Character Relationship Map: Do Not Disturb

Characters

• Janet Harper (played by Doris Day) — protagonist

  American wife who moves to rural Kent with her husband. Feeling neglected, she suspects an affair and engages in a fake romance with antiques dealer Paul Bellari to get back at Mike, eventually reconc...

• Vanessa Courtwright (played by Hermione Baddeley) — supporting

  Gossipy landlady who lives near the Harpers. She actively encourages Janet to retaliate against her husband's perceived neglect by orchestrating a fake romantic affair as a counter-strategy.

• Paul (played by Sergio Fantoni) — supporting

  Suave Italian antiques dealer hired to decorate the Harper estate. He takes Janet to Paris, but she successfully rebuffs his romantic advances. He later joins Janet in clearing up mutual suspicions an...

• Simmons (played by Reginald Gardiner) — supporting

  Attends Paul's employer work party and is specifically noted as the only person aware that Janet is married to Mike Harper.

• Claire Hackett (played by Maura McGiveney) — supporting

  Mike Harper's professional assistant. Her close proximity to him during work trips triggers Janet's jealous suspicions of a potential extramarital affair.

Canonical Relationships

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

• Paul → Simmons (Professional Associate)

  Simmons attends the work party thrown by Paul's employer, linking him to Paul's professional circle.

• Janet Harper → Paul (Romantic Pretended Romance)

  Janet engages in a fake romance with Paul to retaliate against her husband's perceived neglect.

Story Dynamics

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

• Simmons → Janet Harper (Social Confidant)

  Simmons is specifically identified as the only person at Paul's employer's work party who knows that Janet is married.

• Janet Harper → Claire Hackett (Conflict Suspected Rival)

  Janet suspects that her husband's professional assistant Claire may be involved in an affair with him.

• Janet Harper → Vanessa Courtwright (Social Neighbor)

  Vanessa is Janet's busybody landlady living near the Harper estate and becomes involved in Janet's marital worries.

Story Analysis

A lonely marriage becomes entangled in jealousy, staged romance, and misunderstandings before suspicion gives way to reconciliation.

Plot Progression

1. A House Far From London
2. Advice For Retaliation
3. The Staged Affair
4. Paris Tests The Boundary
5. Suspicion Gives Way