“Secret Window”

Movie Review

In 2004, the American psychological suspense movie Secret Window, starring Johnny Depp and John Turturro, was released. Based on Stephen King's novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, David Koepp wrote and directed it. Philip Glass and Geoff Zanelli composed the music. It had a modest box office performance and earned negative and positive reviews from reviewers.

Mort Rainey, a mystery writer, flees to his cabin at Tashmore Lake in upstate New York after discovering his wife Amy having an affair with their friend Ted. Amy remains in their marital home. Six months later, Mort has put off finalizing the divorce because he is depressed and has writer's block.

When John Shooter visits the cottage one day, he accuses Mort of using his short work "Sowing Season" without his permission. Mort reads Shooter's work and finds that, with the exception of the conclusion, it is almost exactly like his own narrative, "Secret Window." The following day, Mort, who earlier admitted to copying another writer's work, informs Shooter that his work was actually published in a mystery magazine two years before to that of Shooter, disproving his accusation of plagiarism. Shooter demands evidence and tells Mort not to call the police. That evening, Chico, Mort's dog, is discovered dead outside the cottage along with a note from Shooter requesting documentation within three days.

Mort informs Sheriff Newsome of the event. Mort arrives at Ted and Amy's residence with the intention of getting a copy of the magazine, but he leaves when he sees them. Instead, Mort hires private eye Ken Karsch, who stakes out the cabin and contacts Tom Greenleaf, a local who might have seen Shooter and Mort conversing. When Shooter shows up at the cabin, he tells Mort to change the conclusion of his tale to match Shooter's, in which the hero murders his wife. Mort admits to having an enemy to the police after an arson fire damages Amy and Mort's home and likely the magazine.

Following Greenleaf's denial that he ever overheard Mort and Shooter conversing, Karsch informs Mort that he believes Shooter has threatened Greenleaf. Although they agree to confront Shooter, Mort and Karsch decide to first meet Greenleaf the following morning at a nearby diner. Mort finds the diner empty because neither Greenleaf nor Karsch were on time. Mort runs with Ted at a gas station on his way home, and Ted makes him sign the divorce papers. Mort declines, mocks Ted, and then departs because he thinks Shooter is working for Ted.

Later, Shooter calls Mort to a rendezvous point. When Mort shows up, he discovers Karsch and Greenleaf dead inside Greenleaf's truck and collapses in shock. When Shooter regains consciousness, he informs Mort that he killed the two men because they had "interfered" with his business. He then cautions Mort that he has been unintentionally linked to the killings and suggests Mort dispose of the bodies. Mort agrees to meet Shooter at his cabin to deliver the magazine containing his piece, which was sent overnight by his literary agent and is scheduled to arrive that day. After getting his tools back, Mort drives Greenleaf's truck—which still contained both bodies—off a cliff and into a quarry filled with water, where it sinks.

When Mort picks up the magazine package from the post office, he discovers that it has already been opened and that the pages containing his article have been torn out. When Mort arrives at his cabin, he recognizes Shooter's hat, dons it, and starts talking to himself to try to make sense of what just happened. Mort throws something at the wall out of frustration and denial. To his surprise, a developing crack splits the cabin in half. He is surprised to see the back of his head mirrored when he looks in the mirror. Mort understands that Shooter is a creation of his imagination, a persona created unintentionally to deal with his undiagnosed dissociative identity disorder and carry out evil deeds that Mort cannot do, such as killing Chico, Greenleaf, and Karsch and burning down their home. Mort is now completely under that persona's control.

When Amy gets to the cabin, she discovers that it has been ransacked and that the word "SHOOTER" has been carved all over the walls and furniture. Mort makes an appearance wearing his helmet and speaking and behaving as Shooter. Amy understands that Mort's desire to "SHOOT HER" is symbolized by the name "Shooter". He runs after Amy before stabbing her in the ankle. When Ted arrives in search of Amy, Mort surprises him and uses a shovel to smash his face. Amy stands by helplessly as Mort beats Ted with the shovel while quoting "Sowing Season" while he does so. After that, he kills Amy off-screen.

Mort's writer's block has been resolved and his zest for life has returned after several months. Because of the rumors surrounding the missing individuals he is affiliated with, he is feared and avoided in the community. As soon as he arrives, Sheriff Newsome informs Mort that he is the main suspect in the alleged killings. He tells him he is no longer welcome in town and foresees the day when the bodies will be discovered and he will be apprehended. Mort says that the conclusion of his new narrative is "perfect" and then dismisses the danger in a casual manner. In order to gently erase any proof of Amy and Ted's murders, it is hinted that their bodies are buried beneath the corn plants growing in Mort's garden.

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