Sarah McCliment | Spark / 2017

axel and nancy drew

by Douglas Messerli

 

Caitlyn Murray (screenplay), Sarah McCliment (director) Spark / 2017 [8 minutes]

 

Jane (Micah Untiedt) sits in the dark on a concrete stair case to somewhere on or near her campus reading Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. A young man passes by, checking her out, but it’s clear from her body movements that Jane is not in the least interested.

    But soon after she is joined by a young woman in leather with glossy red lipstick—named Tess (Molly McIntyre), we later discover—almost the complete opposite from our plain Jane; Tess is attempting the escape two frat guys (James Zogran-Werness and Grayson Wimbish), upon one of whom she has intentionally poured and spilled a cranberry vodka drink, presumably when he attempted to come-on to her.

    Tess flashes a lighter near Jane’s face describing her as a kind of Nancy Drew, probably from the looks of the book she’s reading, surmising that she's a feminist vegan. But no, argues, Jane/Nancy, she’s actually drinking a hot chocolate, and the stranger is in luck, since she doesn’t like leather.

     At that moment the two frat boys show up across the street in search of their tormentor, Tess trying to hide herself turning away toward Jane, accidentally placing her hand upon the other girl’s hand; and we just know that if there is any truth to the old cliché that opposites attract, we just been shown that spark that will soon set the heart afire.

     Jane, almost out breath, tells Tess that the boys have left, and soon after the girl in leather goes off, leaving the speechless Nancy Drew almost breathless.

     For the rest of the night, she goes in search of Tess, not yet even knowing her name. And finally she discovers her hiding out in an alley. This time it’s Jane’s turn to imagine the stereotypes, suggesting that her newfound friend must be named “something hip or edgy like Ruby or Pandora, no wait, Axel.” Tess is somewhat struck by idea of being named Axel, but when she spots to the two frats again, is about once more to disappear from Jane’s life.

     Jane suddenly walks out into the light, confronting the two boys who ask if she’s seen a girl in leather. Our Nancy Drew lies outright, saying the girl they're look for, Axel, is well known, having caused a fight in another place, and sends them off to yet another location, Cha-chas.

     Even Tess/Axel is impressed. “So you’ve never had a vodka cranberry?”

     Jane shakes her head in the negative.

     “In that case I’ll have to order you a double.”

     “Just as long as you promise not to throw it on me.”

    This looks like the beginning of a long relationship.

 

Los Angeles, September 4, 2025

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (September 2025).