Missing
In September1973, in Chile, the American journalist Charles Horman arrives in Valparaiso with his friend Terry Simon to meet his wife Beth and bring her back to New York with him. However, they are surprised by the military coup d'état sponsored by the US Government to replace President Salvador Allende and Charles is arrested by the military force. His father Ed Horman, a conservative businessman from New York, arrives in Chile to seek out his missing son with Beth. He goes to the American Consulate to meet the Consul that promises the best efforts to find Charles while the skeptical Beth does not trust on the word of the American authorities. The nationalism and confidence of Ed in his government changes when he finds the truth about what happened with his beloved son.
Working with a modest budget of $9.6M, the film achieved a modest success with $14.0M in global revenue (+46% profit margin).
1 Oscar. 12 wins & 23 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%)
Missing (1982) reveals carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Costa-Gavras's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 3 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.3, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Charles Horman lives contentedly in Chile with wife Beth, working as a journalist and writer, immersed in the local culture and politics during Allende's government.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when The military coup begins. Tanks roll through Santiago, gunfire erupts, and curfew is imposed. Charles disappears during the chaos, and Beth cannot find him anywhere.. 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 30 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Ed Horman arrives in Santiago and actively commits to finding his son, despite his initial skepticism of Beth and his political differences with Charles. He enters the search., moving from reaction to action.
At 62 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Ed and Beth discover that Charles likely witnessed American military personnel at the coup planning site. The U.S. Embassy becomes evasive and hostile. False hope: they're told Charles is alive at a stadium., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 92 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Ed and Beth are informed that Charles's body has been found. He was executed. The "whiff of death" is literal - their hope dies, and Ed's faith in his government dies with it., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 99 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Ed confronts the embassy officials directly, now fully aligned with Beth. He sees clearly: they knew all along. He synthesizes his old values (duty, truth) with his new understanding (corruption, complicity)., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Missing's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Missing against these established plot points, we can identify how Costa-Gavras utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Missing within the biography genre.
Costa-Gavras's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Costa-Gavras films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Missing represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Costa-Gavras filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include Lords of Dogtown, Ip Man 2 and A Complete Unknown. For more Costa-Gavras analyses, see Mad City, Music Box and State of Siege.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Charles Horman lives contentedly in Chile with wife Beth, working as a journalist and writer, immersed in the local culture and politics during Allende's government.
Theme
A Chilean friend warns Beth and Charles: "You Americans, you think you can fix everything. Some things cannot be fixed." The theme of American innocence confronting brutal political reality.
Worldbuilding
Establish Charles and Beth's life in Chile, their idealism, Charles's journalism work, the political tension in Santiago, and their relationship with local friends and ex-pat community.
Disruption
The military coup begins. Tanks roll through Santiago, gunfire erupts, and curfew is imposed. Charles disappears during the chaos, and Beth cannot find him anywhere.
Resistance
Beth searches frantically for Charles, visiting hospitals and morgues. She contacts the American embassy, which is unhelpful. Ed Horman, Charles's conservative father, is called and reluctantly decides to fly to Chile.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Ed Horman arrives in Santiago and actively commits to finding his son, despite his initial skepticism of Beth and his political differences with Charles. He enters the search.
Mirror World
Ed and Beth, initially antagonistic, must work together. Their relationship becomes the emotional core - two people from different worlds united by love for Charles, forcing Ed to question his beliefs.
Premise
Ed and Beth navigate Chilean bureaucracy and American embassy stonewalling. They interview witnesses, visit detention centers, and slowly uncover evidence that Charles witnessed something he shouldn't have.
Midpoint
Ed and Beth discover that Charles likely witnessed American military personnel at the coup planning site. The U.S. Embassy becomes evasive and hostile. False hope: they're told Charles is alive at a stadium.
Opposition
The stadium lead is false. Embassy officials actively obstruct the search. Ed realizes the American government is complicit. Witnesses are intimidated or disappear. The truth becomes harder to deny.
Collapse
Ed and Beth are informed that Charles's body has been found. He was executed. The "whiff of death" is literal - their hope dies, and Ed's faith in his government dies with it.
Crisis
Ed and Beth grieve together. Ed processes the betrayal - his government lied and likely facilitated his son's murder. His worldview crumbles. They prepare to take Charles home.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Ed confronts the embassy officials directly, now fully aligned with Beth. He sees clearly: they knew all along. He synthesizes his old values (duty, truth) with his new understanding (corruption, complicity).
Synthesis
Ed formally accuses the U.S. government of complicity. He and Beth arrange to take Charles's body home. The final bureaucratic battles. The ambassador denies everything. Ed and Beth leave Chile together, transformed.
Transformation
Ed and Beth sit in silence on the plane with Charles's coffin. Ed, once a patriotic businessman, now knows his government's dark truth. The final image mirrors the opening - but innocence is gone, replaced by painful knowledge.