History Main / ClosedDoorRapport

In fiction one great way to up either the [[RuleOfDrama drama]] or [[RuleOfFunny comedy]] of a conversation is to have it occur through a door. One party shuts the other out in attempt to avoid the confrontation while the other desperately tries to communicate in spite of the obstructive barrier.

This setup is useful in providing physical distance between characters to mirror psychological separation, and for its flexibility in resolution. This distance may just as easily be broken down by the opening of the door as suspended indefinitely by the character choosing not to emerge. Usually the character behind the door is the more emotionally closeted of the pair while the character on the outside is more honest and straightforward, having to persuade the other that opening the door is not a bad thing.

* In ''Manga/TheWeathermanIsMyLover'' Koganei goes to Amasawa's apartment when he skips out from work and they have a heart-to-heart on opposite sides of door, culminating with Koganei's request, "Won't you let me in? Let me into your heart, Amasawa." Amasawa decides to take his chance.

* In ''Film/LoveActually'' Liam Neeson's character often talks to his step-son through the door, as Sam hardly leaves his room after the death of his mother. Sam mainly responds by leaving notes on the door itself.

* ''Film/TheNegotiator'' milks this for all it's worth--both [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Danny Roman]] and Chris Sabian are introduced doing this. Roman is talking with a gunman. Sabian is talking with his wife.

* In ''Theatre/{{Heathers}}, the song "Meant to be Yours" is all JD singing to Veronica while she's barricaded herself in a closet to hide from him. In the song, he explains his plan to blow up the school with everyone inside, and breaks down the door to find that Veronica has faked her suicide by hanging.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has Miles's dad trying to reach out to his son through the closed door of his room. What he doesn't know is that Miles is silent because [[spoiler:he's been BoundAndGagged [[AllWebbedUp with webbing]] from [[AllianceOfAlternates the other Spider People]], who decided to kick Miles off the team for his own safety]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has Miles's dad trying to reach out to his son. What he doesn't know is that Miles is silent because [[spoiler:he's been BoundAndGagged [[AllWebbedUp with webbing]] from [[AllianceOfAlternates the other Spider People]], who decided to kick Miles off the team for his own safety]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has Miles's dad trying to reach out to his son. What he doesn't know is that Miles is silent because [[spoiler:he's been BoundAndGagged [[AllWebbedUp with webbing]] from [[AllianceOfAlternates the other Spider People]], who decided to kick Miles off the team]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has Miles's dad trying to reach out to his son. What he doesn't know is that Miles is silent because [[spoiler:he's been BoundAndGagged [[AllWebbedUp with webbing]] from the other Spider People, who decided to kick Miles off the team]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has Miles's dad trying to reach out to his son.

* In ''Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile'', the [[AnimatedAdaptation HBO Storybook Musical version]] of ''The House on East 88th Street'', Lyle locks himself in the closet when his old owner arrives to take him away from his new family, and Joshua sings to him through the door.

* In ''Manga/RequiemOfTheRoseKing'' Henry and Richard have several of these.

* "Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" from ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'', as seen in the Page Quote. Anna tries to reach out to Elsa for several years through a closed door, only for Elsa to either ignore her or to tell her to go away.

* The basic idea behind ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'s'' song "Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?"; [[GenkiGirl Anna]] repeatedly goes to her sister [[BrokenAce Elsa's]] door and asks her to play with her. In turn, Elsa, who is terrified of hurting Anna with [[AnIcePerson her powers]], repeatedly shuts her out. The song eventually culminates in [[FromBadToWorse the deaths of their parents]], and even then Elsa is too afraid to let Anna in.

%%* ''{{Hitch}}'' does this toward the end of the movie.

* Invoked by UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} in the [[Literature/BookOfRevelation]]: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20, NIV).

* Invoked by {{Jesus}} in the ''[[Literature/TheBible Book of Revelation]]'': "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20, NIV).

%%* {{Graceling}}: Fire invokes this trope when Nash comes a-comin'.

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* In ''[[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast Beauty And The Beast]]'', Belle and the Beast have an angry discussion through her door when she refuses to come to dinner.

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* Invoked by {{Jesus}} in the ''[[Literature/TheBible Book of Revelation]]'': "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20, NIV).

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* In ''Webcomic/TheMeek'', Phe locks her husband Luca out of their bedroom after a heated argument got out of hand and gives him an ultimatum; he can have his revenge, or her, but not both. It's not until Luca apologises does Phe open the door and drag him inside for make-up sex.

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* In ''Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile'', the [[AnimatedAdaptation HBO Storybook Musical version]] of ''The House on East 88th Street'', Lyle locks himself in the closet when his old owner arrives to take him away from his new family, and Joshua sings to him through the door.

[[TearJerker What are we gonna do?]]"''

* The basic idea behind ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'s'' song "Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?"; [[GenkiGirl Anna]] repeatedly goes to her sister [[BrokenAce Elsa's]] door and asks her to play with her. In turn, Elsa, who is terrified of hurting Anna with [[AnIcePerson her powers]], repeatedly shuts her out. The song eventually culminates in [[FromBadToWorse the deaths of their parents]], and even then Elsa is [[TearJerker too afraid to let Anna in]].

%%* In the third season of ''{{Skins}}'' Naomi and Emily have one of these, in what is probably the most emotionally resonant moment of the whole season.
* In the episode "Dinner at Eight-ish" on ''{{Cheers}}'', Lilith, Frasier, and Diane each retreat into the bathroom after different arguments over their relationships. Discussions continue through the door for the rest of the episode.

* Inverted in the ''[[Series/AgentsOfSHIELD Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' episode "[[Recap/AgentsOfSHIELDS1E9Repairs Repairs]]". Hannah is haunted by a malicious entity, which she believes is God's punishment for her sins. The agents confine her in the Cage, which is shielded in such a way that the entity cannot reach her. Sitting against the door, Hannah begs them to let her out before the entity hurts someone, and Skye, on the outside, talks her out of it.

* In ''JManga/unjouRomantica'' when Nowaki confronts Hiroki about their breakup at Hiroki's workplace, Hiroki runs back to his office and locks Nowaki out causing a bit of a scene. He is not persuaded to open the door.

* In ''{{Discworld}]/MenAtArms'', Angua, shocked her secret is out, has two in quick succession, one from the canine point of view with Gaspode The Wonder Dog, and a later one with Carrot, who puts the human argument about her werewolf status.

->''Please, I know you're in there\\

[[TearJerker What are we gonna do?]]''