ABC MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: THE DIARY OF ELLEN RIMBAUER (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television dramatic thriller film is a prequel to the 2003 miniseries "Rose Red," which follows the mysterious events at a haunted mansion in Seattle. The story begins as Ellen Rimbauer participates in a séance with the help of clairvoyant Madame Lu, though her husband John reacts with anger to the apparent rumblings of the spirit world and leaves the table. Earlier, in 1910, Ellen excitedly prepares for an afternoon with John with the help of her friend and honorary "aunt" Connie Posey, and John takes her to a partially-constructed mansion and states that it is to be their home. Ellen is startled when a workman is suddenly shot dead in an argument with a colleague, wondering if it is an omen, but she gladly accepts John's proposal all the same. Ellen tells the local ladies that she has chosen the name "Rose Red" for the home, though Fanny, an ex-flame of John's, makes spiteful comments about her future there. Ellen and John marry and sail for Africa, though Ellen is taken aback by John's voracious sexual appetite, particularly when she comes down with an "unmentionable disease." A local woman, Sukeena, kindly cares for her, and Ellen brings her back to Washington with her when the trip concludes.
John throws a lavish party to commemorate the opening of Rose Red, and Ellen spots Fanny brazenly flirting with John. Connie's husband Doug notes that there are rumors of a curse on the house, though dismisses them as nonsense, but a guest ventures upstairs and seems horrified by what she finds, saying only that she "knows." Later, Ellen tries to reject John's amorous advances, but he apologizes for his behavior and asks her to "start fresh," and she soon gives in to his wishes. Ellen falls pregnant and ends up confronting Fanny about her ongoing pursuit of John, but she abruptly vanishes while inside Rose Red and cannot be found. Connie takes a distressed Ellen to see Madame Lu, who confirms that Fanny's spirit still lives but does not elaborate on her whereabouts. Ellen then gives birth to a boy, Adam, and one of the maids, Laura, soon disappears as well. Another maid, Gail, confirms that she vanished in the butcher's room, and when Ellen explores the house with Sukeena, she finds a secret passageway constructed by John for his various mistresses. Ellen sees what seems to be a woman in chains, and then spots John bringing a prostitute into the home as well. Ellen reacts with disgust and rage, but Sukeena advises her to hide her suspicions for the time being and, when John interrogates her about her discoveries, she distracts him with her affections.
Sukeena maintains that the house is "helping them," and though Ellen is doubtful, she decides to hold a séance for Fanny and demands that John assist them, threatening to ban him from her bedroom for good if he refuses. Gail finds a strange peephole through which John has apparently been spying on his business associates, and Sukeena guesses that Rose Red "wanted" them to find it. During the séance, Ellen demands that there will be "no more sin" within the house, but John storms off. Gail soon vanishes like the others, and Ellen advises John to "tread lightly," hinting that the house may choose to "punish" him next. Five years later, Ellen has given birth to a daughter, April, born with a withered arm. Connie arrives in a state of panic and explains that John has ruthlessly fired Doug, having learned of his secret homosexual affairs. Connie, who has kept her husband's secret for years, begs Ellen to "charm" John into changing his mind, but Ellen worries that "the disease" is driving John insane. April and Adam are traumatized when they witness "Uncle" Doug hanging himself, and April stops speaking for an extended period. Madame Lu comes by to assist, and April admits that she and Doug still "talk in their heads," implying that his spirit still lives within the house.
Lu confides to Sukeena that Rose Red is growing "envious" of Ellen's love for April and urges them to flee the premises immediately. Before they can leave, however, April encounters strange shadows and soon disappears like the others. Sukeena is dragged off by the police on suspicion of hurting the girl, and John hints that Ellen will have to make "certain sacrifices" to get her back. Ellen allows John back into her bed and Sukeena soon returns home, clearly having been treated harshly by the cops, but when John tries to remind Ellen of their "deal," she refuses him and John demands that Sukeena leave Rose Red for good. Ellen realizes that the house "wants" her to build a tower in which she can be close to April, but John soon halts construction, leaving the spouses at a stalemate. Ellen visits the unfinished tower and sees April's face in the rose window, and she writes in her diary that she now "understands" what she must do. Sukeena begins to seduce John, hinting that they can be alone together in the attic and promising to give him "what he really deserves." Once there, John is beset by visions of April, Doug, Gail and all of the other spirits lost to the house, and he throws himself from the high window in terror. With John gone, Ellen settles into a happy relationship with Sukeena as she retrieves Adam form boarding school and resumes construction on the tower, saying that she April have "a lot of catching up to do." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: May 12, 2003 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:56:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:77695
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Horror tales
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 2003
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Bruce Almighty" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - ACE Hardware stores
- TV - Commercials - Benadryl itch relief cream
- TV - Commercials - Buick automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Deramaxx canine arthritis medication
- TV - Commercials - Dove soaps
- TV - Commercials - Duracell batteries
- TV - Commercials - Fannie Mae Foundation
- TV - Commercials - Goodyear tires
- TV - Commercials - Hellmann's Dippin' Sauce honey mustard
- TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
- TV - Commercials - JCPenney Salon stores
- TV - Commercials - Johnson & Johnson Acuvue 2 contact lenses
- TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Maybelline Forever lipstick
- TV - Commercials - Mazda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Mitsubishi automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Nexium heartburn medication
- TV - Commercials - Nicotrol stop-smoking aid
- TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Oscar Mayer Lunchables meals
- TV - Commercials - Partnership For a Drug-Free America program
- TV - Commercials - Paxil CR medication
- TV - Commercials - Pepsi-Cola soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Pier 1 Import stores
- TV - Commercials - Pizza Hut restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Planters chocolate-covered nuts
- TV - Commercials - Pontiac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Ruffles potato chips
- TV - Commercials - Sprint cellular services
- TV - Commercials - St. Joseph aspirin
- TV - Commercials - Suave shampoos
- TV - Commercials - The Home Depot stores
- TV - Commercials - The UPS Store
- TV - Commercials - Tropicana orange juice
- TV - PSA - Girl Scouts of America
- TV - Promos - "8 Simple Rules...For Dating My Teenage Daughter"
- TV - Promos - "According to Jim"
- TV - Promos - "Extreme Makeover"
- TV - Promos - "George Lopez"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
- TV - Promos - "Less Than Perfect"
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor: The Women Tell All"
- TV - Promos - "The Waterboy"
- TV - Promos - ABC 50th Anniversary Special
- TV - Promos - Daytime Emmy Awards
- TV - Promos - NBA playoffs
CREDITS
- Stephen King … Executive Producer
- Mark Carliner … Executive Producer
- Thomas H. Brodek … Producer
- Bruce Dunn … Co-Producer
- Craig R. Baxley … Director
- Ridley Pearson … Writer
- Gary Chang … Music by
- Lisa Brenner … Cast, Ellen Gilcrest Rimbauer
- Steven Brand … Cast, John Rimbauer
- Kate Burton … Cast, Connie Posey
- Tsidii Le Loka … Cast, Sukeena
- Brad Greenquist … Cast, Doug Posey
- Deirdre Quinn … Cast, Fanny
- Tsai Chin … Cast, Madame Lu
- Hans Altwies … Cast, Daniel
- Courtney Burness … Cast, April Rimbauer (5 yrs)
- Jacob Guzman … Cast, Adam Rimbauer (6 yrs)
- Karen Heaven … Cast, Tea Drinker #1
- Betty Moyer … Cast, Tea Drinker #2
- Kathryn Witt … Cast, Party Guest
- Eric Keenleyside … Cast, Jack Finney
- Tony Doupe … Cast, Worker #1
- Amy Walton … Cast, Chambermaid
- Deb Craig … Cast, Gail
- Jennifer Mercein … Cast, Laura
- Frank Buxton … Cast, Doctor
- Shelly Lipkin … Cast, Detective
- Claire Vardiel … Cast, Older Maid
- Secunda Smith … Cast, Heart Stopper