The film "Eyes Wide Shut" was perceived very ambiguously. At the same time, reviews ranged from sharply critical to enthusiastic. This picture was one of the last collaborative work of Tom Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman. In addition, the psychological drama "Eyes Wide Shut" was the last creation of the great director Stanley Kubrick, who gave the world many masterpieces. The man died of a heart attack a few months after finishing work on the picture.
Truly unique can be called the film "Eyes Wide Shut." The actors did an excellent job. Their lively play helped the film become a cult.
Great screen and couple
Who starred in Eyes Wide Shut? Actors who were entrusted with these roles at that time were a married couple. It was the popular and sought after Tom Cruise and the incomparable Nicole Kidman.
In 1999, young T. Cruz was already able to establish himself and show himself as a performer of diverse roles, who copes well with both dramatic characters (Jerry Maguire, 1996), and with action films and thrillers (Mission Impossible, 1996). Nevertheless, participation in the film by Kubrick became a useful experience for the young actor and a good opportunity to once again show that he did not get into the cinema for his pretty appearance.
Nicole Kidman, who at that time was the wife of Cruise, played the role of his wife on the screen. Between the actors there was the necessary chemistry and some uncertainty. In any case, we can say that the actress did a good job with the role that she was entrusted with. Nicole Kidman once again proved that she expertly knows her job, which was later confirmed by two Golden Globes and an Oscar.
Plot
The film wins in many respects thanks to the fine directorial work of Kubrick, who chose an interesting rhythm of the development of history. The story was based on the story of Arthur Schnitzler's Novel of Dreams. The writer finished this work in 1925 and spoke in it about the events of 1920 that took place in Vienna. Kubrick, on the other hand, allowed himself some liberty and transferred action today, to modern New York.
Spectators watch the difficult life of the Harford spouses, who have been married for a long time. Their relationship requires something new, they are tired of each other, although they do not want to admit it. And on Christmas Eve, Alice tells her husband that she has sexual fantasies, and she imagines herself with another man. For her husband it was a shock, he did not even know how to react to it. But this prompted him to think that diversifying his sex life would really be nice. And only he decided to do this, as various oddities began to occur in his life. For example, he gets to the carnival, where everyone is dressed in holiday costumes and speak an incomprehensible language. But what is it? Reality or fantasy? Appear or dream?
Stanley Kubrick does not answer these questions and invites viewers of this frank dramatic story to judge this on their own. This is the beauty of understatement: everyone draws a conclusion for himself and gets the urge to reflect on the film after watching.
Now, let’s once again turn to the cast of the picture, which helped to realize this exciting and stressful story on the screen. Who else starred in the movie "Eyes Wide Shut"? Actors, all without exception, were selected very well, and this played a role in the popularity of the film.
S. Pollack
S. Pollack was involved in the project at the last moment, since the actor, who played the role of Viktor Ziegler, left a few days before the filming began. His participation in this picture was a great success. By then, Sidney Pollack had a reputation as a great director and presented the world with several excellent paintings that became iconic. In particular, it was Pollack who directed the classic Tutsi comedy starring Dustin Hoffman . In addition, he is the director of the Oscar-winning film "From Africa."
In the picture of Kubrick, the man received one of the secondary roles and embodied the image of Victor Ziegler on the screen, as noted above. Critics spoke positively about the acting of the famous director, who coped with this role. Sidney Pollack was able to create an interesting image that fit perfectly into the general outline and organically looked against the backdrop of the heroes of Cruise and Kidman, who sorted out relations with each other.
L. Loe
For this little-known actress, work in the film Kubrick became the most significant in her career. Prior to this, the girl starred in only a few minor projects. The film of the great director and with such actors on the set could become for her a stepping stone to further growth, but for some reason did not. Since 1999, Leslie Loe has been involved in several more series. Most likely, the woman found herself in something else.
And yet her small role, Ilona Ziegler, became part of the cult film. This means that every time the audience revisits "Eyes Wide Shut," they, in addition to the familiar faces of Cruise or Kidman, will also see the face of the young and attractive, but little-known actress L. Loe.
M. Aeginton
Also took part in this film and the young actress Madison Aeginton, who played the role of the daughter of the main characters. Madison began her acting career early, at the age of 5 years. At the time of her participation in the film "With Eyes Wide Shut," she was 10.
Despite the fact that the screen actress the little actress received not so much, she became part of the story. It is not surprising that her character appeared in the frame only for a short time, since a completely different story unfolds on the screen in front of the audience, intimate and frank, and the little girl has no place here. After that, Madison continued to work in the acting field and since then has participated in several television projects, the best of which is "Everyone Hates Chris."
D. Davis
Another actress who was part of the cast engaged in the filming of Kubrick's painting is Julien Davis. She played a small and episodic role, but participation in this film is still the greatest achievement for a woman. For some reason, Julien is not actively filming, and in her filmography since 1999, only a few paintings were added.
T. Field
One of the secondary roles in the film was played by the actor and director Todd Field. In a tense story, he got the role of pianist Nick Nightingale. Critics noted the good game of the entire cast, which means that part of the praise also applied to Field’s efforts.
The man is best known to the audience for his participation in many television projects, as well as for his directorial work on the famous painting “In the Bedroom”. This last of his work received several nominations for the Oscar. In particular, Field was nominated for his directorial achievements.
Interesting facts about the film
The main performers signed “open contracts”, which meant their consent to act in film with the famous director as much as required. And shooting the picture, as well as editing and everything else lasted 400 days. Kubrick died a few days after the end of work.
It was necessary to cut or process those scenes that censorship did not allow, considering them too frank. However, what the editors did was ironically called "fig leafs of modernity."
Kubrick wrote before his death that he was opposed to having his latest creation duplicated and voiced in other languages. It is for this reason that "Eyes Wide Shut" was broadcast in Russia without translation. There were only subtitles.
If you have not watched the movie Eyes Wide Shut, be sure to do it. The director, who gave the world the iconic Shine, shot truly worthwhile things. The only thing you need to consider morality behind everything that happens and make a conclusion. One can only regret that a great man died so early and can no longer please connoisseurs of good cinema with something new.
The original plot of the film "Eyes Wide Shut", the actors who perfectly played their roles, all this did the trick, and we can enjoy a true cinema masterpiece. Happy viewing!