1962
Regina Lampert's life in Paris is upended when her husband, Charles, is murdered and she discovers he stole a quarter-million dollars in gold during World War II, leading to three dangerous men and the enigmatic Peter Joshua pursuing her for the money. As the men are systematically murdered, Peter Joshua's true identity and intentions become increasingly ambiguous, while a CIA agent, Hamilton Bartholomew, warns Reggie of her peril. Reggie uncovers the gold is hidden in rare stamps given to her nephew and realizes Peter Joshua is a U.S. Treasury agent named Brian Cruikshank, and Bartholomew is the real villain, Carson Dyle. After a climactic chase through Paris, Carson Dyle is apprehended, allowing Reggie and Brian, now in love, to confirm his identity at the American Embassy and begin a new life together.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Charade opens with mysterious deaths that thrusts Reggie into a deadly intrigue.
Open full beat sheetRegina Lampert is listed as Protagonist. A lovely young woman who finds herself in danger after her husband's death. In the parsed data, Regina Lampert is connected to 66 scenes, 406 dialogue lines, 407 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
66 scenes / 406 dialogue linesPeter Joshua is listed as Love Interest / Agent. A mysterious man who helps Reggie, with multiple identities. In the parsed data, Peter Joshua is connected to 61 scenes, 285 dialogue lines, 289 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
61 scenes / 285 dialogue linesTex Penthollow is listed as Antagonist. A slim, rangy man with a Texas accent. In the parsed data, Tex Penthollow is connected to 15 scenes, 47 dialogue lines, 48 text mentions, first appearing around scene 12.
15 scenes / 47 dialogue linesHerman Scobie is listed as Antagonist. A large, menacing man with a metal hand. In the parsed data, Herman Scobie is connected to 13 scenes, 39 dialogue lines, 41 text mentions, first appearing around scene 19.
13 scenes / 39 dialogue linesHamilton Bartholomew is listed as Supporting. A sickly-looking man claiming to be from the CIA. In the parsed data, Hamilton Bartholomew is connected to 12 scenes, 84 dialogue lines, 84 text mentions, first appearing around scene 13.
12 scenes / 84 dialogue linesLeopold Gideon is listed as Antagonist. A short, bald, nervous man with allergies. In the parsed data, Leopold Gideon is connected to 12 scenes, 31 dialogue lines, 32 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.
12 scenes / 31 dialogue linesInspector Edouard Grandpierre is listed as Antagonist/Authority. A heavy-set, suspicious police inspector. In the parsed data, Inspector Edouard Grandpierre is connected to 11 scenes, 38 dialogue lines, 39 text mentions, first appearing around scene 7.
11 scenes / 38 dialogue linesJean-Louis is listed as Supporting. A young French boy, Sylvie's son. In the parsed data, Jean-Louis is connected to 10 scenes, 17 dialogue lines, 23 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
10 scenes / 17 dialogue linesSylvie Gaudet is listed as Friend. Reggie's attractive blonde friend. In the parsed data, Sylvie Gaudet is connected to 9 scenes, 17 dialogue lines, 17 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
9 scenes / 17 dialogue linesA man is thrown from a speeding train and dies on the embankment.
Reggie eats lunch while being pestered by Jean-Louis, then tells Sylvie she wants a divorce.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Jean-LouisReggie and Sylvie discuss the divorce while walking through the pool area.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie GaudetReggie meets Peter Joshua, who is wearing a snow-mask.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Sylvie Gaudet, Jean-LouisReggie arrives home in a taxi with Sylvie and Jean-Louis.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Jean-LouisReggie tries to enter her apartment.
Regina LampertReggie discovers her apartment has been completely emptied.
Regina Lampert, Inspector Edouard GrandpierreReggie identifies her husband's body.
Regina Lampert, Inspector Edouard GrandpierreGrandpierre questions Reggie about Charles and reveals multiple passports.
Regina Lampert, Inspector Edouard GrandpierrePeter visits Reggie at the empty apartment.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie and Sylvie attend the funeral for Charles.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Inspector Edouard GrandpierreReggie and Sylvie attend Charles Lampert's funeral, where they are joined by three mysterious men: Gideon, Tex, and Scobie.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Inspector Edouard Grandpierre, Leopold Gideon, Tex Penthollow, Herman ScobieReggie meets Hamilton Bartholomew, who explains that Charles was a CIA agent and that she is in danger because of missing money.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewReggie meets Peter at a puppet show and expresses her fear.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Inspector Edouard GrandpierreReggie and Peter participate in a game at the Black Sheep Club.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaThe orange game continues; Reggie and Peter participate, then Reggie is confronted by Gideon.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Leopold GideonReggie attempts to call Bartholomew but is interrupted by Tex.
Regina Lampert, Tex PenthollowPeter and Reggie return to the hotel.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaScobie attacks Reggie in her room; Peter intervenes.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Herman ScobiePeter tracks Scobie to a neighboring room.
Peter Joshua, Leopold Gideon, Tex Penthollow, Herman ScobiePeter returns to Reggie; she receives a threatening call.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Herman ScobiePeter and Reggie discuss the money and the threats against her; Peter advises her to be careful.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaPeter sets up a tripwire mechanism between his room and Reggie's room.
Peter JoshuaPeter attaches the thread to a key to create an alarm.
Peter JoshuaReggie calls Bartholomew to report a new suspect named Peter Joshua.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewBartholomew reacts to the news about Dyle.
Hamilton BartholomewReggie decides to leave Paris and arranges a meeting with Bartholomew.
Regina LampertBartholomew arranges a meeting at Les Halles.
Hamilton BartholomewReggie prepares to leave and spies on Peter.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaThe alarm key falls, alerting Peter.
Peter JoshuaReggie flees and Peter chases her.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie runs through the lobby and out the door.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie and Peter take separate taxis.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie meets Bartholomew at the market.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewReggie and Bartholomew walk through the meat shed.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewBartholomew explains the history of the stolen gold.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewReggie follows Peter through the streets.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaPeter and Reggie visit American Express.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaPeter and Reggie speak on the phone from separate cabins.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaScobie confronts Peter.
Peter Joshua, Herman ScobieScobie frisks Peter.
Peter Joshua, Herman ScobieScobie demands the location of the money.
Peter Joshua, Herman ScobieDyle and Scobie confront each other on the roof; Scobie falls off the edge.
Peter Joshua, Herman ScobieDyle returns to the hotel and encounters the manager.
Peter JoshuaReggie tends to Dyle's wounds and they discuss their relationship.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie and Dyle confront the men holding Jean-Louis.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Jean-Louis, Leopold Gideon, Tex Penthollow, Herman ScobieDyle searches Tex's room.
Peter JoshuaTex and Gideon search Reggie's room.
Leopold Gideon, Tex PenthollowReggie and Jean-Louis search Scobie's room and find a case.
Regina Lampert, Jean-LouisThe men discover the case contains Scobie's spare hand.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Jean-Louis, Leopold Gideon, Tex Penthollow, Herman ScobieReggie, Jean-Louis, Dyle, Tex, and Gideon head to Dyle's room to check on Scobie.
Regina Lampert, Jean-Louis, Peter Joshua, Tex Penthollow, Leopold GideonThe group discovers Scobie is missing from the room, but water is leaking from the bathroom.
Peter Joshua, Tex Penthollow, Leopold Gideon, Regina Lampert, Jean-LouisScobie is found dead in the bathtub.
Herman Scobie, Peter Joshua, Tex Penthollow, Leopold GideonA maid discovers Scobie's body in his bed.
Herman ScobieGrandpierre interrogates Reggie, Dyle, Tex, and Gideon about the deaths.
Inspector Edouard Grandpierre, Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Tex Penthollow, Leopold GideonReggie and Dyle walk along the Seine and discuss the murders.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie and Dyle return to their rooms.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie tries to enter Dyle's room, then they talk through the door.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie tricks Dyle into her room.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie receives a phone call from Bartholomew.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewReggie and Dyle have dinner on a boat; Dyle reveals his true identity.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaGideon receives a mysterious phone call.
Leopold GideonGideon is killed in the elevator.
Leopold GideonGrandpierre questions Reggie and Adam about Gideon's death.
Inspector Edouard Grandpierre, Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaInspector Grandpierre questions Reggie and Adam about the missing Tex and the money.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Inspector Edouard GrandpierreAdam receives a phone call from Tex.
Peter Joshua, Tex PenthollowAdam and Reggie search the airlines bag for the money.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie works as a translator while Adam arrives to discuss the agenda.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Sylvie GaudetReggie and Adam search the garden for clues.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Tex PenthollowTex discovers the stamps are the key.
Peter Joshua, Tex PenthollowAdam confronts Tex in Reggie's room.
Peter Joshua, Tex PenthollowReggie finds Sylvie and learns about the stamps.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Jean-LouisReggie, Sylvie, and Jean-Louis visit Felix to identify the stamps.
Regina Lampert, Sylvie Gaudet, Jean-LouisReggie returns to the hotel, finds Adam's room empty, and discovers her own door ajar.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie discovers Tex's body and realizes he left a clue.
Regina Lampert, Tex PenthollowReggie calls Bartholomew to report the murder and is instructed to meet him at the Palais Royal.
Regina Lampert, Hamilton BartholomewReggie flees the hotel with Adam in pursuit.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie fails to get a taxi and runs toward the Metro.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaA chase ensues through the Metro system.
Regina Lampert, Peter JoshuaReggie hides in a phone booth and calls the Embassy.
Regina Lampert, Peter Joshua, Hamilton BartholomewOn Wednesday last your husband sold the entire contents of the apartment at public auction. Furniture, clothing, kitchenware -- everything. The gallery, in complying with his wishes, paid him in cash. One million two hundred and fifty thousand New Francs. In dollars, a quarter of a million. The authorities in Bordeaux have searched his compartment on the train. They have searched it thoroughly. They did not find $250,000, Madame.
Well, you go in and you ask for some toothpaste -- the small size -- and the man brings you the large size. You tell him you wanted the small size but he says the large size is the small size. I always thought the large size was the largest size, but he says that the family size, the economy size and the giant size are all larger than the large size -- that the large size is the smallest size there is.
The army thinks he was killed in action by the Germans, but I think they did it -- Tex, Gideon and Scobie -- and your husband -- because he wouldn't go along with their scheme to steal the gold. I think he threatened to turn them in and they killed him. I'm trying to prove it. They think I'm working with them. But I'm not, and that's the truth. I'm on your side, Reggie -- please believe that.
Carson was dying so they were forced to leave him. They finally got back to the base, made their report, and waited for the war to end. Only Charles couldn't wait quite as long as the others. He beat them back to the gold, took everything for himself and disappeared. It's taken Gideon, Tex and Scobie all this time to catch up with him again.
And then some. If you'd only told us you was goin' to her room we could've kept 'em busy -- but sneakin' in there on your own that-a-way, why, man, you was bound to get yore tokus kicked. I mean, what'd you think he'd do -- walk up 'n' shake you by that hand o' yores?
But he'd have to. If he left he'd be admitting his guilt -- and the others would know what happened. Whoever it is has to wait here, pretending to look for the money, waiting for the rest of us to give up and go home. That's when he'll be safe and not a minute before.
"My dear Regina: I hope you are enjoying your holiday. Megeve can be so lovely this time of year. The days pass very slowly and I hope to see you soon. As always, Charles. P.S. Your dentist called yesterday. Your appointment has been changed." Not very much, is it?
We could put him to bed 'n let one o' them fem-de-chambers find him in the mornin'. Poor ol' Herman -- him 'n good luck always was strangers. Maybe now he'll meet up with his other hand someplace -- but I sure hope it ain't waitin' for him in Heaven.
SlugDB turns parsed screenplays into scene, character, dialogue, trivia, semantic search, Save the Cat, and API-ready analysis.
Use SlugDB when you need screenplay API data, movie dialogue search, character evidence, scene context, or MCP tools without building a scraper first.