The Missionary
In 1905, after ten years of missionary work in Africa, the Reverend Charles Fortescue (Sir Michael Palin) is recalled to England, where his Bishop gives him his new assignment, to minister to London's prostitutes. Charles hopes Deborah Fitzbanks (Phoebe Nicholls), his fiancée, will object and give him an excuse to say no to the Bishop. But she is so imperturbably innocent that she totally fails to understand what he is being asked to do, and urges him to do his best. Wealthy Lady Isabel Ames (Dame Maggie Smith) is expected to fund the work, but once she makes it clear to Charles that there will be no contribution unless he shares her bed.
The film earned $7.2M 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%)
The Missionary (1982) showcases deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Richard Loncraine's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 30 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Reverend Charles Fortescue bids farewell to his African mission and beloved Deborah, returning to England to marry his proper fiancée Lady Isabel. His innocent, missionary world is established.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Lord Ames assigns Charles to run a mission for fallen women in London's East End. This appointment disrupts his plans for a conventional married life and thrusts him into a morally complex 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 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Charles actively chooses to accept the mission and establish the refuge for fallen women, committing himself to this morally ambiguous world despite his sheltered understanding of sin and sexuality., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Charles consummates his affair with Lady Ames. This false victory seems to solve his sexual frustration, but actually raises the stakes enormously - he's now an adulterer living a double life between his pure fiancée and his passionate mistress., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 67 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Charles's double life is exposed when Isabel, Lady Ames, and Lord Ames converge. His reputation, engagement, mission, and moral standing all collapse simultaneously. The death of his innocent self-image is complete., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 71 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Charles realizes he must be honest about his nature and make a genuine choice rather than trying to maintain contradictory lives. He accepts his humanity - both spiritual calling and earthly desires - and decides to act with integrity., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Missionary'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 The Missionary against these established plot points, we can identify how Richard Loncraine utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Missionary within the comedy genre.
Richard Loncraine's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Richard Loncraine films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Missionary takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Richard Loncraine filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Richard Loncraine analyses, see Finding Your Feet, Firewall and Wimbledon.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Reverend Charles Fortescue bids farewell to his African mission and beloved Deborah, returning to England to marry his proper fiancée Lady Isabel. His innocent, missionary world is established.
Theme
Lord Ames discusses the moral duty to "save fallen women" of London, suggesting that redemption requires understanding both sin and virtue - foreshadowing Charles's conflict between spiritual duty and carnal temptation.
Worldbuilding
Charles returns to Edwardian England, reunites with his sheltered fiancée Isabel, and navigates the rigid social expectations of upper-class society while preparing for marriage and his new calling.
Disruption
Lord Ames assigns Charles to run a mission for fallen women in London's East End. This appointment disrupts his plans for a conventional married life and thrusts him into a morally complex world.
Resistance
Charles debates accepting the mission, consults with Isabel (who knows nothing of fallen women), and reluctantly agrees. He receives funding from Lady Ames, a wealthy, sensual benefactress who takes immediate interest in him.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Charles actively chooses to accept the mission and establish the refuge for fallen women, committing himself to this morally ambiguous world despite his sheltered understanding of sin and sexuality.
Mirror World
Lady Ames becomes Charles's primary benefactress and begins seducing him. She represents the thematic opposite of Isabel - worldly, sexual, experienced - and will teach Charles what he truly needs versus what he thinks he wants.
Premise
Charles runs the mission, encountering prostitutes and fallen women with sympathy and naivety. He juggles his innocent fiancée Isabel, his seductive benefactress Lady Ames, and his genuine desire to help the women, leading to escalating comic and sexual complications.
Midpoint
Charles consummates his affair with Lady Ames. This false victory seems to solve his sexual frustration, but actually raises the stakes enormously - he's now an adulterer living a double life between his pure fiancée and his passionate mistress.
Opposition
Charles's lies multiply as he attempts to maintain his relationship with Isabel, continue his affair with Lady Ames, run the mission, and keep all parties unaware of each other. Social pressure and moral contradictions intensify from all sides.
Collapse
Charles's double life is exposed when Isabel, Lady Ames, and Lord Ames converge. His reputation, engagement, mission, and moral standing all collapse simultaneously. The death of his innocent self-image is complete.
Crisis
Charles faces the consequences of his hypocrisy and must confront who he truly is - not the pure missionary he believed himself to be, but a flawed man who desired both spiritual purpose and physical passion.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Charles realizes he must be honest about his nature and make a genuine choice rather than trying to maintain contradictory lives. He accepts his humanity - both spiritual calling and earthly desires - and decides to act with integrity.
Synthesis
Charles resolves the conflicts by making honest choices about his relationships and calling. He confronts the social hypocrisy that condemned him while tolerating greater sins, and finds a path that honors both his spiritual mission and human nature.
Transformation
Charles returns to Africa with Deborah, the woman he truly loved from the beginning. Unlike the opening where he left her out of duty, he now chooses her consciously, having learned that virtue without humanity is hollow, and that honest love is holier than false propriety.