Secret Window

After having enjoyed "The Shining" - the Arien decided to download more movies of the same genre. While I am usually all enthued 'bout thriller movies, this time I was somehow not too enthued 'bout catching it ASAP. In fact, I put it off for almost a month and then suddenly last weekend when we were relaxing at home, I finally decided to watch "Secret Window". *No Spoilers *!!

The story begins very simply at the lakeside cabin of a famous writer. The writer is battling with writer's block and is also in the midst of a divorce. The house is in a mess and looks as if the writer, Mort, has totally let himself go. The man himself looks quite a mess - his hair is uncombed, he is wearing a striped robe which probably belonged to his ex-wife - which has a tear on one shoulder and he is constantly sleeping on the couch. You feel the utmost sympathy for him.

Into this lazy surroundings comes the villain in the form of John Shooter. Mort is dozing away yet again when he has a nightmare of turning over on his couch and almost falling into an abyss. He wakes up to find that he is on the floor and some one is knocking on the door. He opens it to meet John Shooter who accuses Mort of stealing his story and gives him a sheaf of papers (not bound) and asks him to read it. Mort is convinced that the old man must be mad and throws the papers into the dustbin. A few hours later, after one more small nap, Mort finds the sheaf of papers on his desk. The mystery is solved when Mort sees his housekeeper cleaning the house. Mort decides to check the veracity of the claim and reads the first few lines and is aghast to find that most of the information is almost identical except that the style of writing varies slightly. Shooter starts arriving at his cabin at all odd times and threatens him. Shooter tells Mort that he wants him to print a retraction and change the ending of the story. Mort is horrified at the thought of all that bad publicity.

During one of their conversations, Shooter states that his story was written in the year X and Mort instantly realizes that his story was published almost two years earlier in a magazine. In his enthusiasm, he blurts out that he still has a copy in his home as he now feels the weight of the bad publicity lifting. He is absolutely unaware of Shooter's plan. When Mort returns to his cabin - he notices that Shooter has killed his dog. Shooter asks him to get a copy of the magazine and he will leave him. Mort visits the local sherif and hires a private investigator.

Mort decides to visit his home (now the home of his ex-wife and her boy friend) to get his copy of the magazine that first published his short story. After seeing his ex-wife with her boy friend, Mort feels distraught and returns to his lakeside cottage. Meanwhile, Shooter burns down the house. Mort suspects that Shooter does not want him to find the magazine. Soon, the private investigator and the only person who saw Shooter, are found dead in his SUV.

If you liked The Shining - you will totally lowe this movie. The part of Mort is played by Johnny Depp who you will agree was perfect for the part. The tension builds n builds and then suddenly explodes. This is not for the folks who enjoy the college gal in a shower + some vague killer wearing a mask + hazzar murders + sequel after sequel, kinda stuff.