What Is Five Dolls for an August Moon About?
The premise of Five Dolls for an August Moon in 346 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
A remote island retreats from the world, its lone beach house perched against a backdrop of surf‑lapped cliffs and whispering palms. It belongs to a charismatic industrialist who has gathered his most privileged acquaintances for a weekend that promises sun, luxury, and an escape from the constraints of city life. The isolation feels both intoxicating and unsettling, a place where the ordinary rhythm of society is replaced by the slow pulse of endless horizon and the quiet hum of distant waves.
George Stark is the host, a wealthy playboy whose effortless charm masks a shrewd business mind. He has invited a colorful cast: Professor Gerry Farrell, a brilliant scientist protecting the secret of a revolutionary resin formula; his wife Trudy, whose restless spirit hints at hidden desires; Jill, Stark’s artist wife, whose creative ambitions are tightly intertwined with her husband’s ambitions. The circle also includes Nick, Stark’s partner whose volatile relationship with his wife Marie cracks the veneer of upper‑class civility, and Charles, the devoted manservant who moves silently among the guests. Jack and his companion Peggy appear as the seemingly contented couple, while Isabel, the young daughter of the island’s game warden, watches the adults with a keen, observant eye. Beneath the polished surface, alliances shift, old resentments simmer, and unspoken attractions create a web of tension that feels as palpable as the salty air.
The weekend quickly becomes a pressure cooker of ambitions and secrets. Farrell’s guarded invention draws relentless attention, and each guest arrives with their own agenda—whether it’s securing a lucrative deal, escaping personal constraints, or simply enjoying the rare freedom the island affords. Conversations glide between polite flirtation and veiled challenges, while the ever‑present ocean seems to echo the growing undercurrents of mistrust.
As night falls and the tide cuts off any easy escape, the atmosphere tightens into a lingering suspense. The sumptuous setting contrasts sharply with the mounting sense that something crucial is at stake, and that the very freedoms the guests seek may be lurking just beyond the horizon, waiting to test the limits of their loyalties and desires.
What Happens in Five Dolls for an August Moon?
The complete story of Five Dolls for an August Moon, from the first scene to the last, in 702 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 9 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On the private island retreat of the wealthy industrialist George Stark Teodoro Corrà, a weekend gathering brings together a mix of guests, including the renowned scientist Professor Gerry Farrell William Berger. The first night passes quietly, but the mood shifts when Farrell awakes to a startling realization: Stark and the others have set this weekend up to pressure him into selling his groundbreaking resin formula, a invention whose origin he guards closely after the death of a colleague during its creation.
Farrell’s world is tangled in personal conflict. His wife Trudy Ira von Fürstenberg is involved with Jill, Stark’s artist wife, while Stark’s business partner Nick Maurice Poli is openly abusive toward his wife Marie Edwige Fenech, yet shows little objection to her sleeping with other men, including Charles Mauro Bosco, the Stark household’s manservant. Stark himself treats Jill more as a means of enhancing his portfolio than as a partner, constantly steering her career and keeping tight control over every aspect of her life. The only truly contented couple appears to be Jack Howard Ross and Peggy Helena Ronee. Also present is Isabel Ely Galleani, the teenage daughter of Stark’s game warden, whose parents are away for medical reasons.
As the trio of Stark, Nick, and Jack press Farrell for the secret formula, they each try to seal the deal with conspicuously large cheques—$1 million apiece—from their Swiss accounts. The pressure mounts in the open air and the tension soon turns grim. Jill discovers the dead body of Charles on the beach, a grisly clue that someone on the island might be willing to go far to protect the prize they crave. With the motor launch already sent away to block any escape and the radio out of service, Charles’s body is moved into a large walk‑in freezer, a place that will later become a macabre locus for the day’s horrors. The next morning, Farrell is found on the beach, and the group learns in horror that he has been murdered; Isabel, the sharp-eyed sniper, drags Farrell’s body toward the sea as the situation spirals.
Tempers flare as the island devolves into a chain of killings. Peggy is shot dead from an unseen sniper, and Jack immediately accuses Stark of the killings. Marie is found bound to a tree and stabbed in the chest, while Jill is discovered dead in her bathtub, wrists slashed in what appears to be a staged suicide. Each corpse is disposed of in the freezer, turning the island into a chilling gallery of cadavers. The four survivors—Stark, Jack, Nick, and Trudy—hole up in Stark’s living room through the night, trading barbs and accusations as the danger closes in. After a heated exchange, Nick storms off, and the next morning he too is found dead, his body added to the growing cold-storage tableau.
Stark tries to salvage some chance of escape by offering Trudy a cheque for Farrell’s formula, while a microfilm reveals that the secret remains in existence. A hidden motorboat is unearthed, offering a path back to the mainland, but Stark’s attempt to gather supplies takes him away, leaving Jack to confront the truth: he orchestrated the murders to steal the cheques, including Peggy’s, and has now turned to lethal means to protect his plan. In a tense confrontation, Trudy agrees to deliver the formula in exchange for Jack’s cheque, and a dangerous handover ensues. Yet the exchange ends in tragedy as they both shoot each other; Trudy dies first, and Isabel seizes both the cheque and the formula, though a dying Jack makes a last, futile attempt to stop her.
Time passes, and Isabel—now wealthier than before—visits Farrell in prison, awaiting execution for the murder of his colleague, the rightful discoverer of the resin. She claims to love Farrell and confesses that she intended to save him by drugging him with a sodium pentathol pellet, a truth-serum style move that coerces him into confessing his guilt. Isabel reveals she is broke, having cashed George’s and Jack’s cheques but not Nick’s because she never learned the account number. Farrell, aware of his fate, provides her with the number before she departs for Lausanne, convinced she has altered the course of history on that distant island.
Five Dolls for an August Moon Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Arrival on Stark's island retreat” to “Isabel's wealth and a postscript with Farrell”. 11 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Arrival on Stark's island retreat
A wealthy industrialist George Stark hosts a weekend gathering on his private island, bringing together scientists, couples, and a few hired staff including Professor Gerry Farrell, Jill, Trudy, Nick, Jack, Peggy, Marie, Charles, and Isabel. The scene hints at strained relationships and hidden agendas among the guests. The secluded setting foreshadows the coming confrontations and disappearances.
Where:Stark's private island
- 2
Morning confrontation over the resin formula
Farrell wakes to the realization that Stark and the others want him to sell his revolutionary resin formula. They offer him million-dollar cheques, hoping to press him into divulging the invention. Farrell insists he won't reveal the formula, claiming the original documents were secretly destroyed to protect it.
Where:Isolated island house
- 3
Charles' body found on the beach and hidden
Jill discovers the dead body of Charles lying on the beach, signaling the first fatal consequence of the weekend's coercion. Stark has the body moved into a large walk-in freezer to hide it, while cutting off all contact with the mainland by sending the motor launch away and disabling the radio. The island's isolation becomes a weapon for the killers.
Where:Beach and freezer area, Stark's property
- 4
Farrell's apparent death and Isabel's sniper moment
The following morning, Farrell is found dead on the beach after a gunshot, fueling fear and mistrust among the guests. Isabel, the Starks' teenage daughter, operates as the sniper and drags Farrell's body out to sea, signaling the start of the murderous spree. The group's veneer of civility quickly dissolves into chaos.
Where:Beach
- 5
Peggy is shot on the balcony
Peggy is shot dead while standing on the balcony, an unseen assailant leaving no immediate trace. The sudden violence escalates the fear among the survivors and complicates any chance of teamwork. The killer seems to have free rein within the island's confines.
Where:Stark's villa balcony
- 6
Marie is tied, Jill is found dead, and all bodies go into storage
Marie is found tied to a tree and stabbed in the chest, followed by Jill's discovery dead in her bathtub. Each corpse is placed into the freezer, keeping the deaths cloaked and heightening paranoia. The living begin to suspect one another as the supply of trust evaporates.
Where:Stark's villa
- 7
The four survivors barricade the house; Nick disappears
Stark, Jack, Nick, and Trudy hole up in Stark's living room for the night as tempers flare and distrust grows. Nick storms off in anger, leaving the others behind. The next morning, Nick's body is found cold and stored, signaling the killers' reach has extended.
Where:Stark's living room
- 8
The cheque offer and discovery of a way off
Stark offers Trudy a cheque for Farrell's formula and reveals that the formula's microfilm still exists. He also uncovers a hidden motorboat that could take them to the mainland, intensifying the motive to coerce and escape. The plan to secure a fortune becomes all-consuming.
Where:Stark's living room
- 9
Jack's confession and Stark's death
Jack confronts Stark and reveals he killed everyone to steal their cheques, including Peggy, in a bid to secure all the money. He shoots Stark dead during the confrontation, removing one competitor to wealth. The killer's plan begins to unravel as the body count rises.
Where:Stark's residence
- 10
The exchange goes wrong; Trudy dies, Isabel escapes with the prize
In the eerie hush of the freezer area, Trudy and Jack attempt a handover, exchanging the formula for a cheque. They shoot each other; Trudy dies first, and Jack, dying, watches as Isabel seizes both the cheque and the formula. He tries to intervene but cannot stop her.
Where:Stark's freezer
- 11
Isabel's wealth and a postscript with Farrell
Some time later, Isabel, now wealthy, visits Farrell in prison and claims to love him. She explains that she drugged him with a sodium pentathol pellet to keep him unconscious, inadvertently triggering a confession about his partner's murder. Farrell, acknowledging his fate, provides her the account number to cash the remaining cheques, then she departs for Lausanne.
When:Some time later Where:Prison; Lausanne
Who Are the Main Characters in Five Dolls for an August Moon?
10 characters, among them Nick Chaney (Maurice Poli), Prof. Gerry Farrell (William Berger) and Marie Chaney (Edwige Fenech): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- NC
Nick Chaney (Maurice Poli)
Played by Maurice Poli
Stark's business partner and Marie's husband, Nick is brusque and controlling. He resents Farrell’s invention and the possibility of losing control over the profits, yet shows a willingness to bend rules to secure wealth. His volatility and hostility toward his wife’s relationships contribute to the island's tense mood, and his eventual murder marks another step in the deadly unravelling.
- 💼 Business
- 🗝️ Secrets
- 💢 Controlling
- PG
Prof. Gerry Farrell (William Berger)
Played by William Berger
A brilliant scientist who guards a revolutionary resin formula, Farrell destroys the original documents to prevent misuse. He is coerced by the guests with tempting cheques, challenging his conscience and loyalty to science. Farrell becomes a central target as the group schemes to force his hand, and the murky truth about his invention and its rightful inventor gradually comes to light.
- 🧪 Scientist
- 💡 Invention
- 🔒 Secrets
- MC
Marie Chaney (Edwige Fenech)
Played by Edwige Fenech
Marie is Stark's coquettish wife who pursues new lovers and openly navigates the complex web of infidelity on the island. Her affair with Jill is a focal point, illustrating the corrosive effects of desire and vanity among the guests. Marie's fate is sealed by the escalating violence that follows the uncovering of everyone's secrets.
- 💃 Seduction
- 💔 Infidelity
- 🔪 Victim
- PD
Peggy Davidson (Helena Ronee)
Played by Helena Ronee
Peggy is Jack's wife and represents the couple who seem most stable at the outset. She becomes a victim of the island's escalating peril, shot on the balcony and later placed in the cold storage. Her death underscores the reach of greed and jealousy that permeates the group.
- 💍 Relationship
- 🗡️ Murder victim
- 🫧 Isolation
- JD
Jack Davidson (Howard Ross)
Played by Howard Ross
Jack is Peggy's husband and one of the more ruthless players who finally exposes the plan to steal the cheques. He arrogantly admits to killing others but is eventually killed himself in the final confrontation. His ruthlessness and fear of losing wealth drive a fatal confrontation with multiple winners and losers.
- 🧠 Cunning
- 🗡️ Murderer
- 💥 Violence
- I(
Isabel (Ely Galleani)
Played by Ely Galleani
Isabel is Stark's teenage daughter, whose youth hides a sharp, calculating mind. She manipulates Farrell to confess and ultimately seizes the cheque and formula for herself, surviving the night and leaving with wealth she never anticipated. Her actions reveal a child of privilege who uses wit and audacity to reframe the family's fortune.
- 🎯 Calculated
- 🪙 Wealth
- 🕶️ Manipulative
- C(
Charles (Mauro Bosco)
Played by Mauro Bosco
Charles is Stark's manservant and one of the few who crosses social boundaries to engage in a forbidden affair with Marie. He is discovered dead on the beach and is subsequently placed in the freezer, marking one of the first killings and signaling that no one is safe.
- 💼 Servant
- 💔 Affair
- 🧊 Victim
- TF
Trudy Farrell (Ira von Fürstenberg)
Played by Ira von Fürstenberg
Trudy is Farrell's wife who harbors her own affair with Jill’s husband and becomes entangled in the plan to protect Farrell’s invention. She survives the rising chaos until the end, ultimately dying in a gun duel during the climactic exchange. Her actions help shape the final outcome and the mystery’s resolution.
- 💑 Affair
- 🧭 Survivor
- 🎯 Strategy
- GS
George Stark (Teodoro Corrà)
Played by Teodoro Corrà
Stark is the wealthy industrialist whose island retreat doubles as a stage for coercion and control. He is aggressive in his pursuit of Farrell’s formula, manipulating the other guests to secure leverage over the invention. He meets his end at the hands of Jack, a pivotal moment that marks the collapse of his empire of influence.
- 🏦 Wealthy
- 👔 Businessman
- ⚔️ Power
- JS
Jill Stark (Edith Meloni)
Played by Edith Meloni
Jill is Stark’s artist wife who becomes entangled in a forbidden affair with Farrell. Her presence embodies the artistic, liberated side of the island’s dynamics, yet she also falls victim to the murder spree, dying in her bathtub as the mystery deepens. Her relationships illustrate how personal ambitions intersect with corporate scheming.
- 🎨 Artist
- 💔 Infidelity
- 🪦 Victim
Where and When Is Five Dolls for an August Moon Set?
Five Dolls for an August Moon is set in Stark's private island retreat (Weekend on a private island). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Weekend on a private island
The action unfolds over a single weekend on the island. The confined time frame heightens paranoia and distrust among the guests. With communications cut and the sea loomingly distant, small slights erupt into deadly consequences.
Where
Stark's private island retreat
A secluded private island serves as the stage for the weekend rendezvous hosted by George Stark. The retreat houses a mix of wealthy guests, a game warden’s daughter, and a mansion with hidden spaces like a walk-in freezer and secret motorboat access. The setting amplifies tension as contact with the mainland is cut off and trust becomes scarce.
- ❄️ Isolation
- 🏝️ Island setting
- 🏡 Private retreat
What Are the Themes of Five Dolls for an August Moon?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Greed, Betrayal and Deception.
-
01
Greed
Greed drives much of the film's conflict as the promise of a million-dollar payoff for Farrell's resin formula fuels scheming and coercive tactics. The guests promise or threaten money to secure the invention, revealing how wealth corrupts relationships and ethics. The pursuit of financial gain ultimately sharpens the violence and deception that unfold on the island.
-
02
Betrayal
Betrayal threads through marriages, partnerships, and friendships as loyalties shift under pressure. Characters hide true motives while exploiting others’ weaknesses, leading to a cascade of murders. The revelation of each betrayal escalates the mystery and shifts blame among the survivors. The island becomes a pressure cooker where trust is a currency as deadly as money.
-
03
Deception
Deception pervades every interaction, from illicit affairs to manipulation of legal documents and secret plans. The destruction of original documents and the use of a hidden microfilm show how truth is obscured to serve personal ends. Characters continually mislead others to preserve their own survival and wealth. The truth only surfaces amid a web of calculated lies.
-
04
Mystery
A concealed motive lurks behind each action as bodies begin to pile up and motives remain unclear. The film builds a layered puzzle, inviting viewers to piece together who benefits from each death. Clues are scattered through the island’s setting, the relationships between guests, and the shifting control of the resin formula. The final twist reframes who truly controls the outcome and who is left with the fortune.
What Kind of Film Is Five Dolls for an August Moon?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A tense and lurid giallo thriller that traps a group of morally bankrupt characters in an isolated setting, where mounting paranoia and a rapid succession of brutal murders create a claustrophobic and fatalistic atmosphere.
- claustrophobic
- suspenseful
- paranoid
- sinister
- cynical
- erotic
- isolated group
- murder mystery
- greed
- betrayal
Content notes: murder, stabbing, gun violence, suicide (staged), emotional abuse, voyeurism.
Quiz
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Where to Watch Five Dolls for an August Moon
Stream it on Fawesome and Kanopy. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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