The Rich Man's Wife
A rich man's wife finds she has a bad prenuptial agreement with an even worse husband. Over drinks with a stranger, she fantasizes about doing her husband in to void the prenupt. The stranger decides to turn her imagination into reality much to the wife's surprise.
The film earned $8.5M 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 Rich Man's Wife (1996) showcases carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Amy Holden Jones's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 34 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 Josie Potenza appears to have wealth and privilege as the wife of real estate developer Tony Potenza, but we see she's trapped in a loveless, controlling marriage where her husband dismisses and demeans her.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Josie meets Jake Golden at a resort during a trip away from Tony. This chance encounter offers her a glimpse of genuine connection and romance, disrupting her resigned acceptance of her loveless marriage.. 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 indicates the protagonist's commitment to Tony is murdered. Josie discovers her husband's body, and her world irrevocably changes from unhappy wife to murder suspect and victim. She didn't pull the trigger, but she enters a new world of criminal investigation and danger., moving from reaction to action.
At 46 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Cole reveals himself to Josie as Tony's killer. He took her drunken rant seriously and murdered her husband. Now he blackmails her, threatening to frame her as the mastermind. False defeat: what seemed like freedom from Tony becomes a worse trap., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 69 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Cole's escalation reaches a breaking point - he either threatens Jake directly, attacks Josie, or the police close in with evidence that could convict her. The whiff of death: someone close to Josie is killed or nearly killed, or she faces imminent arrest for murder., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 75 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Josie discovers evidence that proves Cole acted alone, or she devises a plan to trap him and prove her innocence. She synthesizes her survival instincts with new courage, choosing to fight back rather than remain a victim. She goes from hunted to hunter., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Rich Man's Wife's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The Rich Man's Wife against these established plot points, we can identify how Amy Holden Jones utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Rich Man's Wife within the drama genre.
Amy Holden Jones's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Amy Holden Jones films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.4, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Rich Man's Wife exemplifies the director's characteristic narrative technique. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Amy Holden Jones filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Amy Holden Jones analyses, see Maid to Order.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Josie Potenza appears to have wealth and privilege as the wife of real estate developer Tony Potenza, but we see she's trapped in a loveless, controlling marriage where her husband dismisses and demeans her.
Theme
A friend or confidant warns Josie that "you can't escape your problems by wishing them away" - foreshadowing how her wishful thinking about her husband's death will become a literal nightmare.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Josie's gilded cage: her wealthy but emotionally abusive marriage to Tony, their luxurious lifestyle, her isolation and unhappiness, and the power dynamics that keep her trapped. We see Tony's controlling nature and infidelity.
Disruption
Josie meets Jake Golden at a resort during a trip away from Tony. This chance encounter offers her a glimpse of genuine connection and romance, disrupting her resigned acceptance of her loveless marriage.
Resistance
Josie begins an affair with Jake, experiencing real intimacy for the first time. She debates leaving Tony but fears the consequences. During this period, in a moment of venting frustration at a bar, she tells a stranger named Cole that she wishes her husband were dead.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Tony is murdered. Josie discovers her husband's body, and her world irrevocably changes from unhappy wife to murder suspect and victim. She didn't pull the trigger, but she enters a new world of criminal investigation and danger.
Mirror World
Jake becomes Josie's emotional anchor and support system during the investigation. Their relationship deepens, representing the love and partnership she never had with Tony - the "right way" to be in a relationship versus her marriage.
Premise
The promise of the thriller: Josie navigates police suspicion as the grieving widow with motive. She tries to prove her innocence while maintaining her secret affair with Jake. The investigation explores her alibi, her marriage, and Tony's business dealings.
Midpoint
Cole reveals himself to Josie as Tony's killer. He took her drunken rant seriously and murdered her husband. Now he blackmails her, threatening to frame her as the mastermind. False defeat: what seemed like freedom from Tony becomes a worse trap.
Opposition
Cole tightens his grip on Josie, making increasingly dangerous demands. The police investigation intensifies. Josie's relationship with Jake becomes strained under the pressure of her secrets. Cole's presence becomes more threatening and invasive. Every attempt to escape makes things worse.
Collapse
Cole's escalation reaches a breaking point - he either threatens Jake directly, attacks Josie, or the police close in with evidence that could convict her. The whiff of death: someone close to Josie is killed or nearly killed, or she faces imminent arrest for murder.
Crisis
Josie hits rock bottom emotionally. She realizes she must stop running and face Cole directly. She grapples with her guilt - while she didn't kill Tony, her words set events in motion. Dark night of introspection before finding her resolve.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Josie discovers evidence that proves Cole acted alone, or she devises a plan to trap him and prove her innocence. She synthesizes her survival instincts with new courage, choosing to fight back rather than remain a victim. She goes from hunted to hunter.
Synthesis
Final confrontation with Cole. Josie executes her plan to expose him to the police or stop him directly. The finale involves a cat-and-mouse game where Josie must use everything she's learned to survive and prove the truth. Jake and/or the police arrive at the critical moment.
Transformation
Josie, now free from both Tony and Cole, stands as a survivor rather than a victim. She's learned she has strength she didn't know she possessed. The final image shows her no longer trapped - whether with Jake or alone, she's now the author of her own life.