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The Case of Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut

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The Case of Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut ALESSANDRO GIOVANNELLI Cognitive Value and Imaginative Identification: The Case of Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut A decade after its release, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes the experiences of imaginative engagement a film Wide Shut (1999) remains an enigmatic film, with promotes. Indeed, in the course of my discussion, respect to its meaning and, especially, its value. I also raise some general concerns with respect to Undoubtedly, through the years, much of the dis- a widespread tendency of locating a film’s possible agreement on the film’s overall quality has faded, cognitive contributions just in what the work con- and few would still subscribe to Andrew Sarris’s veys, while disregarding the experience it invites “strong reservations about its alleged artistry.”1 the spectator to have. Yet the precise source of the value of Kubrick’s I start by presenting a number of possible inter- last film still remains mysterious, at least judg- pretations of this film and show how they all do not ing from the disparate interpretations it contin- quite explain the film’s enigma (Section I). Then ues to receive. More importantly, it is certainly I argue that those interpretations all fail, to an ex- not an uncommon reaction—among my acquain- tent—and for reasons that are general and instruc- tances for example—to experience a certain sense tive—to fully account for the film’s cognitive value of puzzlement when viewing the film, one that (Section II). Hence I offer what seems to me the none of the standard interpretations seems to dis- best explanation of what the enigma of Eyes Wide sipate fully.2 In sum—certainly modified since the Shut amounts to, and of how, once properly identi- time of its inception, but also strengthened by the fied, the source of viewers’ persistent puzzlement decade that has passed—some enigma regarding coincides with one important source of the film’s Eyes Wide Shut does persist, and it is one that is value (Sections III–IV). Eyes Wide Shut, I main- worth identifying and trying to answer. tain, rather uniquely exemplifies a kind of imag- These just seem to be questions for film criti- inative engagement, roughly speaking, a form of cism. Yet they are also of great philosophical in- identification, that cinema is capable of bringing terest, for Eyes Wide Shut may work well as a case about. study for claims on the possible contributions that cinema can give to knowledge and on the forms of imaginative engagement that filmic narratives i. interpretations of the movie can promote. Indeed, carefully examining Eyes Wide Shut, in the attempt to sort out what this Eyes Wide Shut, which is a pretty close adaptation, film accomplishes, turns out to be an excellent op- for the most part, of Arthur Schnitzler’s Traum- portunity to look at both of these issues at once. novelle (English translation: “Dream Story”), re- Much has been written recently on film’s possi- counts the events affecting a married couple, ble cognitive merits and on spectators’ imagina- Bill and Alice Harford (Tom Cruise and Nicole tive engagement.3 Here, my own approach to the Kidman), during the time span of what seems former issue is somewhat novel, precisely because two and a half days.4 The story, which is mostly of the link it suggests—paradigmatically in Eyes narrated from Bill’s point of view, leaves the Wide Shut—between a film’s cognitive merits and viewer wondering how to interpret what he or she The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 68:4 Fall 2010 c 2010 The American Society for Aesthetics 356 The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism witnesses—what as actual events and what as These two interpretations could stand, with dreamlike or hallucinatory representations within variations, for a number of readings that have the protagonist’s mind. Just think of the strik- been offered of the film. I will mention only ing correspondences between characters and in- a few. Roger Ebert calls the movie “an erotic cidents that seem to be copies of each other: daydream about chances missed and opportuni- paradigmatically, the Christmas party at the be- ties avoided.”11 Alexander Walker claims the film ginning of the film and the ritualized, black mass- to be about “[e]xposure and denial, temptation type, masquerade orgy that we see later on.5 Lack and retreat,” while for Peter Rainer it is “about of narrative coherence, numerous visual and tex- the damning effects of carnal urges.”12 This clus- tual internal references—linking some characters ter of readings is often accompanied by claims to other characters, and some scenes to others that this is an optimistic movie, if moderately so. scenes—and, in general, a number of overarching Jonathan Rosenbaum sees it as having “a sun- visual themes leave no doubt that whatever it is nier view of human possibility than any other that we are witnessing, it is not reality.6 Kubrick film, in spite of all its dark moments.”13 The viewer’s puzzlement, then, could be ex- And Judy Pocock, by reference to Alice’s invita- plained as following from the oneiric nature of tion that, as soon as possible, she and her husband most of the film’s events (whether they are catego- “fuck” (famously the last word of this movie), rized as dream in the world of the fiction or rather says: “Kubrick here seems to be asserting that presented in ways that make their reality status it is in the act of sexual union that the world of uncertain), enhanced, of course, by the film’s con- dreams and the world of day [that is, the world struction as a thriller.7 After all, the film is an adap- “of marriage and family”] with all their irrecon- tation of a “dream story” strongly influenced by cilable differences, can come together, however psychoanalysis.8 Indeed, the only coherent expla- fleetingly.”14 nation of the events following the exposure of Bill Of course, these interpretations could be sup- as an intruder at the orgy—Victor Ziegler’s (Syd- plemented by others, and enriched and nuanced ney Pollack) claim that nothing harmful happened in a number of ways. They combine well, for in- and it was all a “charade” conjured up to scare stance, to a reading of the film as being about Bill into silence—is as unsatisfactory as a Freudian issues of identity and one’s roles in society—call it analysis that has been prematurely “terminated.”9 the personatic interpretation, in honor of the Latin On the other hand, if what confuses us about Eyes word for mask, persona. Throughout the movie, Wide Shut is just the blurring, in the fictional world Bill reminds others and is reminded by others of of the film, between reality and dream or halluci- his identity as a doctor (which he often uses to nation and its related open-ended mystery story, obtain what he needs). Yet his certainty regarding then there is not much of an enigma after all, or who he is—“Once a doctor, always a doctor,” he certainly not one deserving further investigation. says in one of the early scenes—is shaken by the The film rather overtly confuses levels of real- events he undergoes, real or imaginary as those ity, to then suggest through the protagonists’ final may be. Indeed, his night of wandering around dialogue that the distinction between actual and New York—from his dead patient’s house, to the imagined events is unimportant if either can have apartment of the prostitute Domino, to the Sonata powerful effects on a person’s life. The represen- Cafe,´ to Milich’s costume shop, and finally to the tation of a puzzling series of events seems to serve Somerton estate where the orgy occurs—can be the purpose of conveying some message about the seen as a sort of descent into hell, perhaps the human psyche: delving into one’s psychological re- hell of one’s psyche, from which it might be hoped ality may bring to the surface some rather surpris- that Bill emerges—if not stronger—at least more ing and unpalatable truths about oneself—about self-aware.15 The journey also exposes Bill’s sex- one’s insecurities, desires, and emotions. Such a ual insecurities: the youngsters who assault him psychological interpretation combines well with call him a “faggot”; and, throughout the film, all looking at this movie for its most apparent focus of his extramarital sexual adventures are aborted; of interest: love, erotic desire, and spousal rela- indeed, Bill relates to sex rather passively: he tionships—call this the erotic interpretation. After has no requests for Domino and prefers to ask all, in an early scene, Kubrick shows us a statue of her, “What do you recommend?” eliciting her Cupid and Psyche.10 laughter. Giovannelli Cognitive Value and Imaginative Identification 357 The questions about Bill’s identity also sug- more specific links to Kubrick’s films. The social gest a socioeconomic interpretation. Bill, whose and identity themes, of course, remind us of Barry name coincides with what we put in wallets, is Lyndon (1975), which incidentally also includes shown dealing with his wallet and money numer- an orgy scene. And references to some of the pre- ous times. He, after all, works for New York’s vious works are rather explicit in some scenes. For richest people and seems to find security pre- instance, at Milich’s shop there are elements that cisely when he takes out money to pay some- are mindful of Lolita, Barry Lyndon, The Shin- one.16 Bill is placed on the socioeconomic ladder ing, and maybe 2001.
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