Extremities
An intended rape victim manages to escape from her attacker but leaves her purse behind. Worried that he may visit her house and finish what he has started, she contacts the police but they are unable to help, saying that she has no proof. "If he calls, let us know and we'll send a man round!" A fat load of good that would be. Her worst fears are realised when, alone one day in the house, her attacker visits and attempts again to rape her. Circumstances allow her not only to resist the attack but to turn the tables and lock him away. And that is where her dilemma really starts. Does she release him and risk another attack? Does she go to the police and risk being called a liar? Or does she kill him - and become as low as him?
The film earned $13.4M at the global box office.
1 win & 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%)
Extremities (1986) demonstrates precise dramatic framework, characteristic of Robert M. Young's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 29 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Marjorie drives home from work, listening to music, appearing as an independent woman living a normal suburban life.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Joe, the attacker, breaks into the house when Marjorie is home alone. He reveals he knows her name and has been stalking her, making this personal and terrifying.. At 11% 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 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Marjorie fights back violently, spraying wasp killer in Joe's eyes and beating him. She makes the active choice to not be a victim, crossing into a new role as aggressor., moving from reaction to action.
At 44 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The women decide not to call the police (knowing the system has failed women like them) and instead continue to hold Joe captive. Stakes raise as they commit to vigilante justice, crossing a legal and moral line., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 66 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Marjorie prepares to kill Joe by burying him alive in the garden. Her humanity and sanity seem lost - she has become as monstrous as her attacker. The "death" is the loss of her moral self., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 70 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Marjorie chooses not to kill Joe. She realizes that reclaiming her power doesn't require becoming a murderer. She synthesizes her rage with her humanity and calls the police., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Extremities'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 Extremities against these established plot points, we can identify how Robert M. Young utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Extremities within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Marjorie drives home from work, listening to music, appearing as an independent woman living a normal suburban life.
Theme
After the initial attack attempt, Marjorie's roommate discusses how women are taught to be victims and not fight back - establishing the theme of female empowerment and survival.
Worldbuilding
Marjorie is attacked in her car by a masked assailant but escapes. She reports it to police who are dismissive. We meet her two roommates, Patricia and Terry, and see their shared home life. Marjorie is traumatized but trying to move forward.
Disruption
Joe, the attacker, breaks into the house when Marjorie is home alone. He reveals he knows her name and has been stalking her, making this personal and terrifying.
Resistance
Joe terrorizes Marjorie, asserting dominance and control. Marjorie tries various tactics - pleading, reasoning, stalling. She debates whether to submit or resist, trying to find a way to survive this encounter.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Marjorie fights back violently, spraying wasp killer in Joe's eyes and beating him. She makes the active choice to not be a victim, crossing into a new role as aggressor.
Mirror World
Marjorie ties up the blinded, incapacitated Joe and locks him in the fireplace. The hunter becomes the hunted, introducing the moral/ethical subplot of what justice means and how far she should go.
Premise
Marjorie keeps Joe captive, interrogating him and debating what to do. Her roommates return home and witness the situation. The three women discuss whether to call police or take justice into their own hands, exploring the premise of female revenge and empowerment.
Midpoint
The women decide not to call the police (knowing the system has failed women like them) and instead continue to hold Joe captive. Stakes raise as they commit to vigilante justice, crossing a legal and moral line.
Opposition
Joe manipulates the women, trying to turn them against each other and Marjorie. He denies, lies, then admits partial truths. The roommates begin to question whether they're doing the right thing. Marjorie's rage intensifies as she forces Joe to confess his crimes.
Collapse
Marjorie prepares to kill Joe by burying him alive in the garden. Her humanity and sanity seem lost - she has become as monstrous as her attacker. The "death" is the loss of her moral self.
Crisis
The roommates and Marjorie grapple with the reality of what they're about to do. This is the dark night where they must decide who they want to be - victims, killers, or something else.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Marjorie chooses not to kill Joe. She realizes that reclaiming her power doesn't require becoming a murderer. She synthesizes her rage with her humanity and calls the police.
Synthesis
The police arrive. Joe is arrested with evidence of his crimes. Marjorie and her roommates stand together, having confronted their attacker and the system, maintaining their integrity while still fighting back.
Transformation
Marjorie stands strong and unbroken, no longer a victim but a survivor who fought back without losing her soul. The final image shows her empowered, transformed from the passive woman in the opening.