Jeff Bridges gives a bravura performance as Ted Cole, a vain writer of children’s books whose marriage is on the rocks. His wife Marion (Kim Basinger) puts up with his drinking, Evelyn Vaughn (Mimi Rogers), who poses in the nude for him, has a thing for him, and his four year old daughter, Ruth (Elle Fanning), adores him. He is her equally adoring raconteur, spinning stories based on objects around their home, particularly the pictures of the two dead sons that line the upstairs hall. Clearly the birth of Ruth was supposed to part of a healing process that doesn’t work. The way Ted and Marion come to terms with the split that started long before “The Door in the Floor” opens is the foundation on which writer/ director Tod Williams builds his tale of broken hearts and wounded souls. It is sometime tempered with a humorous take on the sadness of people’s lives,

The title, “The Door in the Floor,” comes from one of Ted’s best selling books. Based on a portion of John Irvng’s novel A Widow for One Year, Williams focuses on the arrival of Eddie O’Hare (Jon Foster) , a college intern selected by Ted to be his personal assistant. That he ends up in Marion’s bed is a given. She uses sex to forget her pain and her husband’s presence is a constant reminder of their personal loss. What is more disturbing to Ted than the reality of Marion’s sexual dalliance is her disregard for Ruth’s presence in their house during the affair. It is something he had not considered. What makes “The Door in Floor” even more complicated is the bond that develops between Eddie and Ruth. He becomes a conduit for her parents’ feelings for her. Once the links are established between the characters, “The Door in the Floor” takes a transcendent leap from melodrama to comedic heights. Ted radiates from the praise of admirers, and a personal betrayal leads to a few Chaplinesque moments at Evelyn’s place. In one of the story’s more schizophrenic moments, the secrets of the past catch up to the present making the split between Ted and Marion all the more believable with Ruth’s fate permanently linked to the one parent who can put her needs first.

Some of the lighter moments mentioned above appear in “The Door in the Floor” like bright patterns within the sorrowful fabric of Ted and Marion’s lives. There is a playful give an take between Ted and Evelyn that has an effect on other people’s lives particularly her gardener whose living hangs in the balance. Ted’s one source of escape, his stories, also act as a buffer and outlet for his pain.

Not every situation in “The Door in the Floor” is believable from a narrative standpoint but the wonderful performances by the stars give the movie an emotional depth and credibility that might not otherwise be there.

Copyright 2004

Some cult favorites with Jeff Bridges

“Bad Company” (1972) - Think of Butch and Sundance as teenage hellions head west robbing anyone and anything along the way during the Civil War. Great mixture of comedy and drama. With Jeff, Barry Brown and John Savage. From the directing, producing and writing team of Robert Benton and David Newman who wrote “Bonnie & Clyde” and “Superman” among others.

“Fat City” (1972) - The bottom rung of the boxing business gets the once over from director John Huston with Stacey Keach as the guy who’s been hit more than once too often. Jeff follows in his shadow.

“Rancho Deluxe” (1974) - Indie director Frank Perry’s take on some modern rustlers who live it up, love it up and laugh it up. With Sam Waterston and Elizabeth Ashely. Written by Thom McGuane.

“Hearts of the West” (1975) - Jeff goes to Hollywood to make it as a writer of Western movies only to have his bubble burst by the reality of movie making. Andy Griffith is great as a fading cowboy star who doesn’t quite live up to the heroic code of his on screen character.

”Stay Hungry” (1975) - The world of body builders in the Modern South gets a going over in this entertaining film from director Bob Rafaelson (“Five easy Pieces”). Jeff has something to do with a gym (I saw it ages ago! ) and a girl - Sally Field - and a cadre of muscle bound health fanatics. With Arnold Schwarzeneger and a hilarious R.G. Armstrong - one of Hollywood’s great character actors.

“Winter Kills” - (1979) - When the President of the U.S. is assassinated, his brother - Bridges - tries to find the killer and becomes a target himself in this mixed bag of drama, comedy and satire. With John Huston as his all powerful father.

“Cutters Way” (1981) - Czech director Ivan Passer puts Bridges through the paces as the friend of a burnt out Viet Nam vet, played by the unrecognizable John Heard, who persuades him to flush out a murderer and bring him to justice.