The Skeleton Key

The 2005 American supernatural folk horror film directed by Iain Softley tells the story of a young hospice nurse, Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), working in New Orleans. She takes a job as a caregiver in a remote plantation house in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, to care for an elderly man, Ben Devereaux (John Hurt), who has been left nearly paralyzed after a stroke. Ben's wife, Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), gives Caroline a skeleton key that opens every door in the house. While exploring, Caroline discovers a hidden room in the attic filled with ritual paraphernalia associated with hoodoo practices. As she delves into the house's mysteries and its former inhabitants, Caroline encounters supernatural events and uncovers sinister secrets related to occult rituals and soul transference. The film explores themes of belief, superstition, and the power of rituals, immersing the viewer in an atmosphere of Southern Gothic mysticism.