Woman of the Hour Plot Summary
Woman of the Hour is the latest true crime thriller film and also the directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, with writing by Ian MacAllister McDonald. Set in 1978, the film follows the life of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who appears on the television show The Dating Game, where he crosses paths with aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw.
Why does Cheryl change the script of The Dating Game?
Cheryl is an aspiring actress who had been struggling to pay rent due to a lack of gigs. She decided to make an appearance on The Dating Game on the advice of her agent in an attempt to gain visibility for potential opportunities. On the show, host Jim Lange asked her to behave like a foolish woman to make the men comfortable. However, feeling awkward reciting dialogues that made her appear shallow on television, she decided to frame and ask her own questions and respond to the contestants’ replies with sass.
Who is Rodney Alcala?
Rodney Alcala is depicted in the film as a photographer who lures vulnerable women, and sometimes men, into becoming subjects for his photography before raping and killing them. He later appears on the reality show The Dating Game as bachelor number 3, with Cheryl Bradshaw in the hot seat. After the game, he tries to charm Cheryl as he had done with others, but since Cheryl was not interested, especially after bachelor number 2 gave her a heads-up about Rodney seeming suspicious, he stalks her briefly and threatens to kill her under his breath. A group of men arriving at the parking lot saves Cheryl’s life, and she quickly leaves the place.
What happens to Cheryl Bradshaw?
After her near-deadly encounter with Rodney, especially hearing him swear to come after her, Cheryl decides to put an end to her dreams of becoming an actress for good. She clears out her apartment and leaves California to live a private life.
What happens to Rodney Alcala after The Dating Game?
The film is interspersed with Rodney’s encounters with various women in different states across the U.S. Even before appearing on The Dating Game, one of the friends of his victims, named Laura in the film, had reported him to the police. The police even visited his workplace, the Los Angeles Times, where he worked as a photographer, for questioning but did not arrest him.
In 1978, after his rejection by Cheryl on The Dating Game, Rodney went on a killing spree, especially since during the game he had confidently proclaimed to bachelor number 2 that he “always gets the girl.”
Fast forward to 1979 in the film, Rodney picked up a runaway teenager, convincing her that he was a professional photographer. He and the girl drove to a secluded mountainous area, where, while posing for Rodney, the girl was pushed from a hill. Rodney then raped and abused her. The next morning, the girl woke up to find Rodney crying. She assured him that she liked him and asked Rodney to keep what happened between them a secret out of fear of embarrassment.
Interestingly, Rodney believed her, and they drove to a gas station together, where Rodney left the girl to go to the toilet. While he was inside, the girl escaped, ran to the nearest diner, and called the police. By the time Rodney came out, the police arrested him on charges of rape and assault.
Although not included in the film, Rodney was later bailed out by his mother. After receiving bail, he killed two more women and was arrested again, this time without bail. After a long, drawn-out court battle over decades, Rodney was sentenced to an additional 25 years in jail. He eventually died in incarceration.