Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

A New York City doctor embarks on a harrowing, night-long odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife reveals a painful secret to him.

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stanley Kubrick (screenplay), Frederic Raphael (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Todd Field

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 11 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Dr. William Harford
Nicole Kidman	...	Alice Harford
Madison Eginton	...	Helena Harford
Jackie Sawiris	...	Roz
Sydney Pollack	...	Victor Ziegler
Leslie Lowe	...	Illona
Peter Benson	...	Bandleader
Todd Field	...	Nick Nightingale
Michael Doven	...	Ziegler's Secretary
Sky du Mont	...	Sandor Szavost (as Sky Dumont)
Louise J. Taylor	...	Gayle (as Louise Taylor)
Stewart Thorndike	...	Nuala
Randall Paul	...	Harris
Julienne Davis	...	Mandy
Lisa Leone	...	Lisa

Storyline

After his wife, Alice, tells him about her sexual fantasies, William Harford sets out for a night of sexual adventure. After several less than successful encounters, he meets an old friend, Nick Nightingale - now a musician - who tells him of strange sex parties when he is required to play the piano blindfolded. All the men at the party are costumed and wear masks while the women are all young and beautiful. Harford manages to find an appropriate costume and heads out to the party. Once there, however, he is warned by someone who recognizes him, despite the mask, that he is in great danger. He manages to extricate himself but the threats prove to be quite real and sinister.

---

Plot Keywords:

orgy | password | prostitute | group sex | masked ball | 

---

Taglines:

Cruise. Kidman. Kubrick.

---

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug-related material

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 July 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Traumnovelle

Filming Locations:

UK

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$21,706,163, 18 July 1999

Gross USA:

$55,691,208

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$162,091,208

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Stanley Kubrick Productions, Hobby Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

159 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alan Cumming, who played the hotel clerk, remarked in a later interview that Kubrick had assumed he was American. This was due to the fact that in his audition tapes he had given such a faultless American accent Kubrick assumed he was American. It wasn't until they met for the first time on set that Kubrick realized Cumming was Scottish.

---

Goofs

At Victor's party, when Alice responds to Sandor's explanation of why women get married, she momentarily slips into an Australian accent (which is Nicole Kidman's native accent) when she says, "Fascinating."

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. Bill Harford: Honey, have you seen my wallet?
Alice Harford: Isn't it on the bedside table?
Dr. Bill Harford: Now listen, you know we're running a little late.
Alice Harford: I know. How do I look?
Dr. Bill Harford: Perfect.
Alice Harford: Is my hair okay?
Dr. Bill Harford: It's great.
Alice Harford: You're not even looking at it.
Dr. Bill Harford: It's beautiful. You always look beautiful.

---

Crazy Credits

Special thanks to the staff of Hamleys of London.

---

Alternate Versions

In the DVD/Video version, when Nicole Kidman gives her monologue about yearning for the Naval Officer, she mouths the words "We made love." But the words "You and I made love," are heard. This was done to clear up the confusion about whom she actually made love to.

---

Connections

Spoofed in Tosh.0: Furries Kid (2013)

---

Soundtracks

Jazz Suite, Waltz 2
(1924)
Performed by Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest (as Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra)
Conducted by Riccardo Chailly
Courtesy of The Decca Record Company Limited
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets
Written by Dmitri Shostakovich
Published by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd

User Reviews

Like all Kubrick, more than the sum of its parts.

I admire the work of Stanley Kubrick very much. All his films remain in my mind with a vitality far beyond most of the other work I see, even though the details of the films are often boring or inscrutable.

Eyes Wide Shut is no exception - there were many times in the movie where I could find no meaning or interest in an individual moment, but the overall experience is a lingering one with a deep impact - maybe Kubrick works the magic of making the spectator really _feel_ the characters turmoil and inner struggles by including so much of the mundane and seemingly unrelated incidents of "real life".

A fine conclusion to an excellent career.

p.s., being in Canada I had to put up with the "edited" version, which was certainly not subtle in its censorship. Oddly enough the couple beside me walked out from boredom, not sexual squeamishness. Should have digitally added some gunfights.