The ‘What Lies Beneath’ Bathtub Scene Is Terrifying and Iconic

Part ghost story, part thriller, part mystery, What Lies Beneath (now streaming on Hulu) is an often-overlooked gem from the 2000s. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Clark Gregg (yes, Agent Coulson himself!), the atmospheric chiller failed to impress critics, but hey, what the hell do they know? Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford star as Claire and Norman Spencer, a “happily” married couple whose lives are turned upside down when Claire becomes aware of strange occurrences in their home. Stay with me if you want to learn more about a film with one of the most frightening sequences of the early aughts, but be warned that spoilers abound beyond this point.

Convinced that her neighbor has killed his wife whose spirit she believes is haunting her (relax: she’s fine), Claire works herself up into a frenzy, only to discover that a different, more horrifying entity has latched onto her (and frequently possess her)– the ghost of Madison Elizabeth Frank, a woman who has been missing for a year… and was also Norman’s mistress! Eventually, Norman admits to Claire that Madison killed herself in their home after he tried to break things off. To save their marriage and his reputation, he claims to have put her body in her car and pushed it into the lake. Of course, Claire is not having any of this and forces him to call 911 and confess, and surprisingly, he does. NOT.

Paying proper tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, Zemeckis turns the 12 minutes after this confrontation into one of the most suspenseful sequences of his career. Utilizing a minimalist score, sparse lighting and showy camerawork, he focuses on Pfeiffer’s expressive face as her character grows skeptical of Norman’s corporation and hits redial on her complacency, but too late!

You think Norman was going to let Claire blow up his life? NO WAY. As she breaks free from him and his drug-soaked rag, she stumbles down the stairs… as her limbs quickly become paralyzed.

Michelle Pfeffier is a marvel here. Immobilized as she is, she must act this scene with her eyes, wide with terror and rage, as Norman places her in the bathtub… and turns on the tap.

Kudos to Harrison Ford here for his restrained performance as Norman. During this terrifying sequence, he casually shoos the dog away as it comes to investigate, changes the temperature of the water to make it warmer, and reveals in a matter-of-fact manner that he straight up murdered Madison. His big mistake? Underestimating Madison who doesn’t let being dead get in the way of her revenge. Suddenly, he notices a strange necklace around Claire’s neck, which looks like the jewelry Madison used to wear… and then oops!

Oh, you KNOW Madison wasn’t going to let Norman kill Claire, the only person who knows that truth. With Norman incapacitated, Claire desperately wills her fingers and toes to move as the water overtakes her. Zemeckis wisely uses close-ups of her extremities and the faucet to ramp up the tension. Adding to the creepiness, this sequence is silent except for the sound of running water, which becomes more menacing by the second. As Claire struggles to loosen the drain stopper with her toes, the chain breaks and all hope seems lost.

No worries, however. The haunted, tormented, and nearly murdered Claire finds the strength to lift her leg and pop off the stopper.

As the water slowly goes down the drain, Claire gasps, sputters, spots a seemingly inert and lifeless Norman, and plots her escape.

This sequence is the highlight of an ambitious and well-crafted thriller (albeit a little messy), which is anchored by dynamic performances from Pfeiffer and Ford. We promise that you’ll never look at a bathtub the same way again.

Stream What Lies Beneath on Hulu