Merlot Commentary and Spoilers Part II

We start the movie off with a washed out image of boy playing at a playground this is Robert and Miriam's son.
Next we see Miriam dressed very nicely in her bathroom. What we are actually looking at is a reflection of her in a mirror. So our first image of her is really not of her but just a reflection. She picks up a small cup and two pills. The two pills represent Robert and her son. The cup is your first clue. It is not a normal Dixie cup but a cup you would find at a hospital, normally people do not have these cups in there homes. After taking the pills she looks back at a clock on the wall. The time is 9 minutes to 7 clock.
Miriam now leaves her bathroom and walks down the hallway, as she walks down the hall she passes a ledge filled with model ships. The ships show up again throughout the short story and are a clue to how her husband and son die. Next we see Miriam light 1 candle. Although there are other candles lit in the condo this lighting of one candle is suppose to reflect back to the days when a woman would light a candle and put it in the window when her husband was lost at sea. Next we see Miriam putting pearl earrings in. This is another reference to the ocean. As she is doing this we see three images. One is of trees that are dead and look like they are on fire. These are images of the Park where the her son would play at. No one is expected to know that as shots were lost to associate this memory with her son. It was kept for for a couple of reasons mainly it helps establish her being tormented by memories that are painful. The next image is of water to give a clue associated with the boats and drowning. And finally you see a boat far in the distance with a bird flying over. This is her last memory of her son and husband.
The lyrics by Shelley Dael Walker that are playing are also helpful in understanding Miriam's story and state. Miriam desperately wants to hold on to whatever memories she has of her son and husband.

When the doorbell rings the movie alters from her having control to her losing control immediately she is put off balance attempting to put her heels on as she is descending stairs. When Robert first sees Miriam he is taken back by how nicely she is dressed and we establish that there is more of a professional relationship between the two. As they head up the stairs you may notice dead roses on a ledge. When making choices on the set I removed all living plants and wanted only the dead roses. This to me helps with the mood of showing death instead of life. The shot of Robert standing at the top of the stairs is a great picture for many different reasons. Robert is nothing more then a memory of her husband. He is standing next to the model ships and does not want to enter for two reasons. 1) as a memory he probably would not want to see her going thru this over and over and 2) as part of her fantasy his character would be uncomfortable when seeing a table obviously set for a romantic dinner.
When Robert sits at the table there is a picture of a Japanese man using a bridge to cross a river. My understanding is this is a symbol of the passing of ones life. Miriam Drops the food off on the table. Robert is eating shrimp. Of course seafood. Next she retreats to the kitchen to find the wine. At this point it can be mistaken for a romantic soap opera. The distraction is you think this is a story about a woman who has fallen for this guy who is writting a love story and she thinks the love story is about her. At anyrate when she knocks the wine bottle over we are reminded that she is mentally not stable. Just before this scene when she opens the cupboard you will notice a "virgina is for lovers bumper sticker" This was place there by Jeff Creasey, he is soon to be married to Holly, who is from Virginia, I would say what county but this is a family friendly blog. When I held auditions for the role of Miriam I was first envisioning someone actually about 10 years older then Shannon. Her performance and her femme fatale look won me over in the end. The scene where she is happy she found the corkscrew and then immediatly is brooding is a good example of why I cast her.


more to come.....