The Bitch 1979

Romance

Drama

Runtime

89 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Gerry O’Hara

Made by

Brent Walker Film Productions

Test your knowledge of The Bitch with our quiz!

The Bitch Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Bitch (1979). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Fontaine Khaled, Joan Collins, is a divorcee who still flits through a glamorous jet-set lifestyle, but the financial cushion of her past as a billionaire’s wife has vanished and her once-thriving London nightclub, “The Hobo,” is losing steam to a flashier new rival. Despite a hefty divorce settlement, the security she craves feels increasingly precarious as patrons drift away and her business—still trying to sparkle—struggles to stay afloat.

On a trip back to London from New York, she meets Nico Cantafora, Antonio Cantafora, a dashing Italian gambler who pretends to be a wealthy businessman. In truth, he’s a conman who owes money to the mafia, and he uses Fontaine to smuggle a stolen diamond ring through airport security, planning to sell it in London to clear his debts. The scheme spins into a tangled web as Nico tracks Fontaine down to retrieve the ring she unwittingly carried, and they share a night together. When she discovers he planted the ring in her coat, she throws him out in anger. Later, Nico learns the ring is a fake and tries to smooth things over by giving it back to Fontaine as a playful gift, and she forgives him.

Meanwhile, Fontaine’s financial woes continue to mount. Her trusted adviser Arnold Rinstead, Kenneth Haigh, warns that the money is running out, pushing Fontaine to try and restore her nightclub’s former glory. She also learns of Nico’s mob ties after he is beaten by local gangsters who want what he owes them.

The couple is invited to the country estate of Fontaine’s closest friends, Leonard and Vanessa Grant. Leonard Grant and Vanessa Grant own a celebrated racehorse named Plato, the Derby’s favorite, which is at the center of a dangerous game. With mafia debts hanging over him, Nico is ordered by the local crime boss Thrush Feathers, Ian Hendry, to ensure Plato loses. Nico goes so far as to coerce the jockey to throw the race. Fontaine, overhearing Nico’s plan, confronts Thrush Feathers to cut herself a share of the potential payoff, hoping to salvage her finances and keep the club alive.

On race day, fate tilts the odds. The jockey falls, and Plato loses as planned. Fontaine pretends to Nico that she has gambled her entire fortune on Plato to win and is now ruined, while Nico boasts that he has backed the winning horse and feels the mafia will finally back off. But the mafia have different ideas for Nico, and after he hands Fontaine his winning tickets to cash in, Thrush Feathers’ henchmen haul him away. Fontaine, seizing the moment, gathers a double payout—her cut from Feathers and Nico’s winning tickets—pulling herself back from the brink of ruin with the club revived and her finances on a clearer path.

Yet the denouement is bittersweet. Back at The Hobo, Fontaine discovers Thrush Feathers has infiltrated the club’s ownership, announcing himself as the new owner. The life she fought to restore teeters on a new edge, leaving Fontaine to navigate a world where loyalty, debt, and ambition collide in the glittering shadows of high society.

The Bitch Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Bitch (1979) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Fontaine's post-divorce life and faltering nightclub

Fontaine Khaled enters life after divorce with a jetset image, but her finances are fragile. Her London nightclub, The Hobo, is bleeding customers as newer venues lure away the crowds. She must cope with the fear of losing everything while trying to keep up appearances.

After the divorce London

Nico Cantafora enters Fontaine's orbit on a flight

On a flight from New York to London, Fontaine meets Nico Cantafora, who woos her with the guise of wealth. Unbeknownst to her, he is a conman who owes money to the mafia and aims to exploit her for his schemes. The encounter drags them both into a dangerous, entangled relationship.

Mid-journey On a flight from New York to London

Nico uses Fontaine to smuggle a stolen ring

Nico covertly uses Fontaine to smuggle a stolen diamond ring through airport customs, planning to sell it in London to pay his debts. Fontaine carries the ring without realizing its true purpose. The plan immediately casts a shadow over her trust in him.

Shortly after their meeting London airport

Nico tracks Fontaine, they spend a night together

Nico tracks Fontaine down to retrieve the ring and they spend the night together. In the morning, Fontaine discovers the ring was planted, and she throws him out. The betrayal deepens her vulnerability while the con continues to ripple through their lives.

Soon after the flight Fontaine's London home

The ring is revealed as a fake; Fontaine forgives Nico

Nico later reveals that the ring is fake and gifts it to Fontaine as a lighthearted token, and she forgives him. The moment softens their relationship but does not erase the danger surrounding them. Their bond remains a volatile lifeline amid mounting financial pressures.

Following the confrontation London

Fontaine's finances worsen; Rinstead warns

Fontaine's financial problems escalate as expenses mount and revenue declines. Her advisor Arnold Rinstead warns that she is rapidly running out of money. With the club's fortunes in peril, she resolves to revive The Hobo and recapture past glory.

After forgiveness London

Nico is beaten; Fontaine learns of his mob ties

Nico is beaten by local gangsters due to the money he still owes, exposing his mob connections. Fontaine learns the extent of his criminal ties, complicating their relationship and her attempts to regain control of her life. The revelation increases the dangers surrounding both of them.

After the beating London or nearby

Invitation to the Grants' country estate

They are invited to the country estate of Fontaine's best friends, Leonard and Vanessa Grant, where the stakes rise with a high-stakes derby looming. The Grants' racehorse Plato is the favorite to win, adding a new financial angle to the drama. The country retreat sets the stage for later intrigues tied to the derby.

Before the derby Grant estate

Introduction of Plato and the derby intrigue

Plato becomes central as the derby approaches, with money and power on the line. Mafia debts and personal ambitions converge around the race, turning the event into a bargaining ground. The tension between loyalty, greed, and ambition grows louder.

Pre-derby Derby track and Grant estate

Nico is ordered to fix the race

Nico is instructed by the mafia boss Thrush Feathers to cause Plato to lose, and he begins pressuring the jockey to throw the race. The pressure tightens as the deadline nears, showing how far Nico will go to protect his debts. The plot thickens with each manipulation of the race outcome.

Race day prep Derby track and stables

Fontaine negotiates with Feathers for a cut

Fontaine overhears Nico's plan and confronts Feathers, requesting a cut of the payoff if the scheme succeeds. Feathers agrees to the arrangement, making Fontaine indebted to him and expanding his grip on her life. The alliance with Feathers shifts the power balance in the group.

Before race day Feathers' meeting place

Derby day: the race and Fontaine's gambit

Race day arrives and the jockey falls as planned, ensuring Plato loses. Fontaine pretends she has gambled her entire fortune on Plato to win and acts broke, provoking Nico's elation at the apparent victory. The scheme temporarily buys her time while the mob's reach remains looming.

Race day Derby track

Nico is captured by Feathers' men

After handing Fontaine Nico's winning tickets, he is carted off by Feathers' henchmen, disappearing from the arrangements. Fontaine seizes the opportunity to claim both sets of winnings and tighten her position. The mafia's grip tightens around Nico as Fontaine moves toward final control of her finances.

After race Derby track or nearby

Fontaine's financial windfall and nightclub revival

With the winnings from Nico's tickets and her cut from Feathers, Fontaine's finances are revived and The Hobo regains life. She finally stabilizes her business and wardrobe, enjoying a period of relief. Yet Feathers' influence continuing to loom over her future.

Post-race London, The Hobo

Feathers becomes the new owner of The Hobo

In a final twist, Feathers proclaims himself as the new owner of The Hobo, signaling a drastic shift in Fontaine's control of her own club. The power dynamic tilts toward organized crime, leaving her uncertain about what comes next. The ending closes on a bittersweet note, with survival but without true independence.

End The Hobo nightclub, London

The Bitch Characters

Explore all characters from The Bitch (1979). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Fontaine Khaled (Joan Collins)

A divorcee with a lavish jet-set lifestyle, Fontaine fights to maintain financial security as her nightclub The Hobo struggles. Clever and savvy, she manipulates situations to claw back wealth, but remains vulnerable to those who control money and power around her. Her charm hides a readiness to take risks to survive in a world of luxury and danger.

💃 Glamorous socialite 💼 Financially unstable 🕴️ Schemer

Nico Cantafora (as Michael Coby) (Antonio Cantafora)

A handsome Italian gambler with mafia debts, Nico uses Fontaine to move a stolen diamond ring. He thrives on risk and deception, constantly dancing between charm and threat. His opportunistic nature complicates Fontaine's plans and ties him to criminal networks.

🃏 Conman 💸 Gambler 🕶️ Cunning

Thrush Feather

A ruthless gangland boss who leverages both menacing force and shrewd deals to control outcomes. He manipulates the Derby and exerts power over Fontaine and Nico, ultimately asserting his own ownership over the club. His presence anchors the criminal underworld in the story.

💣 Gangland boss 🗡️ Ruthless 🕳️ Shadowy figure

Leonard Grant (Mark Burns)

Fontaine's best friend and a wealthy horse owner, Leonard embodies old-money stability. He invites Fontaine and Nico to his country estate for a high-stakes Derby, representing the benevolent face of aristocratic influence. His involvement underscores themes of trust and social capital.

💼 Wealthy patron 🏇 Derby ally 🕊️ Trusted friend

Vanessa Grant (Sue Lloyd)

Leonard's wife and a key socialite, Vanessa embodies refinement and sophistication. She navigates the pressures of maintaining social standing while supporting Fontaine and her husband’s interests. Her presence highlights the era's gendered expectations within high society.

🎀 Socialite 👗 Elegant 🤝 supportive ally

Arnold Rinstead (as financial advisor)

Fontaine's cautious financial advisor who warns that her fortune is dwindling. He represents the rational voice trying to steady a volatile situation, offering pragmatic guidance in a world of risk and temptation. His advice anchors the plot's financial pressures.

💼 Advisor 🧾 Financial shield 🧭 Pragmatic

The Bitch Settings

Learn where and when The Bitch (1979) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Late 1970s

Set in the late 1970s, the film captures the era's opulent jet-set culture and decadent nightlife. It uses the period to explore crumbling fortunes, glamorous parties, and intertwined crime networks. The mood reflects a time when wealth and influence could shift quickly, often through deception.

Location

London (The Hobo nightclub), New York, Grants' country estate

The story revolves around Fontaine's glamorous London nightlife at her failing club The Hobo. It also moves across the Atlantic to New York during a transatlantic moment, and returns to the Grants' countryside estate where the Derby and high-stakes schemes unfold. Key scenes alternate between urban nightlife and the rural estate, highlighting the clash between luxury and danger.

🗺️ London 🗺️ New York 🏰 Country estate

The Bitch Themes

Discover the main themes in The Bitch (1979). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💰

Greed

Wealth fuels every major move, from Fontaine's attempt to restore her nightclub's fortune to Nico's need to pay off mafia debts. The con and the counterfeit ring show how money can corrupt trust and drive characters to manipulate others for personal gain. The derby plot becomes a vehicle for profit, risk, and opportunistic crime.

👑

Power

Control over finances, reputations, and venues becomes a central prize. Fontaine seeks to reclaim influence over her life and business, while Thrush Feathers asserts dominion by owning the club and shaping the Derby outcome. The film stages a battle for dominance between glamour, legitimacy, and criminal pressure.

🎭

Deception

Deceit threads through every relationship: fake wealth, a planted ring, and double-crosses at the race. Fontaine plays both sides to advance her interests, often blurring lines between ally and exploit. The final twist—Feathers claiming ownership—reveals how appearances can mask manipulation and control.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Explore the mobile app

The Bitch Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Bitch (1979). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the glittering underbelly of London’s club scene, a once‑glamorous hotspot teeters on the edge of obscurity. The venue, a sleek disco known for its pulsating beats and opulent décor, reflects the city’s relentless chase of style and status. Amid neon lights and the hum of high‑society chatter, the atmosphere is a delicate mix of decadence and unease, hinting that the glitter may soon give way to shadows.

Fontaine Khaled is the charismatic owner, a former billionaire’s wife who has turned her jet‑set past into a relentless drive to keep her nightclub alive. Though she exudes confidence and a sharp wit, the loss of her former financial cushion leaves her juggling the demands of patrons, investors, and an ever‑shifting social hierarchy. Her world is one where personal charm must mask the anxiety of dwindling fortunes, and where every night’s success feels as fragile as a spun record.

Enter Nico Cantafora, an alluring Italian gambler whose effortless charm masks a more complicated life on the fringe of legality. Their paths cross in a city where chance encounters can alter destinies, and their rapport crackles with a tension that is both seductive and unsettling. Alongside them, Arnold Rinstead, a trusted adviser, offers pragmatic counsel, grounding Fontaine’s ambitions with a realistic view of the numbers behind the glamour. Their interactions illustrate a delicate dance of trust, ambition, and the ever‑present allure of a quick fix.

Beyond the club’s velvet ropes, a subtle pressure builds as the local mafia eyes the lucrative territory. Their whispered interest adds a layer of intrigue, suggesting that the stakes extend far beyond the dance floor. In this world of glittering lights, high‑stakes gambling, and covert power plays, Fontaine must navigate loyalty, desire, and the relentless pull of a city that never sleeps, all while striving to preserve the dream that once seemed untouchable.