Choose Me (1984) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A wandering man and two emotionally guarded women confront unstable desire, deception, and the possibility of choosing a shared future.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Stranger Seeks Eve

Mickey leaves the mental hospital and returns to Los Angeles in search of Eve. He finds her bar but is rejected as Eve maintains distance from commitment.

Key Events

• Mickey Leaves Hospital — Mickey is released after his stories are treated as lies. Characters: Mickey Location: Mental hospital
• Return To Los Angeles — Mickey returns to Los Angeles while looking for Eve. Characters: Mickey Location: Los Angeles
• Arrival At Eve Bar — Mickey finds Eve at the bar that bears her name. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Eve bar
• Eve Rejects Commitment — Eve explains why she refuses to commit to one man. Characters: Eve Location: Eve bar
• Mickey Is Rebuffed — Eve rebuffs Mickey's advances during the night's romantic entanglements. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Eve bar

Advice Behind A Mask

Nancy moves into Eve's house while secretly counseling her through radio broadcasts. Mickey's lack of bus fare draws him into a card game and deeper contact with Eve's world.

Key Events

• Nancy Takes The Room — Nancy answers Eve's roommate advertisement and moves into the house. Characters: Nancy, Eve Location: Eve's house
• Hidden Radio Identity — Nancy secretly counsels Eve through her relationship advice show. Characters: Nancy, Eve Location: Radio studio
• Mickey Lacks Bus Fare — Mickey returns because he cannot pay for a bus ticket to Las Vegas. Characters: Mickey Location: Eve bar
• Mickey Reveals His Past — Mickey describes work as a poetry teacher and photographer and his military past. Characters: Mickey Location: Eve bar

Fortunes And False Starts

Mickey wins money in a card game and Eve ends her affair with a married man. Nancy shelters Mickey, discovers proof that his stories are true, and becomes intimate with him.

Key Events

• Invitation To Card Game — Mickey receives an opportunity to win bus money in a card game. Characters: Mickey Location: Eve bar
• Mickey Wins Big — Mickey wins enough money to anger a wealthy married rival. Characters: Mickey Location: Card game
• Affair Is Rejected — Eve sends away the married man and declares their affair over. Characters: Eve Location: Eve bar
• Mickey Enters Nancy's Home — Nancy invites Mickey in, telling him that Eve is not home. Characters: Mickey, Nancy Location: Eve's house
• Truth In The Suitcase — Nancy finds memorabilia supporting the truth of Mickey's stories and travels. Characters: Mickey, Nancy Location: Eve's house
• Mickey And Nancy Unite — Mickey and Nancy have sex, and Mickey proposes going to Las Vegas together. Characters: Mickey, Nancy Location: Eve's house

Advice Becomes Betrayal

Nancy encourages Eve to follow her feelings for Mickey, but their romantic entanglements collide at the bar. Nancy then reveals her intimacy with Mickey and proposes sharing his affection.

Key Events

• Nancy Advises Eve — Nancy's emotional state leads her to encourage Eve to follow her feelings. Characters: Nancy, Eve Location: Radio studio
• Bar Fight Interrupts Reunion — Mickey seeks Eve, but a violent confrontation drives Eve away. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Eve bar
• Nancy Reveals Everything — Nancy tells Eve about her relationship with Mickey and proposes sharing his affection. Characters: Nancy, Eve Location: Eve's house

Empty Guns, Open Hearts

Mickey recovers his suitcase and money before finding Eve on the bar roof. Their apparent suicide standoff ends when both guns are revealed to be unloaded, and they leave together for Las Vegas.

Key Events

• Mickey Recovers His Belongings — Mickey prevails in another assault and recovers his money and suitcase. Characters: Mickey Location: Eve's house
• Rooftop Gun Standoff — Eve threatens suicide, and Mickey promises to shoot himself if she does. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Eve bar roof
• The Guns Are Empty — Both reveal that their guns are unloaded and embrace while crying. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Eve bar roof
• Bus Ride To Marriage — Mickey and Eve travel together, revealing that they are going to get married. Characters: Mickey, Eve Location: Bus to Las Vegas

Story Breakdown

• Mickey Returns West — Mickey leaves institutional care and searches for Eve in Los Angeles.
  • Hospital Release — Mickey is released after his stories are dismissed as lies.
  • Los Angeles Search — He returns to Los Angeles looking for someone named Eve.
• Eve Rejects Commitment — Eve protects herself from marriage and avoids choosing one man.
  • Bar Ownership — Mickey finds Eve operating the bar called Eve.
  • Romantic Deflection — Eve rebuffs Mickey and continues avoiding emotional commitment.
• Nancy Enters Eve's House — Nancy becomes Eve's roommate while hiding her radio identity.
  • Roommate Arrangement — Nancy answers Eve's advertisement and moves into the house.
  • Hidden Counselor — Nancy advises Eve through her relationship radio program.
• Mickey Finds Opportunity — Financial desperation pushes Mickey toward a risky card game and renewed social contact.
  • Missing Bus Fare — Mickey cannot pay for transportation back to Las Vegas.
  • Card Game Winnings — He wins money and provokes a powerful rival.
• Nancy And Mickey Connect — Nancy shelters Mickey, verifies his stories, and becomes physically involved with him.
  • Shelter At Home — Nancy lets Mickey bathe, eat, and stay at the house.
  • Proof In Memorabilia — Nancy discovers travel memorabilia supporting Mickey's account of his life.
  • Marriage Proposal — Mickey asks Nancy to marry him and go to Las Vegas.
• Advice Turns Personal — Nancy's advice becomes emotionally compromised as her intimacy with Mickey changes her judgment.
  • Eve Calls The Show — Eve asks for guidance about her attraction to Mickey.
  • Encouraging Desire — Nancy tells Eve to give in to her feelings.
• Roommates Become Rivals — The concealed relationship between Nancy and Mickey fractures Nancy's trust with Eve.
  • Bar Confrontation — Mickey seeks Eve while violence interrupts their possible reunion.
  • Shared Affection Proposal — Nancy tells Eve everything and proposes sharing Mickey's affection.
• Rooftop Emotional Crisis — Mickey and Eve reach a crisis in which apparent self-destruction becomes emotional honesty.
  • Recovered Suitcase — Mickey regains his suitcase and money before pursuing Eve.
  • Empty Gun Revelation — Both disclose that their guns are unloaded and embrace.
• Choosing A Future — Mickey and Eve abandon their defensive patterns and travel together toward marriage.
  • Bus To Las Vegas — The couple boards a bus bound for Las Vegas.
  • Marriage Announcement — Eve reveals that they are going to get married.

Directed by

Alan Rudolph

Key Cast

• Geneviève Bujold — Nancy
• Keith Carradine — Mickey
• Lesley Ann Warren — Eve
• Patrick Bauchau — Zack Antoine
• Rae Dawn Chong — Pearl Antoine