Character Relationship Map: I Start Counting

Characters

• Wynne (played by Jenny Agutter) — protagonist

  An adopted fourteen-year-old girl and the film's central figure, Wynne is infatuated with her thirty-two-year-old stepbrother, George. She suspects him of killing local teenage girls, investigates his...

• George (played by Bryan Marshall) — supporting

  George is Wynne's thirty-two-year-old stepbrother and the focus of her romantic fantasies. Suspicious scratches and a bloodstained jumper initially make Wynne believe he is the killer, but she later d...

• Corinne (played by Clare Sutcliffe) — supporting

  Corinne is Wynne's best friend and teases her about her feelings for George. During a picnic she flirts with him, provoking his anger and rough treatment. She later phones Wynne about staying out over...

• Conductor (played by Simon Ward) — supporting

  The Conductor is the bus worker whom Wynne and Corinne often encounter. He becomes the film's real killer when he traps Wynne inside the former home and confesses to murdering the girls. He chases her...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Wynne → George (Family Adopted Stepbrother) — Their family connection is complicated by Wynne's romantic fixation on George.

  Wynne is described as an adopted fourteen-year-old girl, and George is identified as her thirty-two-year-old stepbrother.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Conductor → Corinne (Conflict Murderer) — The Conductor is responsible for the violence that culminates in Corinne's death.

  The Conductor confesses to killing the girls, and Wynne finds Corinne's dead body at the former house.

• Wynne → Conductor (Social Familiar Acquaintance) — The Conductor is a familiar figure in Wynne's routine before his hidden role is revealed.

  Wynne and Corinne often meet the Conductor on the bus before he confronts Wynne at the former house.

• George → Corinne (Conflict Aggressor) — George's hostile reaction turns flirtation into a direct physical confrontation.

  During the picnic, George becomes angry when Corinne flirts with him, calls her a pathetic little mini-tart, and pins her roughly to the ground.

• Wynne → Corinne (Social Best Friend) — Their friendship provides Wynne with emotional companionship and a connection to the outside world.

  Corinne is explicitly described as Wynne's best friend and regularly teases her about her crush on George.

Story Analysis

A young girl's romantic obsession and mistaken suspicions lead her toward the discovery of a real killer.

Plot Progression

1. A Dangerous Imagination — Wynne's attraction to George is established alongside her discovery of scratches and blood on a discarded jumper. Her romantic fantasies become entangled with suspicion.
2. Following The Wrong Clues — Wynne investigates George by searching his van and hiding inside it during a drive. She discovers his affair and learns a disturbing alternative explanation for the blood.
3. The Picnic Fracture — Corinne teases Wynne and flirts with George during a family picnic. George's violent response breaks the social balance and leaves Corinne distressed.
4. Death At The Old House — After Corinne's alarming phone call, Wynne searches the former family home. She finds Corinne dead and is confronted by the familiar bus Conductor.
5. The Killer Revealed — The Conductor confesses to killing the girls and chases Wynne through the house. Her fall into the pond is followed by his breakdown and the arrival of the police.