LAST WOMAN ON EARTH

Harold Gern, a successful businessman from New York who constantly has legal problems, is spending a holiday in Puerto Rico with his wife, Evelyn, "between trials", as she describes it. They are joined by Martin Joyce, Harold's lawyer, who has come to discuss the latest indictment.

Harold invites him along on a boat trip during which all three try out some newly bought scuba diving equipment. When they resurface, they have difficulty breathing without using their scuba tanks. They climb back into their boat and find Manuel, the crewman, dead, apparently of asphyxiation. Upon rowing ashore, they enter the jungle to return to town. With the air in their tanks running out, they discover that the foliage gives off oxygen that they can breathe.

When they reach town, they find nobody left alive and there is no news on the radio. It dawns upon the three that they might be the only survivors in the area, maybe in the world. Harold takes charge, and they concentrate on becoming self-sufficient, with the two men fishing, as marine creatures have survived. Later, they also find living insects and baby chicks. Harold suggests that in the long run, they will have to move north to a colder climate to avoid problems with insects and food preservation and to increase their chances of meeting other survivors.

When Harold chances upon Martin and Eve kissing, he asserts ownership of Eve as her husband. Martin argues that the rules have changed. Ev tells him that she has never felt love from Harold and was treated only as a possession. Harold and Martin have a physical fight after Martin and Ev have sex, and she tells Harold she was not raped. Harold gives Martin two hours to leave the island, and warns him not to take Harold's boat. Ev wants Martin to ask her to go with him and he does, stealing the keys for the truck so that Harold cannot follow. The two leave together and Harold eventually follows in a chase to the harbour. Martin, injured in the fight with Harold, crashes the car and the two continue on foot. Harold catches up with Martin as he searches for a boat and they fight again. Harold again beats up Martin, who dies from his injuries. Harold holds out his hand to Ev and the two go together.

After a series of conflicts and shifting allegiances, Harold beats Martin in a final confrontation, resulting in Martin's death. Harold and Evelyn leave together.

The climax underscores the fragility of social bonds when the world resets to zero, and old claims of ownership and love are tested under extreme isolation. Survival becomes as much about emotional dominance and possession as resourcefulness, with the final resolution re-establishing the couple—however uneasy—amid the ruins of civilization.