The Skeleton Key
| The Skeleton Key | |
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Promotional poster
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| Directed by | Iain Softley |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Ehren Kruger |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Edward Shearmur |
| Cinematography | Dan Mindel |
| Edited by | Joe Hutshing |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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104 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $43 million |
| Box office | $92 million |
The Skeleton Key is a 2005 American supernatural thriller film directed by Iain Softley, written by Ehren Kruger and starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard and Joy Bryant. The film centers on a young hospice nurse who acquires a job at a Terrebonne Parish plantation home, and becomes entangled in a supernatural mystery involving the house, its former inhabitants and the hoodoo rituals and spells that took place there. It was released in the United States on August 12, 2005.
Caroline Ellis is a hospice aide who takes the position as caregiver at an isolated plantation house. The lady of the house, Violet Devereaux, looks after her husband Benjamin Devereaux, who has had a stroke. With some prompting from the family's estate lawyer, Luke Marshall, Caroline accepts the position.
Caroline, using a skeleton key that Violet gave her, makes her way to the attic (where Ben had his stroke) and finds a secret room. She discovers dolls, a book of spells, potion jars, and various other magical paraphernalia. Violet reveals to Caroline that the room belonged to two house servants who were employed there 90 years prior. The couple, Mama Cecile and Papa Justify were renowned practitioners of Hoodoo and were lynched for practicing spells with the original owners' children. Violet also tells Caroline that they do not keep mirrors in the house because they see the reflection of the servants in them.
Caroline then believes that since Ben believes Hoodoo caused his stroke, she can use Hoodoo, or more specifically Ben's belief in it to reverse the effects. Taking advice from her friend Jill, she goes to a local laundromat, known to have a hidden Hoodoo shop, to acquire a defense for Ben. A practitioner teaches her a ritual with items to use to cleanse Ben's illness; when Caroline practices the ritual, Ben regains some of his ability to speak, and begs Caroline to get him away from Violet.
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