Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Eyes Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic psychological mystery thriller film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic psychological mystery thriller directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as a married couple whose relationship is tested by a night of jealousy and secret encounters.

What it is

The film follows Dr. Bill Harford after his wife Alice confides a sexual fantasy that unsettles their marriage. Bill then embarks on a night-long journey through New York City, encountering temptation and eventually infiltrating a secretive masked society. It is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novella Dream Story, with the setting moved from Vienna to 1990s New York.

Key details

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman play Bill and Alice Harford. Sydney Pollack appears as Victor Ziegler, a wealthy figure linked to the events. The film’s most discussed scene is a masked ceremonial orgy at a country estate, depicting an unnamed elite secret society.

Reception and legacy

Eyes Wide Shut is known for its erotic content, dreamlike tone, and the masked orgy sequence. It is Stanley Kubrick’s final completed feature film, released shortly after his death in 1999 from a heart attack. The film remains a subject of analysis and debate.

In short

  • Married Manhattan doctor’s night of jealousy and secret encounters
  • Based on Arthur Schnitzler’s Dream Story (1926)
  • Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman lead the cast
  • Kubrick’s final film, released posthumously in 1999

Quick questions

What is Eyes Wide Shut about?
It is about a married Manhattan doctor whose relationship is shaken after his wife confesses a sexual fantasy, leading him into a night of jealousy, temptation, and a secretive masked society.
Who starred in Eyes Wide Shut?
The film stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as Dr. Bill Harford and Alice Harford.
Is Eyes Wide Shut based on a book?
Yes. It is based on Dream Story (Traumnovelle), a 1926 novella by Arthur Schnitzler.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyes_Wide_Shut
    Supports: Release year, director, cast, plot premise, source novella, and New York setting.
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/plotsummary/
    Supports: Plot details involving the secret society and orgy scene.
  3. Roger Ebert — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/eyes-wide-shut-1999
    Supports: Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman starring roles; description of the orgy sequence and Victor Ziegler.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/eyes_wide_shut
    Supports: Synopsis of the plot and underground sexual group.
  5. No Film School — https://nofilmschool.com/eyes-wide-shut-ending-explained
    Supports: Summary of the masked party, password, and secret society.