| "Tainted Love" Diary 65 (c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Tainted Love" episodes of the show "Port Charles," formerly of ABC-TV. This site will focus on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley (portrayed by actor Michael Easton). The character of Caleb Morley and any other characters relating to Port Charles are the property of ABC and their creators. This is a fan-run site and is not an official site, nor is it affiliated in any way with ABC, Port Charles, or the actors portraying any of the Port Charles characters. No copyright infringement is intended. The writings on this site are copyrighted by the author, Alison Armstrong, and may not be reproduced without the author's express permission. |
| ********************************* The contrast between Caleb's beautiful, enchanted realm and the world beyond its borders reaches its peak in the episode culminating in Caleb and Livvie's unfinished wedding ceremony. As we see Caleb's enemies assail his magical sanctuary, we glimpse their self-righteous, vigilante fury, the violence of people seeking to impose their moral values and way of life on those they consider evil or deluded. Getting ready for the wedding, Livvie, though still somewhat hesitant about the marriage, savors the joy of having all her wishes seemingly fulfilled by Caleb's magic--the return of her mother, now sane and happy; the prospect of eternal love, eternal family bonds. Caressed by a gentle, billowing breeze, bathed in soft sunlight, surrounded by the beauty of flowers and graceful vegetation in an oasis of lush yet refined splendor, Livvie prepares for a life of bliss. Overcome by emotion, Rachel cries at the sight of her daughter's beauty. Wearing an elegant white silk wedding dress which enhances but does not overshadow Livvie's natural loveliness, Livvie basks in her mother's tender affection. As Rachel thanks her daughter for giving her "the most incredible gift" a mother can receive, she hands Livvie a small jewelry box. "Caleb left you something," she says. "Something special for his bride on a special day." Opening the box Livvie sees a pearl and diamond necklace. "Oh, gosh, Mama, look how beautiful," Livvie exclaims. "Oh, you deserve this, Sweetheart," Rachel gushes. "You know your husband--he knows that it takes someone special with grace to sparkle as brightly as this does. He could just shower you with diamonds and you'd still be the rarest gem of all." Trying to control her tears of joy, Rachel adjusts and readjusts Livvie's veil, wanting everything to be perfect. The veil, beautiful, exquisite, graceful, like the Villa's billowing curtains, represents an alluring mystery, translucently revealing yet concealing secrets just beyond grasp, teasingly promising what lies hidden, as yet unattainable, separating the known from the unknown. To peer beyond the veil, to venture beyond the barriers between life and death, innocence and experience as you enter Caleb's magical world requires a leap of faith, a suspension of disbelief. Around Livvie's neck is a pendant with the Morley bat insignia, a subtle reminder of the darkness within the delight, seductively beckoning with forbidden knowledge. |
| Rachel, herself an illusion yet also a vision of imaginative possibility, reminds Livvie of the power of belief in making dreams come true. "It's what I've always wanted for you," she tells Livvie, "to find a wonderful man that would keep you safe, give you everything that you ever wanted and more, to love you beyond your dreams of true love. Oh, Sweetheart, it's right there, just waiting. You go out there and you grab it and you hold on tight and never let go. You hear me?" she urges her daughter. Although she is speaking here of Livvie's marriage to a vampire, her words could apply to almost any mother's wishes for a daughter on the wedding day, and they represent a belief in everlasting romantic love that many of us hold dear despite our disappointments. Like our religious beliefs, our faith in love and the power of creative imagination sustain us in our most desolate, hopeless times. Without our faith in these possibilities, which some might term illusions, we may lack the strength and will to survive. |
| While Rachel prepares her daughter for her new life of "happiness forever" and "eternal love," Caleb, in another room, gets ready for the ceremony. Looking at himself in a mirror and adjusting his hair, Caleb converses with the man he has chosen to officiate at the wedding, the newly resurrected Judge Abe Kurland. |
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| "The rings are exquisite," the Judge says, admiringly. "Wait till you see the bride," Caleb boasts. "You know I've waited lifetimes, a perfect moment, perfect woman to have a family with and having you join our extended family has made this an even happier day, Judge Kurland." |
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| "Thank you, Caleb," the Judge replies. "I've performed thousands of weddings in my time, but I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this one." "Are you sure you're up to it?" Caleb asks. "Never felt better. Especially for a dead man," the Judge smiles, as he and Caleb exchange friendly conspiratorial looks. "You know it's--it's nice to know that death is just a figure of speech in our world, isn't it, Judge?" Caleb observes. |
| This conversation, while adding a touch of humor, also reveals the civility and amiability between Caleb and his former victim. Now that they are both vampires and the Judge is no longer resisting his new state of existence, no longer clinging to human conceptions of reality and morality, he, like Caleb, has transcended the painful limitations of his former life. Both he and Caleb, although originally transformed without their consent, are now embracing their vampire lifestyle, a lifestyle which the humans, perceiving it as threatening, demonize. As Caleb once said to Jack, vampires are "misunderstood," clearly much more complex and morally ambiguous than their persecutors would acknowledge. |
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| Snappies of "Tainted Love" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |