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Mulholland Drive, directed by David Lynch, is one of the greatest films ever made. It’s also frustrating if you were expecting a resolution to the mystery.
Let’s see if we can make sense of it.
Assumptions
I’ve assumed Mulholland Drive is a real mystery. There are two good reasons to make this assumption:
- Lynch himself has given clues to understanding the story. Unless he was playing a practical joke, we should assume he was serious.
- The writing isn’t a stream of consciousness thing – there are lots of clues and references that all tie in with each other. It’s too complex to be random.
Spoilers ahead. If you haven’t watched Mulholland Drive, please do so first. Also, don’t forget to watch our video on what makes it a great film:
The theme
David Lynch’s first main clue:
Can you hear the title of the film that Adam Kesher is auditioning actresses for? Is it mentioned again?
Here’s a break down:
Name of the film: “The Silvia North Story”
Silvia is Forest. This translates to North Forest. Diane is from Deep River, Ontario, which could refer to a Forest in the North. Turns out there is a North Forest Avenue in LA. Then there’s another place close by – Deep River, where Diane is from!
Then we have the two names:
- Diane Selwin. Selwin means good friend.
- Camilla Rhodes. Rhodes comes from “a clearing in the woods”, or road.
All this adds up to:
Road leads Good friend through the North Forest
The location
The next clue:
An accident is a terrible event – notice the location of the accident.
The location of the accident is 6980 Mulholland Drive. A spot close to Adam’s house and overlooking LA.
On the map, highlight the key locations where both Diane and Camilla have been together, and it is a straight line from Deep River to Mulholland Drive!
Winkie’s and Club Silencio are fictional places, so you could place them anywhere on this line. I would put both somewhere on Sunset Blvd.
So. this is the road that Diane, the good friend, follows.
The pair
Notice all the stories are about two people, a pair!
All these people are the same two sides of a coin. Two people in suits at Winkies – one quiet and one agitated. Two mafia guys – one quiet and one agitated. Two crooks – one cool and one agitated – two actresses – one quiet and one agitated.
Are these two people, or are they the same person? If they are the same person, do the clues fit in perfectly?
Let’s see, and start from the beginning.
The beginning
Clue:
Pay particular attention in the beginning of the film: At least two clues are revealed before the credits.
The first big clue is the jitterbug contest. There is no Diane dancing! Did she really take part, or win?
The second is the red bedsheet – apparently Diane Selwin’s bed. There are four possibilities here:
- Diane wakes up or goes to sleep again. The obvious one.
- Diane dies. Doesn’t match with the suicide scene, nor with the logical flow of the story.
- There is a third possibility. What if it isn’t Diane? But Camilla? Either, she’s sleeping – which we’ll discuss next.
- Camilla dies – doesn’t make sense at all.
I’m going with the third possibility. Why is Camilla on Diane’s bed? This shot bookends the film in a way which indicated everything we see in the film is a dream. Everything. And this is confirmed to Camila directly at Club Silencio:
It’s all recorded. It’s all a tape.
This is interesting! Let’s see where it leads us.
Trouble
In the first scene after the credits Camilla drives to Adam Kesher’s house, or close to it. She is in trouble with people – the gun is clear and present danger. They are about to do something bad to her, and she is in trouble.
This “I’m in trouble” is going to repeat many times over the course of this film.
Why is Camila in trouble? Did she steal money? It’s not clear, but it’s clear the mafia want to get rid of her. She sees it quite viscerally in her dreams.
However, she doesn’t get killed. She survives through an accident. Something peculiar about Lynch’s clue:
An accident is a terrible thing.
It happened to Camilla, not Diane. Why this is so terrible? She survived, didn’t she?
The only straightforward answer is that she lost her memory, and possibly everything through this accident.
Pearl earrings
Camilla goes to a random apartment, maybe her original apartment, who knows? She goes to sleep and dreams about two detectives – one cool and one agitated – talking about a missing girl who was wearing pearl earrings.
It’s Camilla’s thing, pearl earrings. Everyone who wears pearl earrings could be Camilla, even Coco.
Clearly the film is an exercise in identity crisis.
Camilla wants to regain her memory after the accident. We have a scene at Winkies. If Camilla was living at Sunset Blvd, it would explain Winkie’s. It’s where she hangs out.
In the conversation, imagine Camilla is the man with the dream, and the man on the other side is the good friend. She mixes up names and identities.
The bum behind Winkie’s
Camilla realizes her future is behind the wall. There’s a bum there. Everyone references this bum as a man – even David Lynch:
Note the occurrences surrounding the man behind Winkie’s.
It’s not a “man”. The bum’s played by a woman. Lynch would have cast a man if it was a man. That bum is a woman – with dark hair. Camilla knows she’s behind the wall, because that’s where she is right now!
She’s the only one who could know. She doesn’t want to confront her reality.
The. three occurrences of the. bum:
- In the first occurrence the bum is shown to exist. It answers the question: Does he really exist?
- In the second occurrence, the bum has a blue box the answer to a question: Who am I?
- In the third occurrence the bum appears after Diane shoots herself. This tells us – Diane is dead, but Camilla isn’t.
The film ends with the bum alive. Camilla is alive, behind Winkies, with her memory in pieces. She is disfigured figuratively speaking.
Every time a breakthrough in Camila’s memory happens, we return to Winkie’s. The breakthrough is happening there, in present time!
Also notice the words the two men speak in Winkie’s. Imagine if the same conversation were being held by Camilla and Diane:
“It’s the second one I’ve had…this is the second dream…You were in both dreams.”
Then we see Camila is still asleep. The mafia are looking for her.
She’s still missing.
They didn’t say dead, they said missing. She’s missing because she’s a bum hiding behind the diner. “Still” because they are continuously looking for her.
Diane Good Friend
After the first scene at Winkie’s and the appearance of the bum, the first big memory breakthrough happens and Diane arrives. Most commentators I’ve seen focus on Mulholland Drive as Diane’s or Betty’s story. To me, it’s Camilla’s story.
Coco gives Diane the keys to the apartment, because Coco gave Camilla a place to hide. Away from her troubles. This answers Lynch’s other clue:
Who gives a key, and why?
It also answers the other clue:
Did talent alone help Camila?
No, Coco helped her.
Camilla was talented – or so she thinks. There is no reason to believe her talent sucked. Maybe it was not as good as “Diane’s”, but there’s an explanation for that.
Aunt Ruth existed in some form. That’s why Coco doesn’t know what Diane’s arrangement with Aunt Ruth is.
Did Camilla meet the old couple in her past? Is it why she imagines them smirking – as if laughing at her? They wouldn’t be laughing at the Betty shown in the film – they’re laughing at what Camilla has in store in the future.
Then Betty says this: “I’ve come from Deep River Ontario, you can imagine how I feel”. And “Rita” swoons.
Yes! Camilla can because she’s from Deep River, Ontario. There’s no other reason for her to swoon.
Camilla believes she was a good actress, but they wanted a “Camila Rhodes” for the part. The real Camilla has no ties to the mafia, and neither does Betty form Deep River, Ontario.
Then we have the scene with Joe bungling a hit. First they joke about the accident, of which only Camilla could be aware of.
What if Joe and Ed were Diane and Camila? Would this accident lead to trouble for Camila?
Diane speaks to Aunt Ruth, but Camilla doesn’t remember her name yet. The identity is an issue, which is why Aunt Ruth doesn’t know a Rita. But she would know a Camilla!
Then Diane Good friend helps Camila navigate the forest by helping her with a clue – a key. A blue key that leads to something.
We see Joe looking for a black haired girl. He’s looking for black-haired Camilla, next to a blonde girl that looks a lot like Diane. We already know he’s a bungling murderer.
Home
I wonder where you’re going?
Diane and Camilla discuss where the car was going – and that’s when Adam Kesher points to her “supposed” home – 6980 Mulholland Drive – the center of this story. Every scene actually adds to her memory of events gone before.
It’s Camilla has a soft spot for Adam. He walks in on his wife having an affair, and has insult added to injury added to a fall of pride. A couple of scenes later he gets his revenge. If this were Diane’s or Betty’s dream, this wouldn’t matter. But in Camilla’s dream, her affinity to him gets him his job back and the house. He keeps the pool, she keeps the pool guy.
They hide the blue key, because Camila may not want to know the truth, but immediately thereafter she returns to Winkie’s and see’s Diane the waitress (who is actually Betty the waitress). This is the second visit.
Now she remembers the name Diane Selwin. They have to look for her.
Notice the two guys driving by, parked besides, and later. They don’t look like mafia. More like the FBI. What could she possibly have done to draw the attention of the FBI? Murder, more likely.
Back home Diane supposedly calls herself. Here’s the funny thing. Diane doesn’t recognize her own voice. But, what if Camilla doesn’t recognize her voice either? She has forgotten what it sounds like over the phone, just like with anyone else.
Then there’s the scene with Louise, who delivers a few more clues.
My name’s Betty.
No, it’s not.
Then:
That’s not what she said. She said someone else was in trouble.
Of course the name isn’t Betty, and of course the person in trouble is Camilla. Only she can know that, right?
The cowboy
Then we have the Cowboy meeting at the corral. These words could also be meant for Camilla. When Adam changes his attitude Camila’s fortunes change as well. Maybe it’s Camilla who changed her attitude.
Or didn’t.
The cowboy makes clear Adam (Camilla) will see if twice if he did bad. We do see him twice (thrice if you want to be pedantic).
There is a connection between Camilla and Adam – as is shown during the auditions and in the climax. She wants to be with him, but he’s so unreachable – in the destination she wants to reach – Mulholland Drive. And he’s guarded by the mafia!
At the end of the audition scene Betty says she has to be somewhere. That’s because she’s controlled by Camilla, whose dream it really is. Otherwise there’s no reason for “Betty” to run away from the opportunity of her life.
Diane Selwin
They go looking for Diane Selwin and learn two things.
First, Diane has shifted her apartment. Why would anybody do that? First, to reduce the rent because number 17 is worse off. Second, to hide from other people.
They find Camilla’s body – notice the black hair and black dress. It’s not a blonde. And, the face is disfigured (just like the bum)!
The neighbor doesn’t recognize Diane or Camilla, because she probably knows another person!
It’s about identity.
Also notice there’s no gun next to the body, and the position is different from the suicide shown later. We also have to remember this is a dream, so there’s no real body. The camera shake shows how Camilla is frustrated seeing herself on the bed.
Resolving the identity conundrum
In the very next scene, Camilla cuts her hair, and Diane says:
“I know why you have to do that.”
Why? How?
The only reason is – the only logical one in the context of Camilla in trouble with the mafia/police – is that she wants to change her identity. She becomes a blonde and becomes Diane Selwin (otherwise the name cannot exist).
Diane Selwin and Camilla Rhodes are one and the same person.
That’s why in the love making scene Diane declares her love for Camilla, but Camilla doesn’t love the fact she has to be Diane!
Camilla wants to silence the memories of her past rushing in. Which explains “Silencio!”
Club Silencio
In Club Silencio, Camilla faces the reality in a terrifying way. From Lynch, the clue:
What is felt, realized and gathered at the Club Silencio?
What is felt? Loneliness. Camila is lonely. She really doesn’t have anything. Not even her memories and identity.
Realized? That Betty or Diane is an illusion. She doesn’t exist except as Camila’s secret identity.
Gathered? The box that ends this part of the story. When Camilla changes to Diane. The old Camilla disappears like Hyde to Jekyll.
That explains the scene at Winkie’s, with Diane showing Joe Camilla’s photo. Notice they don’t specifically discuss a hit – it could be a way for Camilla to fake her death – or get somebody else killed.
Chronology
Clue:
Notice the robe, the ashtray, the coffee cup.
These clues are given by Lynch to tell us which scenes belong together, chronologically speaking. Joe tells us she’ll find the key after the job is done, yet the key is right next to Diane after she wakes up (much prior to when Joe gives her the key).
What job was done prior? The change in appearance, and the murder.
Notice appearances of the red lampshade.
Early after the accident a call comes into Diane’s home, bue she doesn’t pick up. She does pick up later for the party.
The lovemaking scenes tell us Camilla still exists even after she has become Diane. When they’re alone, they are the same person, and Camilla loves Camilla because that’s who Diane is.
When they return to the house Diane disappears, and Camila drops into the box. The story ends there, because Camilla has changed into Diane.
That’s why we see Camilla’s body on her bed – she’s dead. Did she kill the girl she exchanged rooms with? She has black hair, too. Nobody else does, not even Aunt Ruth (she has red hair). Coco has black hair, but it would be so off, story-wise. Did Camilla get Coco killed because she stood in the way? That sounds dumb.
But she did kill somebody.
Is this why she’s in trouble? Why are detectives looking for her? What did she do to that caused the need to change in appearance? It had to be something serious, not something as simple as stealing money – which is why its in her purse.
The Cowboy appears once and Camilla is dead, so the cowboy goes away. But he appears a second time. He is seen again in the dinner scene, which means Camilla did bad. She hasn’t disappeared, just changed her appearance.
Camilla becomes Diane
Diane wakes up and we learn she’s been off for a few weeks, and is living the life of a hermit. Boxes lie on the floor, etc., but the key’s there. The hit has taken place. Camilla is now Diane Selwin, and detectives are looking for her.
Two detectives came looking for you.
Did she murder the actress who got the part in the Silvia North Story? That actress could have come with mafia backing, which explains why both the police and the mafia are looking for “Diane” – a girl with blonde hair.
That would also explain the body – black hair – which is what you’d need to audition for the role of a character. Usually casting calls are specific to hair type and body type – and the disfigured face shows the cowboy finally finding the body of the actress who got the part!
Then we go into the past for a bit:
“Diane, this has to stop.”
On the surface it seems it’s their affair that has to stop, but it could also mean the pretence of being another person. Camilla wants to return to her former self. But it’s not safe to do so.
Diane gets jealous when Adam makes out with Camilla. That’s actually. Camilla watching the other actress with Adam. Camilla could have turned blonde not just to escape, but to also get the part and become morel like the actress who actually got it:
She also wears pearl earrings.
Camilla was invited to a party by this actress. We learn this actress helped Camilla. We also learn Coco doesn’t like the actress – which explains why Coco is seen in good light in Camilla’s dream.
The mafia doesn’t like Camilla. Everyone else treats her as the loser she is.
The kiss might explain that Camilla had an affair or infatuation with this actress, which could also explain the masturbation scene later. Camilla is masturbating, but to whom? The actress, of course!
Notice how Camila walks Diane up the garden path – literally Good friend through the North Forest.
The hit
Then we have the scene with Diane (I mean Camilla) with Joe. She wants to get this actress killed. This could explain the scene between Joe and Ed. Joe shot Ed, and bungled it.
Is this how the actress was killed?
The blue box
You see the bum behind the wall with the blue box. Camilla did what she did, but changing into Diane doesn’t help her any. It’s time to get rid of the Diane identity.
Camila drops the blue box, and out come the demons. Diane takes her own life, but the smoke and other effects make it clear this is still a dream. The bum is dreaming, isn’t she? She looks sad, and she has black hair and wears black. The bum is Camilla, because this is where she lives today, with her memories, unable to get back to society for fear of being killed or arrested, or both, or just because she doesn’t know who she is.
So, in a nutshell, what is the mystery of Mulholland Drive?
Camilla is a struggling actress who lost a part to another actress because of her mafia connections. She forms a relationship with her, maybe even tries blackmailing her. She becomes a blonde to get ahead in life, but none of that worked out.
Then Camilla got the actress killed. That backfired. Both the mafia and police are looking for her. She loses the Diane Selwin disguise and tries to escape. She escapes the police, but the mafia find her. Before they could kill her she is saved by a serendipitous accident.
Unfortunately she loses her memory. She has strong memories, but can’t identify who she is or was. Yet, she has great fear and knows she must hide from everybody.
Camilla ends up as a bum behind Winkie’s.
Case closed.
Mulholland Drive has many parallels with Sunset Boulevard. Where Sunset Blvd is about a fall from grace of an erstwhile star, Mulholland Drive is about the fall of a struggling actress into oblivion.
Both films are on my list of 100 films to see before you die:
By the way, here’s our analysis of Lost Highway and how to make a film about nothing (member only, Wolfcrow Lifetime Access):
You didn’t solve a thing.
So, after watching this video, not only do I have to go back and watch the movie again, but I have to take a couple of Advil as my head hurts! ;0)
Kudos to your assiduous assessment!