Writer Ed Foster is working on a script for his movie, Loved to Death. He envisions himself as the main character and his beautiful neighbor Miranda Parker as the wife of the story, Louise. After they drink martinis together, Louise rips off her clothes and makes love to Ed on the kitchen counter. However, Ed realizes that he's given into his romantic infatuation with Miranda yet again and has gone off-script.
When Ed discovers that his water isn't running, he goes to see the manager, Mr. Stronham. Stronham has a CCV rigged up over his door, and cuts off Ed when he says that his faucet isn't working. A neighbor, Mrs. Parker, comes by and says that no one has ever seen Stronham. She confirms that he's not an actor, and is happy to hear that he's a screenwriter. Ed explains that he's writing a decent family movie, much to Mrs. Parker's disappointment, and that he quit his job to become a screenwriter.
Ed goes down to the laundry room and finds Monica on the phone, talking to her ex-boyfriend Walter. The screenwriter ducks into the shadows and listens in as Monica says that she's just not ready for any relationship. Ed imagines her as Louise from his screenplay, and then watches bra as she undresses to put her bra in the washer. She tells Walter to get her a job as an actress and storms off.
Later, Ed goes back to his apartment pass Stronham's apartment. Stronham calls to him over the intercom, saying that he fixed his faucet, and reminds him that the rent is due the next day. Ed asks about Monica, and Stronham gives him her apartment number and wishes him "happy hunting."
Back in his apartment, Ed continues writing and imagines Miranda on his poster of It's a Wonderful Life instead of Donna Reed. He change Louise's name to Miranda in his script, and then goes to Miranda's apartment. She assumes that he's a messenger boy and invites him in, and Ed notices the posters of her exploitation movies on the walls. She demands the pages for a new movie from her agent, and then hangs up and yells at Ed to get out. Miranda angrily ushers him out but then apologizes for losing her temper. Her agent Alex calls her back and Miranda hastily invites Ed over for a drink later and goes back inside her apartment.
Back in his apartment, Ed smiles with satisfaction as he remembers bringing flowers to Louise in his script. He takes flowers over to Miranda and knocks at her door, but gets no answer. As he realizes that she's not home, Stronham watches via his camera.
Monica arrives with a man and she sees Ed across the hallway. She figures that Ed has a girlfriend and leads the man inside, and Ed tosses the flowers on the floor. Stronham watches on his camera and laughs as he says that he'll see Ed real soon.
A few days later, Monica catches up to Ed in the elevator and apologizes for forgetting that they were supposed to have drinks. They go back to her apartment and Ed talks about his screenplay and how he changed the female lead's name to Miranda. She figures that he wants to go out with her and Ed admits that he does, and Miranda says that he can't do anything for her so she isn't interested in him. Miranda says that when he's rich, they can together, and offers a toast to persistence. She tells Ed to find his way out, takes a call from Alex, and starts to undress. Ed imagines her as Louise and imagines hugging her. Miranda snaps at him and he realizes that he's really doing it, and punches him.
After Miranda kicks Ed out, he takes his rent money to Stronham's apartment. When he tries to slide it under the door, the door swings open. Ed goes in and the door slams shut behind him. Continuing on, Ed finds a living room filled with photos of beautiful women. Stronham is in the next room, which is filled with monitors. The landlord describes how Miranda stood Ed up, and figures that Ed wants his help. When Ed mentions the women's photographs, Stronham says that he never met a single one of them. When Ed says that he's been waiting for Miranda his entire life, Stronham chuckles and holds up a heart-shaped vial. He tells Ed to take it if he really loves Miranda.
Later, Ed goes to Miranda's apartment with a bottle of wine and says that he wants to apologize for earlier. She reluctantly accepts but says that she wants it to be over with quickly. When Miranda goes to into the next room, Ed pours the potion into her wine glass and then pours the wine. She quickly drinks it and Ed stares at her. Miranda tells him to leave and threatens to call 911, and Ed asks if she feels anything. She starts to report Ed to the police, but then falls deeply, passionately in love with him. They kiss and Miranda rips off her clothes, saying that she can't wait.
Later in Ed's apartment, Miranda asks to read Ed's script. He refuses until it's finished, and she says that they're not finished. Ed points out that they've been having sex all night, but Miranda won't take no for an answer. Afterward, Ed tries to work but Miranda wont' stop admiring him. She says that she canceled her audition to be near Ed, and says that she's going to help him with his scene. After another round of sex, Miranda dresses up as the wife in Ed's screenplay. When Ed says that he's exhausted, Miranda insists that she isn't and initiates another round of sex and promises to drain Ed dry. Ed finally shoves her off and says that he has to go out alone, and says that he doesn't want her anymore. Miranda tells him to hate her because she deserves it, and Ed punches her. Despite that, Miranda says that he could never hurt her.
Ed goes back to Stronham's apartment... where there's a photo of Miranda on the wall. He begs Stronham for something to make Miranda stop, and Stronham warns that there is no antidote. The landlord asks if Ed would do anything to get rid of Miranda, and Ed agrees that he would. Ed realizes that the women on the wall are all dead, and Stronham says that the men wanted love and he gave it to them... and then they wanted death. Ed refuses, and Stronham turns on a monitor showing Miranda calling to Ed. She says that she'll wait forever for him, and Stronham says that he's just there to help as he holds up a vial of poison.
When Ed goes back to his apartment, he finds Miranda working on his screenplay. She goes to get an opener for the champagne, and Ed pours the poison in one of the glasses. Miranda tells him to look at her revisions, and when he goes over, she picks up his glass instead of hers. She then takes Ed's glass over to him and they share a toast... and Ed falls down dead.
Ed wakes up in the afterlife and Miranda calls to him. She says that when he died, she couldn't stand to live without him so she threw herself out the apartment window to her death. Miranda comes over... and Ed realizes that her face was smashed in the fall. Now they'll be together, forever, and Ed screams in terror.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 18, 2016