The Door in the Floor 2004

In the affluent coastal community of Long Island, renowned children’s book author and artist Ted Cole (character A) resides with his wife Marion and their young daughter Ruth, under the watchful eye of their nanny Alice. The walls of their home are adorned with poignant photographs of their teenage sons, whose tragic automobile accident left Marion deeply traumatized and the marriage in a state of disrepair. The sole shared experience that continues to bind them is Ruth’s daily ritual of gazing upon a curated gallery of her deceased brothers.

As tensions within the household escalate, Ted and Marion temporarily part ways, with each occupying separate living quarters - Ted settling into a rented apartment in town while Marion remains at home. In an effort to fill his days, Ted hires Eddie O’Hare as his summer assistant and driver, following a stint behind the wheel that landed him with a suspended license due to drunk driving.

Eddie, an aspiring writer, is drawn to Ted’s creative genius but soon discovers that the older man is a self-absorbed ladies’ man with a penchant for erratic work schedules. As Eddie struggles to fill his time, he finds himself entwined in a complicated web of relationships, including one with Marion herself. Meanwhile, Ted indulges in illicit trysts with local resident Evelyn Vaughn (Mimi Rogers), who becomes the subject of his artistic endeavors.

The situation comes to a head when Ruth unwittingly stumbles upon Eddie and her mother in a compromising position, prompting Ted to caution Eddie that he may be called upon to testify about the incident should Ted need to fight for custody. Marion eventually departs from the family, taking with her all physical reminders of their lost sons - except for one broken photograph that Ruth cherishes.

Enterprising Eddie takes it upon himself to retrieve the damaged picture, recognizing its importance to his young friend’s emotional well-being. As tensions between Ted and Marion continue to simmer, the latter reveals the devastating details of the car accident that claimed the lives of their sons. With vivid storytelling, Ted conveys the crushing weight of guilt and despair that has defined Marion’s existence, acknowledging that he himself may not fully comprehend her motivations for leaving - echoing the rhetorical query: “What kind of mother leaves her daughter?”

As the narrative reaches its climax, Ted finds himself alone on his squash court, where he pauses to gaze directly into the camera with a mix of resignation and acceptance. With a deep sigh, he lifts the floor door, descending into the unknown - a poignant symbol of his surrender to the darkness that has haunted him for so long.