor's condition reaches a crisis point—he becomes critically ill or they face the undeniable reality that he is dying. The "whiff of death" is literal. Their dream dies as medical intervention becomes unavoidable.
Crisis
Hilary processes the devastation, confronting her inability to save him and the pain of loving someone she'll lose. Victor faces his mortality alone. Both must reconcile what their relationship means in the face of death.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Hilary realizes that loving Victor—truly being present with him through his suffering and death—is the meaning, not the outcome. She synthesizes authentic love with acceptance of mortality, choosing to return and be with him regardless of the ending.
Synthesis
Hilary returns to Victor, and they face his illness together with honesty and presence. They accept whatever time they have, finding meaning in connection rather than cure. The finale resolves their relationship with grace and emotional truth.
Transformation
Final image: Hilary has transformed from someone seeking escape from her mundane life into someone who understands authentic love means presence through suffering. She has gained depth, purpose, and the capacity for genuine connection beyond surface happiness.