Syd Field’s Three Act Plot Structure

Field explained that films were conventionally compiled by three dramatic acts/plots. These consist of; the setup, the confrontation and the resolution.

A ‘Plot point’ is the name Field gave to pieces of the plot which moved the action on. For example an event which greatly affects the lives and relationships of the characters, which in turn reflects on how we, the audience, perceive the film. Field states that there are many different points however there are two key points which fall between the acts.

Act One– The setup
Field highlights how crucial this act is to the audience, specifically the opening 10 minutes, as this will ‘set up’ the audiences expectations of the remainder of the film, and establishes there thoughts. Field believes this first ten minutes should express, an expectation for the rest of the storyline, anchor the main character and why the audience should bias towards this characters views, and some of the themes that will be displayed.

Act one is roughly 40minutes long and in this time Field suggests the audience should become aware of the heroes main problem.

Act Two– The Confrontation
Field states that this act conventionally shows the main character facing many obstacles in his/her search for a resolution and this act provides the main content of the film. In particular the hero is confronted by the villain and this hero seems the underdog.

The first plot point sees the hero beginning to show signs of the underdog that has a purpose and can maybe defeat his/her obstacles.

The second plot point is when the hero begins to form equilibrium, but becomes aware of the fact that their way of finding this resolution needs to be altered.

Act Three– The resolution
The hero defeats the villain in a dramatic climax to the film.

Applying this theory to ‘Fatal Attraction’

Act One– The setup
The opening 10 minutes shows Dan Gallagher (one of the main characters) in his idyllic family life, (with a wife and kid). We as an audience can anticipate that something is about to turn his lifestyle around. In the remainder of this act, the audience witness Dan Gallagher risking his normal life as he begins an affair with Alex Forrest.

Act Two– The Confrontation
At the end of the first act/beginning of the second, the first plot point is experienced. Dan realises the consequences of this affair when Alex slits her wrists. He has fallen for a psychopath, who will seriously hinder his lifestyle forevermore.

From here on in, the confrontations steadily unravel as Alex desperately tries to be part of Dan’s life. Alex expresses voyeurism by stalking Dan to his house, even though he has made his intentions clear-that he does not want to be with her, the affair- over. She becomes a huge obstacle and the extremity of her actions reinforce Dan’s wish to move away to the suburbs and so along with this he also changes his contact details. Alex Forrest, the villain, confronts Dan at work, meets his wife almost like an ultimatum, and even pretends to have fallen pregnant. These are all connotations of how much power this villainous character has. Dan confronts these obstacles, he tells Alex that he will come around to talk it over, warns Alex to leave his family alone, and goes to her flat to search for evidence of her pregnancy.

The second plot point follows shortly after. Once Alex Forrest has located their new home, she intrudes and boils the (child’s) bunny. From this Dan understands that his attempts to stop Alex are not severe enough and so takes further action - he threatens to kill her, and tells his wife of all his wrongdoing.

Act Three– The resolution
A resolution is made as Dan Gallagher takes matters into his own hands once more. Alex tries to kill Dan’s wife and so Dan suffocates Alex. However this ending is made more dramatic because after thinking he’d suffocated Alex in the bath; she jumps up, only to be shot by Beth, Dan’s wife.

The Problematic of ‘Fatal Attraction’
The problem/disruption in ‘Fatal Attraction’ is the appealing and tempting woman, Alex Forrest. This female will cause devastation to his normal lifestyle, as she is psychotic. This main problem in the film is introduced close to the start, and this provides the core narrative. Also by stating this problem early in the film this keeps the audience interested –“is the problem going to be solved”?

However, before the problem is established, the narrative starts in a state of equilibrium. For example we are introduced into Dan Gallagher’s idyllic home and family. This enables the audience to get a sense of life before the problem and therefore the audience can see the impact this problem causes. Even more than this, it gives the audience a desire for the good characters to reach this state of equilibrium once again.

On the contrary, some film-makers decide to go straight for the problem as this makes the film more enigmatic to watch.


The ideology of ‘Fatal Attraction’
According to Steve baker, ‘Fatal Attraction’, ‘Basic instinct’ and ‘Aliens’, all provide a very anti-women message.

In the first act of ‘Fatal Attraction’, during the films state of calm equilibrium, married life to a good housewife (Beth) is shown. The affair to the single, psychotic woman, Alex, then produces the main problem. This implies that marriage is good and affairs are bad. More than this, the problem is resolved by the villain being violently killed as a consequence of her own actions (trying to kill the wife). This therefore also suggests that unlike the married, single women are evil.