The Door in the Floor (2004)

A writer's young assistant becomes both pawn and catalyst in his boss's disintegrating household.

Director:

Tod Williams

Writers:

John Irving (novel), Tod Williams (screenplay)

Stars:

Elle Fanning, Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elle Fanning	...	Ruth Cole
Jeff Bridges	...	Ted Cole
Kim Basinger	...	Marion Cole
Jon Foster	...	Eddie O'Hare
Larry Pine	...	Interviewer
John Rothman	...	Minty O'Hare
Harvey Loomis	...	Dr. Loomis
Bijou Phillips	...	Alice
Mimi Rogers	...	Evelyn Vaughn
Mike S. Ryan	...	Reception Fan
Libby Langdon	...	Woman at Reception
Louis Arcella	...	Eduardo Gomez
Robert LuPone	...	Mendelssohn
Rachel Style	...	Bookstore Assistant
Amanda Posner	...	Frame Shop Clerk

Storyline

Alternately tragic and comic, an exploration of the complexities of love in both its brightest and darkest corners. Adapted from John Irving's best-selling novel A Widow for One Year, the film is set in the privileged beach community of East Hampton, New York and chronicles one pivotal summer in the lives of famous children's book author Ted Cole (Jeff Bridges) and his beautiful wife Marion (Kim Basinger). Their once-great marriage has been strained by tragedy. Her resulting despondency and his subsequent infidelities have prevented the couple from confronting a much-needed change in their relationship. Eddie O'Hare, the young man Ted hires to work as his summer assistant, is the couple's unwitting yet willing pawn - and, ultimately, the catalyst in the transformation of their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

assistant | summer | beach | children's book | book | 

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Taglines:

The most dangerous secrets are the ones we're afraid to tell ourselves.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality and graphic images, and language

Details

Official Sites:

Focus Features [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 September 2004 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Una mujer infiel

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$34,520 (South Africa) (12 November 2004)

Gross:

$34,520 (South Africa) (12 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, This Is That Productions, Revere Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ben Foster was suppose to play the role of Eddie O'Hare, but gave the role to his brother Jon Foster instead because he thought it was better suited for him.

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Goofs

The flashback scene in the car with the boys is supposed to take place during a heavy snow fall, and the back window and tail lights of the car are supposed to be covered with snow, but the window is completely clear.

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Quotes

Ruth Cole: Your penis looks funny.
Ted Cole: My penis *is* funny.

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Connections

Features The Big Bend (2003)

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Soundtracks

"I Really Miss"
Performed by Blazze
Written by Gregory Jean-Pierre
Courtesy of Chemical Beats Entertainment

User Reviews

This is NOT The Cat In The Hat

As a huge follower of Jeff Bridges' work, I am here to tell you that if you're a fan too, you must jettison yourself out of your chair forthwith and propel yourself immediately to a theatre where this magnificent film is showing.

The Door In The Floor gives Bridges a chance to create a character truly worthy of his subtle (and generally overlooked) brilliance; his organic, from-the-inside-out approach makes what he does seem so effortless, so thoroughly not-like-acting that he's generally hardly given his due, and if he doesn't garner some serious recognition for what he brings to the table here, there's quite simply no hope for the world.

This is a film of deep, devastating power - a film where you, as an audience member, actually share space with the two main characters, Ted and Marion Cole (Bridges, of course, and an equally-brilliant Kim Bassinger, who once again reminds us why she won an Oscar a few years back). We inhabit their crumbled world, from the inside, not just as observers. By the end, we feel as if we have gone through their tragedy with them, and when I left the theatre, I felt as if my life had been changed by sharing with them what I just shared - as if time itself had stopped and left me suspended in there, with them.