The Idol 1966

Marco, a young, arrogant art student, is friendly with Timothy, a medical student, and Sarah, Timothy’s girlfriend. Timothy is dominated by his wealthy and beautiful mother, Carol, who is divorcing her husband. There is an Oedipal undercurrent between mother and son, and Timothy is not happy that Carol plans to marry again. Nevertheless, as Carol continues to control his life, Timothy wishes to be more independent.

[Marco] finds a studio apartment, and Timothy pays the first two months’ rent, planning to move in with his friend and switch from medicine to art. An angry Carol prevents the move, and Sarah, who has fallen in love with Marco, moves in instead.

During a party at her weekend cottage, Carol becomes furious when she finds Marco and Sarah kissing in Timothy’s room, and she orders Marco from the house. Later, Timothy is involved in a pub brawl, and Marco defends him and brings him home unconscious. Carol is appreciative, and warms to him. Later at a bar, Marco and Carol dance, and it is clear the repressed Carol is attracted to him. Timothy looks on, uneasy.

On New Year’s Eve, Marco arrives at Carol’s house to accompany Timothy to a party. But Timothy had already left, and Marco is left alone with Carol. He seduces her, then scorns her in retaliation for his earlier humiliation at the cottage. He leaves for the party which is on a boat, and arrives drunk accompanied by a streetwalker. He hints broadly to Sarah of his conquest of Carol, which Timothy overhears. Anguished, Timothy runs up on deck and Marco stumbles after him. Timothy violently thrusts him away, but a woozy Marco falls into the water and drowns, despite Timothy’s efforts to save him. Questioned by the police, Timothy refuses to reveal the cause of the fight. Thus, without his admitting to the actual provocation, it is determined that Marco drowned at Timothy’s instigation. Carol, who has arrived during the questioning, reaches out to Timothy as he is being led away by the police, but he coldly turns away.