This Property Is Condemned (1966) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A young narrator recounts how economic pressure, escape dreams, and deception destroy her sister's hope for a new life.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Tracks and Boarding House

Willie meets Tom and frames the story of her sister. Owen arrives in Dodson, rents a room, and enters the crowded Starr boarding house.

Key Events

• Willie Meets Tom — Willie meets Tom and begins recounting her sister's story. Characters: Willie Starr, Tom Location: Abandoned railroad tracks in Dodson
• Owen Arrives in Dodson — Owen arrives in the small town with an undisclosed purpose. Characters: Owen Legate Location: Dodson
• Birthday Party Begins — Owen rents a room while a loud birthday party fills the boarding house. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr, Johnson Location: Starr boarding house
• Owen Meets the Eldest Daughter — Owen meets the eldest daughter while Willie listens nearby. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house kitchen

Dreams Against Dodson

The eldest daughter describes a glamorous past and dreams of New Orleans. Owen challenges her self-image, while Johnson's expected support increases the household pressure.

Key Events

• The Memphis Story — The eldest daughter describes a glamorous dance in Memphis. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house kitchen
• A Dream of New Orleans — The eldest daughter reveals her desire to escape toward New Orleans. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house
• Owen Rejects Her Dream — Owen doubts her story and tells her she may be no more than a prostitute. Characters: Owen Legate Location: Owen's rented room
• Johnson Waits Again — Johnson waits for his date as the household pressures the eldest daughter to receive him. Characters: Johnson, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house

The Railroad Threat

Owen's plan to close the branch line threatens local workers. Personal arguments and public provocations accompany the growing hostility toward him.

Key Events

• Railroad Closure Revealed — Owen's assignment is revealed: close the uneconomical branch and release workers. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr, Johnson Location: Dodson railroad line
• The Garden Confrontation — Owen confronts the eldest daughter about the household arrangement. Characters: Owen Legate, Johnson, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house garden
• The Nude Swimming Provocation — Angered by Owen, the eldest daughter invites everyone to swim nude. Characters: Owen Legate, Johnson, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house
• Workers Turn Hostile — Local workers grow increasingly hostile toward Owen because of the layoffs. Characters: Owen Legate, Johnson Location: Dodson
• The Decorated Train Car — Owen and the eldest daughter visit a train car decorated by her father. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Abandoned train car

Violence and False Choices

Owen is beaten, but the eldest daughter cares for him and becomes intimate with him. A proposed move to Memphis and deliberate deception separate them emotionally.

Key Events

• The Decorated Train Car — Owen and the eldest daughter visit a train car decorated by her father. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Abandoned train car
• Owen Is Beaten — Owen is beaten by local men after tensions over the railroad rise. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Dodson
• A Night Together — The eldest daughter cares for Owen, and they spend the night together. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house
• The Memphis Arrangement — A plan is made for the Starr women to accompany Johnson to Memphis. Characters: Owen Legate, Johnson, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house
• Owen Is Misled — Owen is persuaded to believe that the eldest daughter planned to leave with Johnson. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: Starr boarding house

Escape and Ruin

The eldest daughter marries Johnson, steals his money and license, and escapes to New Orleans. A reunion with Owen collapses when the past is revealed, ending in tragedy.

Key Events

• A Desperate Marriage — The eldest daughter marries Johnson, then steals his money and license. Characters: Johnson, Willie Starr Location: Dodson
• New Orleans Reunion — The eldest daughter finds Owen, and they share a period of happiness. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: New Orleans
• Marriage Proposal — Owen receives a Chicago job, proposes marriage, and sends for Willie. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: New Orleans
• The Past Returns — A family member arrives to reclaim the eldest daughter and exposes her marriage. Characters: Owen Legate, Willie Starr Location: New Orleans home
• Willie's Final Account — Willie tells Tom that her sister has died and now lives alone in the abandoned house. Characters: Willie Starr, Tom Location: Abandoned railroad tracks

Story Breakdown

• Narrated Beginning — Willie establishes the frame story by meeting Tom and recalling the past.
  • Railroad Tracks — Willie meets Tom on the abandoned tracks.
  • Story Within Story — Willie begins recounting her sister's life.
• Owen Enters Dodson — Owen's arrival introduces both romantic possibility and an economic threat.
  • Mysterious Lodger — Owen rents a room at the Starr boarding house.
  • Railroad Mission — His assignment is to close the local branch line.
• Escape Dreams — The eldest daughter imagines leaving Dodson for a more glamorous life.
  • Memphis Fantasy — She tells a story about dancing at the Peabody Hotel.
  • New Orleans Hope — She connects Owen with her dream of escape.
• Town Under Pressure — The railroad closure turns Owen into a target for local resentment.
  • Worker Hostility — Local workers react angrily to the threatened layoffs.
  • Personal Provocation — Household conflicts escalate through public challenges and emotional confrontations.
• False Security — Romance and violence are followed by a deceptive arrangement involving Memphis.
  • Train Car Intimacy — Owen and the eldest daughter share private hopes in the decorated train car.
  • Marriage Trap — The eldest daughter marries Johnson after Owen is misled.
• New Orleans Collapse — The hoped-for escape briefly succeeds before the past destroys it.
  • Brief Reunion — The eldest daughter finds Owen and shares happy days with him.
  • Tragic Aftermath — The marriage revelation leads to emotional collapse and Willie's final account.

Directed by

Sydney Pollack

Key Cast

• Natalie Wood — Alva Starr
• Robert Redford — Owen Legate
• Charles Bronson — J.J. Nichols
• Kate Reid — Hazel Starr
• Mary Badham — Willie Starr