Summaries

Synopsis

As told by the Narrator, in third person omniscient:

In 1864 New York City, Tarleton Rathcart and Theodore Gibbon settle their rivalry through a Gentlemen's Duel. This results in Theodore's death, initiating a feud between the families.

Benjamin Gibbon often gets into fights. He seeks meaning in his life, due to depression. Ben falls in love, ceasing his trouble-making ways, but love escapes him. This causes a return to his disruptive habits. Now 27, Ben has renounced his family's wealth, but has regular communication with his parents.

Mary Rathcart, was expelled from every private school in town. However, her most severe indiscretion was having fallen in love with Ben. Upon their discovery, her parents forbid her seeing Ben due to the family feud. Defiantly, she continues to see Ben. When her parents find out, she is sent to boarding school abroad. Mary writes Ben letters, Ben calls Mary, but neither ever gets a response from the other. Mary's father, William, having interfered, unbeknownst to either. Consequently, Mary stays in Paris, now, years later, she returns.

Upon learning of Mary's return, Ben, along with his inseparable friend Mukul, crash a party at the Rathcart estate. They are confronted by Mary's parents, reminding him they have a restraining order against him. Threatened with police, he promptly leaves.

Due to a scandal brought upon by Pamela Corbett-Ragsdale (Caroline Raynaud), William hires Terrence Uberahl, who hires Wayne McCarthy, to kill her. William previously hired Terrence to watch Mary while abroad, unexpectedly falling in love with her. He uses this incident to ask for Mary's hand in marriage in exchange for killing Corbett-Ragsdale.

Ben follows Mary but runs into Wayne and his wife Barbie. Ben tries to avoid them, but Wayne is persistent, and they fight. Ben awakes at his apartment with Mary. They talk, becoming obvious that they never stopped loving each other, making plans to marry immediately.

Terrence sends Wayne to intimidate Ben from contact with Mary. He arrives at Ben's apartment with Barbie, only to find two unknown goons. A scuffle breaks out, killing Barbie in the process. Unbeknownst to Wayne, the goons have been hired by Terrence to get rid of him once he had killed Corbett-Ragsdale. Wayne goes to the cinema to mourn. He is confronted by one of the goons. Wayne swiftly dispatches him and realizes that he worked for Terrence.

Determined to secure Mary's hand in marriage, Terrence kills Corbett-Ragsdale. Meanwhile, Echo, the other goon, informs Terrence that Mary and Ben are to marry. Terrence confronts Ben, and Wayne shows up with William in tow. Wayne is shot by police, enabling Terrence to shoot Ben. Mukul fights Terrence, but Mary shoots him dead.

The film concludes with Ben and Mary driving into the sunset. Presumably to Mexico, just as they had planned years before. (thanks to Wikipedia)