The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Richard LaGravenese and Robert James Waller

Storyline:

Photographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson, for four days in the 1960s.

Main Characters:

1. FRANCESCA - (hero/mentor)
2. ROBERT - (ally)
3. CAROLYN and MICHAEL - (hero)
4. LUCY - (guardian)

​Milestones (FIRST ACT):

1. Ordinary World (present time): Carolyn and Michael receive the lawyer of their mother with her will. She asked to be CREMADA
2. Call for Adventure (present time) : They start to read their mother's journals and find out she had an affair years before with a photographer of National Geographic.
3. Ordinary World: In the 60s Francesca is a housewife in Iowa. She spends the day cleaning and cooking for the husband and two teenage children.
4. Meeting the Mentor/Call for Adventure: The family leaves for a week and Francesca stays to have some time for herself. On this day Robert, a photographer of National Geographic shows up and asks Francesca for directions. She decides to help him to get to Madison Bridge.

Milestones (SECOND ACT):

1. Set of Trial: Francesca takes Robert to the bridge and they talk a little.
2. Crossing the Threshold: Back home Francesca invites Robert to stay a little longer and have a cup of ice tea.
3. Set of Trial: Robert helps her cooking lunch and he stays longer for dinner. They have a great time together getting to know one another until Robert asks her if she wants to leave her husband. He leaves her house
4. Crossing the Threshold (present time): Michael feels disgusted by what her mother writes. He and Carolyn have different opinions. After reading for a while he decides to leave.
5. Crossing the Second Threshold: Francesca misses Robert and leaves him a note at the bridge to have supper together on the next day. Roberto calls her and says he met Lucy, the woman who had an affair in the city. Robert sees how bad she is treated and considers cancelling the plans to avoid the same future to Francesca. She says she wants to meet him anyway.
6. Set of Trials: Francesca shops a new dress and meets him at the bridge after they talked by phone. She is erotically attracked to him. She takes a bath and he watches. They dance a slow music and kiss. They have sex and spend the night at a jazz club where they wouldn't be found.
7. Crossing the Second Threshold (present time): Michael meets Carolyn again. This time he is drunk and they get along again. They talk about their own middle life crisis and realize their mother hasn't left Iowa because of them. Michael decides to read the journals.

Milestones (THIRD ACT):

1. Belly of the Whale: Francesca and Robert fight in the next morning because the moment of him to leave is approaching. They swear love one another. Francesca and Robert have dinner together and talk about the possibilities to leave together. She wants but she feels it is not right to do it with her family and she would regret it in the future.
2. Approaching the Inmost Cave: Francesca's family comes back and Robert can't see her any longer. A couple of days passes and the routine makes her stop thinking of him so much of him. Francesca goes shopping in the middle of a rain with her husband. She goes back to the truck and sees Robert standing outside. She doesn't move but feels her love. She tries to go with him but she is late. Her husband arrive and they drive the other direction. She sees Robert with her necklace.
3. Resurrection with Elixir: Francesca lives with the pain of letting Robert go and decides to visit Lucy who the town gossips about. They become friends. Francesca stays with her husband for the rest of their lives, loving one another. When Robert dies she receives a package with her necklace, letters and his book of photographs dedicated to her.
4. Freedom to Live: Her children work their lives out and do what their mother requested: throw her ashes in the Madison Bridge.