Many Stanley Kubrick fans were frustrated that his last completed film, Eyes Wide Shut, was considered upon its release 25 years ago to be a divisive film, to say the least, with no unanimity among critics and fans of the two main stars: Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The work marked the end of one of the most celebrated marriages in Hollywood at the time. With confusing behind-the-scenes, it became a legend not necessarily for the best reasons.

The plot is simple and complex at the same time

The film is based on the novel Traumnovelle (or Dream Story), by Arthur Schnitzler. It revolves around the character Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman), on a long, intense, and difficult Christmas Eve.

“Stanley worked and thought about this project for about 28 years”, explained Tom Cruise back in 1999. “It was as personal a story as he had ever done. When he first wanted to work on it, it was after Lolita, in 1962, but his wife Christianne told me she told him: ‘No… oh, please no… not now’. We are so young. We’re not going to go through that now,” revealed the actor. In 1997 they were all mature enough.

The plot begins when Alice, apparently frustrated and jealous of her husband’s attentions to other women while ignoring her at a party, reveals to Bill that she had sexual fantasies about another man, to the point of considering for a second having left her husband for him. A confident Bill, surprised by the confession, embarks on a series of unexpected events. He becomes obsessed with the idea of ​​infidelity and on a nocturnal journey through New York City, he encounters several situations that test his morality and fidelity.

The highest (or lowest?) point of the night is when the doctor meets a musician friend who informs him about a secret party held by an occult society. Bill decides to go to this party, where he witnesses sexual and power rituals but is discovered and threatened by members of this society, which puts him in a situation of great danger.

Throughout the film, Bill is confronted with his own insecurities, desires, and the complex nature of human relationships. The story explores themes such as sexuality, fidelity, power, and the dichotomy between appearance and reality.

Kubrick uses a dreamlike atmosphere and visual symbolism to create a feeling of discomfort and mystery, leaving many questions unanswered and allowing for multiple interpretations. It is a film that provokes reflection on human impulses and the masks we wear in everyday life. Some literal.

Behind the scenes that ended in divorce and death

There are many behind-the-scenes rumors, which not even the two actors denied a quarter of a century ago end the negative impression of the work.

When Cruise and Kidman were announced as the stars of a Kubrick film, many were surprised because although they were the biggest “power couple” at the time, none of the films they had made together before had worked at the box office. And having them in a film that would cover sex and betrayal was too fascinating for the tabloids.

When they committed to working with the director in 1997, the two moved to London and had to adapt to the long, different, and extremely personal method of working that would put not only their artistic careers but also their marriage to the test. At that time, married for almost 10 years, Nicole and Tom were still dealing with the gossip of a sham marriage, and the rumors that Kubrick suffered from their “lack of sexual chemistry” are still treated as facts (even though they are not).

“Stanley just said, ‘Let them keep talking,’” Tom Cruise recalled when the film was released, but 25 years later Nicole Kidman herself – always candid in her interviews – told the LA Times that she believes the director actually used aspects from her real relationship with her ex-husband to shape the characters. “He asked a lot of questions,” she acknowledged to the reporter, citing that the rehearsals were longer and more exhausting than they had ever experienced before (or since). “I suppose he was exploring,” said the actress.

The film took two years to be ready, with many cast changes along the way precisely because of the delay, changing the careers of everyone involved. Tom, whose character is in almost every scene, was unable to work on another project and Nicole, “freed” from recording, returned to the theater and was hugely successful on the London and Broadway stages, gaining growing respect for her career as an actress, still in the shadow of her marriage until then.

The fact that Eyes Wide Shut became the last work of Stanley Kubrick, who died of a massive heart attack just six days after completing the first montage generated malicious gossip that he was tense and disappointed with what he saw, one of the most malicious legends about the work. The director’s premature death also fueled speculation that the version that hit theaters would not be in line with his vision, but everyone involved guarantees that the final version is faithful to what Kubrick intended.

“He had been editing [the film] for 18 months. It wasn’t like he didn’t have enough time. He was very happy about it. For him to show that to us, that’s huge if you know Stanley. And the Warners people were there. He wouldn’t go back to the drawing board,” the actress explained in 2024.

What about the cut, explicit, or altered sex scenes? There weren’t many, they didn’t include Nicole Kidman or Tom Cruise and they were only made to meet age rating requirements. “Sex itself wasn’t what Stanley was interested in,” the actor explained. “The film is about many things, but especially about the dynamics of a relationship that is affected by the raw emotions of obsession and jealousy,” he insisted.

It is a fact that production lasted around 400 days, which is exceptionally long for any film but it is part of the myth of Kubrick’s meticulousness as a director, known for taking countless takes of each scene until he was satisfied and was famous for his strict control over every aspect of his films. He had a very specific and demanding vision, which meant that actors and crew had to adapt to his intense and emotionally draining style of work.

To make matters worse, the high level of secrecy surrounding the production, avoiding revealing plot details and keeping the nature of the scenes secret, increased the aura of mystery surrounding the film as well as expectations. According to what they said, not even the actors knew much, not knowing the full context of a scene until the moment of filming it.

The script went through several rewrites throughout the filming process with Kubrick often rewriting scenes and dialogue every day, adding production time and pressure on the actors.

“When he was writing a movie, he was writing; when he was directing the film, he was directing; when he was editing the film, he was editing. Each element of the image takes time; ideas take time.” Kubrick understood this notion and put it into practice when making his masterpieces”, defended Tom Cruise in an interview in 1999. “He was always incredibly patient, he worked non-stop”, he continued. “I would receive faxes from him at three or four in the morning. I would take a look the next morning. So he never wasted any time; he knew the importance of time.” Kubrick never felt limited by the production structure, which was beneficial for the cast and crew,” explained the star.

An ending considered confusing: what really happened?

The conclusion of Eyes Wide Shut is open to interpretation because many question what really happened at the orgy and Alice’s participation, especially with the mask next to her on the pillow.

After having escaped death and experiencing the tension and threat of people who identified him in the orgy, Bill Harford finally confesses to Alice all his experiences and attempts at infidelity throughout the night, which occurred shortly after the revelation of the disturbing dream. that she had told him. She, in turn, responds with a mixture of understanding and resignation.

The film’s final scene takes place in a toy store, which is one of Kubrick’s brilliant language tricks. Walking among dolls in a children’s fantasy world, the couple have a heart-to-heart about their relationship and what happened and Alice suggests that, despite everything, they should try to move on and stay together. But they need to do something immediately: “fuck”, which is what they had left aside over time.

This suggests that Bill and Alice decide to face the reality of their relationship, with all its flaws and imperfections, rather than living in fantasies or illusions. Just as facing these challenges honestly is crucial to the survival of their marriage. On the other hand, Kubrick lets ambiguity prevail, without explaining the nature of the secret societies or the crimes that occurred, maintaining space for each person to reach their conclusion.

Eyes Wide Shut works as an invitation to reflect on the complexity of human relationships and the importance of honesty and communication. Something that Nicole Kidman remembers is not uncommon in literature. “James Joyce has that story where in 15 seconds something is discovered that literally destroys the marriage right then and there, even though it is a very good marriage”, the actress commented. “Because it was based on what they thought each person was. And then it’s like, “You were never the person I thought you were,”’ she said. “Stanley always said that animals are much more honest than humans and I told him: “That’s not true!” [Laughter] And he said, “Nicole. Nicole.” But I like having a more hopeful notion of humans,” she maintains.

Ironically, Tom and Nicole’s solid marriage came to an end less than two years after the film was released, reinforcing the impression that it had more of an impact on their relationship than they would have ever admitted. At the time, the actor even said that he was happy that the two were not “in the second year” of their marriage. “The things we were talking about were volatile and intense. The characters are very much at odds. When you’re talking about jealousy or raw emotions that sometimes bring men to their knees, it can be paralyzing,” he explained then.

“It fits the narrative that people have come up with, but I definitely didn’t see it that way. We had a happy marriage during this period,” Nicole Kidman opened up about the rumors in an interview with the New York Times in 2020. “I don’t know what else to say. Maybe I can’t look back and dissect. Or I’m not up for it,” she said.

In any case, for both of them, even 25 years ago as now, it is fascinating that they are part of the legacy of one of the greatest directors of all time. “Stanley Kubrick had 13 perfect visions and I’m proud to have been a part of it,” concluded Tom Cruise. Easy to understand, right?

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