A multi-part analysis of Stanley Kubrick’s final message to the world through his magnum opus final film, Eyes Wide Shut.
by Graham Ranseen
In my life, I have always favored or sought out simple explanations to complex circumstances or, subject matter – as I believe that the simplest of things become buried by our own doing – and all that we choose or, allow ourselves to be distracted by. Such a view could not be more clearly iterated or, expressed so perfectly than in Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut.
The title itself seems to imply a central message of the work and the most iconic images from the film of nearly every character but also how power players hide behind masks to engage in despicable and degrading sexual behavior seems to clearly imply how the most corrupt aspects of power both conceals itself and also does not wish to play by the same rules as the rest of us and in this way, cannot see itself – hence one of the many meanings which can be derived from the film’s title – Eyes Wide Shut!
The idea that we either intentionally choose to ignore the truth which is directly in front of us – Or, that we are misled, coerced, compromised, and deceived to ignore or, close our eyes to the truth is perhaps the primary point of the film. The truth – even in life – but specifically as it is represented in the film, is indeed stranger than fiction and is far more horrifying and more evil than we usually ever imagine. Truth also can nearly always be found in the first impressions or, waves which make their way to our perception at first glance.
To anyone who has wondered at this mystery and nearly all truth seekers and truth tellers throughout history have sought to understand this mystery by way of the great works of art and literature that we are blessed to still have access to. The reason might be that the Universe or, God has embedded a design in nature that all things must be known or, considered and expressed – “There is a time for every purpose under Heaven” (Eccl. 3.1.) and all things must be fully expressed before they come to an end – whether good or, evil. As a result, the full picture or, full arc of something as well as its true intentions might imply this end in the very beginning and this might be why the whole truth offers some flash or, glimpse as to its purpose to those who have eyes to see and to those with eyes wide open – at its first sight.
The first part of any creative act or, work may also follow this same logic which is perhaps why so many great works have an outline of their argument at the very beginning or, why every scientific paper has an abstract and why nearly most all written work going back hundreds or, even thousands of years has an introduction, prologue or, preface which qualifies its purpose. The purpose is further usually to serve an ethic which serves truth and in works of art, stories, narratives and films which seek to communicate truth – the beginning or, first act seems to essentially imply or, set the stage for the entire narrative arch in both implicit and explicit ways through its end.
In Eyes Wide Shut, this is exactly what Kubrick presents us with in the films beginning. The film begins with images of a nude woman, Alice Hartford played by Nicole Kidman – with her body and beauty directly in plain view to all. I believe that this image is presented to us with emphasis or, on purpose – and we learn this is Dr. Bill Hartford’s wife, the character played by Tom Cruise. The character of Alice is seen taking her gown off in the first shot but it is not clear if this is a shot from after the couple returns from the Christmas party or, if it is before. My guess is that it is a shot representing the couples’ return from the Christmas party as Kubrick wants to make a specific point that anything Dr. Hartford may desire can be found in his own home.
In this way ,the film is on the surface level and also on a deeper level as well, about marital issues and as we learn later through the dream sequence which may or, not be real – that sufficient attention is paid to a word , fidelio which means fidelity. The term Fidelity means or, implies loyalty, faithfulness, commitment and is often used within the context of a pure marital bond which if an impure or, broken bond implies its opposite, that is Infidelity. This would mean that the film is examining or, testing the marital bond of faith and if we acknowledge that the family unit is the building block and core of any society, the film is in this respect, examining all of human society or, civilization through the testing of this bond at the core of the family unit.
Kubrick is showing that what we are looking for outside marriage is and can always be found inside the marriage and the primary undercurrent throughout the film involves the testing of the seemingly ‘pure’ marital bond and how the characters are confronted with this moral dilemma.
Perhaps only Stanley Kubrick could make a film about Marriage and include within it a juxtaposition of the themes, sexual lust, control, blackmail, coercion and censorship which themselves imply the highest forms of corruption among the worlds’ elites. However, Kubrick goes all in within the framework of the marital bond or, even the bond between friends and shows how power can break or, at the least, vigorously test such bonds.
For example, Bill’s old friend from medical school, Nick Nightingale demonstrates a loyalty (fidelity) to his friend by giving him a password and address to a secret mansion party in upstate New York. In doing so, Nick endangers himself as it is later learned by Bill through his own detective work that Nick was roughed up and escorted out of his hotel by what the hotel clerk described as intimidating and mysterious individuals. So, while Nick compromises his trust or, loyalty to his mysterious employer(s) he keeps his trust with his old friend – and the film seems to say that for this reason, Nick is punished and perhaps, rightfully so if he was asked to keep a secret. What is ironic about this however is that Nick is asked to pledge his trust ‘blindly’ – literally blindly as he plays blindfolded at the mansion orgy– to a shadow group of powerful people who do not reveal themselves to him. I believe that seeing as well as not seeing are key components of the films many themes. In a way, everyone at the masked ball or, orgy is blind in some respect – either to lust, power or, even to themselves if they do not know each other’s identity.
Even if we examine the first part of the film’s story we can see how both husband and wife return from the Christmas party on completely normal terms and also are physically intimate with each other immediately upon returning home. So, the idea that both mistrusted each other after learning of each other’s conversations with the opposite sex at the party is not immediately true. In fact, it is Alice who upon possibly being paranoid due to smoking a joint of marijuana in the evening on the following night – who provokes and picks the fight with her husband – which leads Bill into a state of questioning himself.
It is important to note that Bill is high on marijuana during this exchange and the next 54 minutes take Bill away from his apartment and wife and through a labyrinth of temptations.
1. Bill’s wife, Alice makes it clear that she prefers him to be jealous of her and torments Bill with the story of how she nearly committed adultery with a military officer while on vacation. The first seed of doubt on the purity of their marriage is planted.
2. The daughter of a deceased patient attempts to seduce him and kisses him in her time of despair. The seed of temptation and adultery is watered as this moment of intimacy is sprung upon him without any effort.
3. A moment of feeling emasculated occurs around this time of the film as well as there is a scene in which Bill is bullied by college frat boys who question his sexuality. I believe this scene is meant to show how Alice’s confession has threatened Bill’s security and manhood and is in a moment of weakness or, desperation.
4. Bill is approached by a prostitute and spends a significant amount of time with her –kissing but not quite going any further. The seed is sprouting as this shows that Bill truly is seeking out an opportunity to have sex with a woman other than his wife.
5. Bill meets Nick Nightingale and pursues going out to the mysterious party with an abundance of women as is described.
6. Bill encounters Mr. Milich’s daughter having a threesome with two men. Later on in the film, Mr. Milich changes his stance on what his daughter did and supports it – even offering his daughter to Bill.
7. Bill enters the Mansion party and is surrounded by orgies of naked women. He expresses clearly that he is willing to go to a room with the decoy woman who is sent to him by the masked man who nodded to him earlier from the balcony. Further showing his interest to commit adultery.
8. Bill is snapped from his spell of curiosity to commit adultery with the ritual sacrifice scene.
9. However, Bill still seeks out and follows up on his friend Nick Nightingale and the prostitute he met on the street – both follow ups turn up with very bad news. Nick was forcibly removed by thugs from his Hotel and the prostitute, Domino. Bill also learns the bad news when learning of the overdose death of the woman who tried to warn him.
10. Finally, it is when Bill meets with Victor Ziegler at the end that he understands his foolish behavior even though the way the film ends is open to interpretation.
I have often wondered how or why Kubruck made specific subtle changes to Arthur Schnitzler’s novella Dream Story (also known as Rhapsody) or, Traumnovelle first published in 1925/1926 and in book form, 1927. The film’s plot is actually very close in general detail to the plot of the novel is based in Vienna, Austria during Carnival in the season of Spring. Whereas Kubrick moves the film to modern day New York City and during Christmas.
We hear Ziegler remark to Bill Hartford at the end of the film in regards to the party that Bill snuck into with Nick’s help that he was in great danger at the party and further stated that “Those were not just ordinary people, if I told you their names – I’m not going to tell you their names but if I did, I don’t think you’d sleep so well.”
The end of the film sees both husband and wife transformed by the sharing of each other’s experiences of being attracted, seduced and tempted with infidelity. The simplest explanation for the film appears to synchronize with nearly all moral scriptures or, morality tales and even the central focus of the human condition – which is the idea that by seeking for something outside of one’s self (specifically outside of the bond of marriage) one may be led to ruin, compromise and moral corruption.
PURE BONDS VS. CORRUPT BONDS
Perhaps another message of the film is an examination of how secrets can be kept and how there are pure bonds such as the bonds of marriage and friendship and also corrupt bonds which are made more and more commonplace throughout the entirety of the film.
As an example, Ziegler goes out of his way with Bill at the beginning of the film after the incident involving the overdose with a hooker at his Christmas party is resolved, that the incident should only be kept between the two of them – another instance of fidelity except for a darker or, immoral purpose.
As a doctor, Bill himself must abide by doctor patient confidentiality which is something that is also tested by his wife when she begins to harass and provoke her husband regarding her meeting the two models at Ziegler’s party and also inquiring about how he deals with temptation in the workplace when treating female patients.
The idea of comparing a pure bond with a corrupt bond between the people and characters in the film can also be found in the early scene involving the individual Alice is dancing with briefly while Bill is flirting with the two models, Sandor Szavost. In the book, this individual is identified as Polish but in the film, he is Hungarian. Mr. Szavost informs Alice that the reason woman would get married in ancient or, older times was to be able to lose their virginity and be able to do what they wanted with other men.
Perhaps this is simply a matter of perspective but it is also a representation of moral corruption. Mr. Szavost cannot or, does not acknowledge any inherent or, decent value to marriage other than sex and in this way we see a scene in which corruption is battling with purity or, innocence with the prospect of a secret potentially being kept between the two. Mr. Szavost even goes so far as to say to Alice after he sees her noticing Bill’s flirtation, “Don’t you think one of the charms of marriage, is that it makes deception a necessity for both parties?”
The messages delivered by key scenes in the film are clear as day. Both Bill and Alice are tempted to cheat on each other or, degrade their morals in specific ways all throughout the film and it is possible Kubrick wanted to choose the novels specific subject matter to make some type of statement or, commentary on society or, specifically, high society and how corruption manifests itself on the higher levels through secrecy and other mechanisms of control.
Finally, let us consider another key scene or, scenes of the film which involve the owner of Rainbow Fashion, Mr. Milich. It is in fact the title of this essay to consider the usage of the symbolism and phrasing of the Rainbow.
It is perhaps one of the more shocking scenes in the film – among many – in which Mr. Milich’s young daughter who may possibly be underage is caught with two adult men in a section of the shop while Mr. Milich is finding a tuxedo, cloak with hood and mask for Bill Hartford. What is worth considering is how the two gentlemen – who are wearing wigs and makeup and engaging in perverse behavior – admit to Mr. Milich that his daughter invited them. To which Mr. Milich replies with a statement indicating his daughter is insane or, deranged which could just be something he says in a fit of rage or, it may have some literal meaning. In the second scene involving these characters, when Bill returns to Rainbow fashion to return his clothes (minus the mask) he sees the same men walk out from the back of the shop with Mr. Milich’s daughter. All of them are all smiles and Mr. Milich informs Dr. Hartford when he inquires as to how he had a change of heart regarding the two men and his daughter – that an arrangement was made. Mr. Milich even seems to offer his daughter to Bill. What Kubrick does so well with these two characters is show us how Power Corrupts and how much evil or, corruption one can do with the right amount of money, power and connections.
Two Horrific Events are described and buried in this Film :
1. A Ritual Murder occurs involving a clear Sacrifice of a woman in place of another victim.
2. A daughter is prostituted by her father for money However, both of these events are not explicitly buried, they are indeed central plot points at the core of the film’s message.
Yet, there is something unusual about how the film seems to include this horror in a way that almost seems normal or, innocuous. The high society lives of the characters – both in their real life celebrity – almost makes these two horrific events as secondary or, just apart of how business is handled by the group or, secret society at the mansion which Ziegler is clearly apart of.
Through the film’s unfolding of plot and transformation of its characters, it seems to send an obscure and open ended message. On the one hand, Bill and his wife resist cheating on each other and Bill is seemingly scared straight to the point of confessing everything to his wife which seems that it might bring the two of them closer and only strengthen their marital bond.
However, given what Bill knows:
1. He knows Ziegler cheats on his wife and that one of these encounters which he was witness to, nearly ends with an overdose death of the prostitute that Zieglar had sex with.
2. He knows there is a mansion where powerful elites attend to engage in orgies and he knows Zieglar attended this event.
3. He knows that there is some group of powerful people who will kill, threaten, injure and intimidate to keep their secrets from getting out.
The question then remains – would Bill Hartford be able to simply go back to his normal safe life? If the character is now aware of so much dirt on Zieglar and also how deep his involvement in depraved secret society runs – does the end of the film imply that Bill and Alice are now apart of that club? Of that society?
The last words of the film, “Let’s Fuck” are not moral words but they are also not an admission of moral corruption. I believe Kubrick left the ending deliberately vague as to show that it is always up to us to decide if we have been compromised or, not. The fact that Kubrick left he United States after making 2001: A Space Odyssey is interesting to consider. Why did he do this? Why was he also afraid of flying? Not stepping foot on a plane for the last thirty some odd years of one’s life does indicate paranoia but could it also mean that Kubrick was afraid of what he knew? Or, what others knew what he knew?
THE MESSAGE OF COMPROMISE AND CORRUPTION
“Gentlemen, have you no sense of Decency?”
This is an interesting remark made by Mr. Milich at finding his daughter with the two men. This is a remark made by a man who has morals and ethics and wants to report this criminal behavior to the police. The fact that police would be involved, even if the daughter invited the men to the shop, might actually indicate that she is underage.
The fact that Mr. Milich then changes his position so quickly is another example of Moral Compromise in the face of Power or, Money.
This is another central theme of the film which shows how those in Power can corrupt and compromise anyone and actually shows how often it occurs.
Life as Dream
As I mentioned earlier, the film confirms ancient and spiritual views of reality and myth in addition to showing the loss of morals and the pervasiveness of moral corruption. The film could be a morality tale although it has an obscure ending. The concept of all consciousness being a dream is something that even Joseph Campbell begins his work, The Mythic Image with.
Eyes Wide Shut as a phrase is itself is a direct reference to dreaming since when we dream our eyes are shut and yet we can still see.
I have wondered whether the sequence from when Bill Hartford and his wife smoke marijuana – a psychedelic as well as a hallucinogenic – and whether it is possible that this sequence is in fact a dream and that none of it actually happened.
This is an idea I expect to explore in the next part as I believe Kubrick may have intentionally crafted the film in such a way as to qualify this possibility.
Kubrick’s Confessions
There are many who also theorize that Kubrick was leaking or, revealing things that he went through himself – perhaps through his own interactions with higher levels of society – through his films. It is possible to consider or, view Kubrick as being a man who knows or, knew too much since his work clearly indicates deeply intimate knowledge of life, society and corruption. If the film is a kind of confession of how he may have experienced threats for his curiosity or, his wanting to share something he knew, viewing the film through this lens is quite intriguing and it might also confirm why Kubrick was so set on making an adaptation of a novel he had first come across in the 1960’s.
WHERE THE RAINBOW ENDS
There have been times when I wondered why Stanley Kubrick made this film and why there has been so much speculation as to whether he actually approved the final cut or, if he was actually satisfied with how it ultimately turned out. Upon re-viewing the film multiple times over the span of decades since I first saw it, I personally believe that Kubrick did in fact believe this film to be his masterpiece as his brother-in-law Jan Harlow indicated.
Kubrick shows us how seeking power and attempting to elevate in society is synonymous with moral corruption and that seeking to be in a more inclusive or, exclusive circle of power is a never-ending illusion in which one finds themselves compromised. He was able to make such a film perfectly – through the frame of Marriage – which is the core agreement or, bond made in a pure life for a pure society. Kubrick also was able to find the perfect material for transmitting the messages he wanted to share with the world. To anyone who understands how films or, film directors operate, being able to find source material is a great basis for what can be done on film and I believe that the reason Kubrick was so adamant on making this film is precisely because he was able to expose or, share exactly what he wanted to expose and share – arguably based on personal experiences.
If we examine this film from how people can climb or, navigate high society, we see that one will eventually be tempted to form an agreement or, a bond outside of their marriage or, their family and it is perhaps in this way that individuals can be compromised.
Veil of Secrecy
The phrase, Where the Rainbow Ends may have multiple meanings but one common meaning that the phrase implies is one of seeking something unattainable or, impossible.
In the beginning of the film at the Christmas party at Ziegler’s, Bill asks the two models he is walking with where exactly they are going. To which the first responds, “Where the Rainbow ends” and after this the second follows up, “Don’t you want to go where the rainbow ends?”
It is worth considering that this film is far more meaningful than we realize and it may have messages within it that are central to the problems our current age faces – including sexual seduction for the purpose of blackmail and political control – as well as the idea that seeking an impossibility or, something that is only an illusion or, a dream – leads to nothing and more than likely, to being a slave to compromise under someone else’s control in other words, living with eyes wide shut.
The Chain 