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:

Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Jon Foster

2 wins & 7 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

female removes her clothes | black panties | female pubic hair | female full frontal nudity | bra and panties | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality and graphic images, and language

Details

Official Sites:

Focus Features [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Una mujer infiel

Filming Locations:

Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$456,876, 18 July 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,835,551, 10 October 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

The painting of "The Door in the Floor" was actually painted by Jeff Bridges.

---

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.

---

Quotes

Ted Cole: I hired you, Eddie because you look like Thomas.

---

Connections

Featured in Anatomy of a Scene: The Door in the Floor (2004)

---

Soundtracks

E Depois...
Performed by Seu Jorge e BiD
Written by Seu Jorge e BiD
Courtesy of Soul City Recordings

User Reviews

Still haven't decided how seriously I should take this one

Spoilers

A few days after watching the movie and reading an assortment of reviews from IMDb, local magazines, New York Times to Ebert, I still have not made up my mind how seriously I should take this one.

The two names alone, Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger, should make any serious moviegoers sit up and take note. As well, the subject matter itself is not something to be taken lightly, the tragic loss of children and the devastating aftermath to the parents. (Two films dealing with this subject matter immediately come to mind, Moonlight Mile and In the Bedroom, both quite 'serious' in a sense, particularly the latter). The movie losses no time in coming directly to the point, in a scene where the silent gloom freezes the air, with children books author Ted (Bridges) suggesting to Marion (Basinger) that they should have a trial separation. However, as the events unfold, it seems as if the moviemakers are worried that the audience wouldn't be able to take this heavy stuff, and start to lead us through a maze of eccentricities that almost become noire.

The catalyst is 16-year-old writing student Eddie (Jon Foster) hired by Ted as a summer apprentice. It soon becomes quite evident that Ted has little intention to get Eddie involved in literary pursuits, but wants him rather as a chauffeur (Ted has lost his own license through drunk driving charges) and maybe also as a backup baby sitter for little Ruth (Elle Fanning). (A deeper reason for choosing Eddie was revealed much later). A little reminiscent of The Graduate, Marion's seduction of Eddie is however handled with much more gentleness and even some comic relief. Meanwhile, Ted's licentious relationship with a neighbour becomes noir-ish as we see him chased around the swimming pool by her with a butcher knife.

The 'hook' in the movie is the delay in revealing to the audience the details of the tragic events that led to the death of the couple's two sons (one of whom looked remarkably like Eddie). The revelation, when it comes, isn't exactly earth shattering, but does serve to give the strained relationship between Ted and Marion another dimension. And we will recall that throughout the movie, we see very little of direct interaction between them. After Eddie's arrival they seem to be communicating through him.

Bridges and Basinger are definitely the reasons for watching this movie. From underneath the eccentricity of Ted and the sensuality of Marion, Bridges and Basinger portray beautifully the depth of helplessness of these two characters. Little known Jon Foster is perfectly cast to bring out convincingly the innocence of Eddie. Little Elle Fanning ably demonstrates the family acting tradition. I noticed from her filmography that she played the 2-year-old stage of the character her sister Dakota played in I Am Sam.