The Disappearance 1981

Jay Mallory, portrayed by Donald Sutherland, is a contract killer based in the icy city of Montréal, working for a shadowy international crime syndicate. One frigid winter’s day, he returns to his downtown apartment only to discover that his wife, Celandine, played by Francine Racette, has vanished without a trace. Initially, Mallory suspects that Celandine left him of her own accord, as their marriage has often been tumultuous yet filled with passion. However, during a conversation with his primary contact at the Organization, Burbank, unsettling hints arise suggesting that Celandine’s disappearance might be linked to Mallory’s most recent assignment. Shortly after this discussion, Burbank himself mysteriously disappears.

The Organization hastily assigns Mallory a job located in Suffolk, England, but he instantly senses that something isn’t quite right. He’s given scant information about the mission, including the identity of his target, which heightens his suspicions that his wife’s disappearance and this assignment are interconnected. Despite his gut feeling that he might be a pawn in a sleight of hand, Mallory opts to partake in the job to uncover the truth about Celandine’s fate.

Upon arriving in London, Mallory meets his new contact, Atkinson, who hands him the weapon intended for the “shy” – a euphemism for assassination used by the Organization – along with details of when and where the job will take place. After renting a car and making his way to the tranquil countryside of Suffolk, Mallory begins to suspect that the Organization might be planning a betrayal, recalling that Burbank once warned him about how the Organization “retires” members deemed untrustworthy or unnecessary.

While stealthily entering the home of his designated target, Mallory realizes that his assignment is to kill none other than Deverell, the head of the Organization, whom he has never encountered. Deverell, accompanied by Edward, reveals that they anticipated Mallory’s arrival. To his shock, Mallory learns that Celandine had been engaged in an affair with Deverell and had left England just a day before his arrival. It becomes apparent that she may have orchestrated this entire “shy” with the intention of liberating herself from both her husband and his entanglement with the Organization. When Deverell attempts to kill Mallory to silence him, an unexpected turn of events sees Mallory defeating both Deverell and Edward before escaping back to London and catching the first flight to Canada.

Back in Montréal, Mallory is confronted with the shocking reality when he finds Celandine in their apartment. In an emotionally charged conversation, she confesses her infidelity and reveals that she had been manipulating the events leading up to the assassination to free herself and Mallory from their respective shackles. In a moment of reconciliation, the couple makes love, seemingly ready to embark on a new chapter.

However, as dawn breaks, Mallory wakes with newfound determination, deciding to prepare breakfast for Celandine. When he discovers he’s short on groceries, he steps out alone, grocery bag in hand. Tragically, as he returns, hunting for his keys on the balcony, he is suddenly targeted by an unseen sniper. The initial shot misses, but the second finds its mark, claiming Mallory’s life in an instant.

In the haunting final moments, as Mallory lies slain outside his apartment door, Celandine remains inside, her demeanor eerily calm, leaving audiences grappling with lingering questions: Who orchestrated Mallory’s death? Were the new leaders of the Organization involved? Did Deverell’s family seek vengeance? And is Celandine somehow complicit in this chilling turn of events?