Regarding Henry
After being shot, a lawyer loses his memory and must relearn speech and mobility, but he has a loving family to support him.
Working with a moderate budget of $25.0M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $43.0M in global revenue (+72% profit margin).
1 win & 2 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%)
Regarding Henry (1991) exemplifies carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Mike Nichols's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 10-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 48 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Henry Turner
Sarah Turner
Rachel Turner
Bradley
Linda
Main Cast & Characters
Henry Turner
Played by Harrison Ford
A ruthless corporate lawyer who suffers brain damage from a gunshot wound and must rebuild his life and personality from scratch.
Sarah Turner
Played by Annette Bening
Henry's wife who must navigate her relationship with a husband who has become a completely different person after his injury.
Rachel Turner
Played by Mikki Allen
Henry and Sarah's daughter who initially fears her father but gradually connects with his transformed personality.
Bradley
Played by Bill Nunn
Physical therapist who guides Henry through his rehabilitation with patience and compassion, helping him relearn basic skills.
Linda
Played by Rebecca Miller
The Turners' housekeeper who has a complicated history with Henry that emerges after his transformation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Henry Turner dominates a courtroom, ruthlessly cross-examining a witness. He is a cold, calculating corporate lawyer who values winning above all else—disconnected from genuine human connection.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Henry stops at a convenience store for cigarettes and is shot in the head during a robbery. This random act of violence destroys his old life instantly—he suffers severe brain damage and nearly dies.. 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 Collapse moment at 81 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Henry confronts the full horror of who he was: a man who destroyed lives for professional gain and drove his wife into another man's arms through emotional neglect. The old Henry is truly dead, and the new Henry must reckon with his predecessor's sins., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Henry delivers the suppressed documents to the victims' lawyer, accepting the consequences. He resigns from the firm and confronts Bruce. The family decides to leave their Manhattan life behind and start fresh somewhere simpler and more authentic., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Regarding Henry's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 10 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Regarding Henry against these established plot points, we can identify how Mike Nichols utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Regarding Henry within the romance genre.
Mike Nichols's Structural Approach
Among the 16 Mike Nichols films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Regarding Henry takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Mike Nichols filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional romance films include South Pacific, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and The Evening Star. For more Mike Nichols analyses, see Closer, Primary Colors and Charlie Wilson's War.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Henry Turner dominates a courtroom, ruthlessly cross-examining a witness. He is a cold, calculating corporate lawyer who values winning above all else—disconnected from genuine human connection.
Theme
Henry's young daughter Rachel observes the distance between her parents and her father's emotional unavailability. The theme is implied: what does it truly mean to be present in one's own life?
Worldbuilding
Henry's privileged Manhattan life is established: his luxurious apartment, strained marriage to Sarah, distant relationship with Rachel, and morally compromised law career where he suppresses evidence to win cases.
Disruption
Henry stops at a convenience store for cigarettes and is shot in the head during a robbery. This random act of violence destroys his old life instantly—he suffers severe brain damage and nearly dies.
Resistance
Henry lies in a coma while Sarah and Rachel wait anxiously. When he awakens, he has lost his memory, speech, and motor functions. Doctors explain the extent of the damage, and Sarah must decide whether to commit to his long rehabilitation.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
The "new Henry" gradually emerges through rehabilitation. He relearns basic skills, rediscovers simple pleasures, and begins forming genuine bonds with Sarah and Rachel. Without his old memories and personality, he becomes kinder, more present, and more loving.
Opposition
Henry returns to his law firm and struggles to fit into his old role. He discovers evidence that the old Henry suppressed documents to win a case against a hospital, harming innocent people. He also learns that Sarah had an affair with his partner Bruce.
Collapse
Henry confronts the full horror of who he was: a man who destroyed lives for professional gain and drove his wife into another man's arms through emotional neglect. The old Henry is truly dead, and the new Henry must reckon with his predecessor's sins.
Crisis
Henry withdraws, devastated by what he's learned. Sarah fears she's lost him again. Rachel watches her parents' marriage fracture. Henry must decide: will he continue the old Henry's life of corruption, or forge a new path at great personal cost?
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Henry delivers the suppressed documents to the victims' lawyer, accepting the consequences. He resigns from the firm and confronts Bruce. The family decides to leave their Manhattan life behind and start fresh somewhere simpler and more authentic.