WheneverIseeLaPauraIthinkofitasacompanionpiecetoEyesWideShut,ormaybeitistheotherwayaround.Adulterymakesbothfilmstickbutindifferentways.IthinkPhillipFrenchwasrightonthemoneywhenhepointedoutaWizardofOzthinginKubrick'slastwork.LikeDorothy,TomandNicolegothroughfantasiesandnightmaresandattheendDorothy'sreassuringchildishmotto"there'snoplacelikehome"isironicallyupdatedtotheadultcircumstantialadage"there'snosexlikemaritalsex".Kubrick'stakeisintellectual,heneverleavestheworldofideastotouchtheground.Hetauntstheaudiencefirstwithaneroticmovieandthenwithathrillerandrefusestodelivereitherofthem.Hewasmarriedtohisthirdwifefor40years,untilhedied.RosselliniwasstillmarriedtoIngridBergmanwhenhedirectedLaPauratheyhadbeenadulterousloversandtheirinfidelitywidelycriticizedLaPauraisatale,anoirishone.Thenoirintrigueissolvedandthetalehasahappyending.Thecityisnoirthecountryistale,theterritorywherechildhoodispossible.Thetransitionisoperatedinthemostregularway:bycar,along-heldshottakenfromthefrontofthecarasitridesintotheroad,asifwewereenteringadifferentdimension.Irene(Bergman)startsthemovie:wejustseeadarkcitylandscapebuthervoice-overnarrationtellsusofherangstandinformsusthatthestoryisaflashback,hers.Bergman'sbeencheatingonherhusband.Atfirstguiltisjustpsychologicaltorturebutsoonexpandsintoeconomicblackmailandthengrowsintosomethingelse.FrombeginningtoendthemoviefocusesonwhatBergmanfeels,everyothercharacteristheretomakeherfeelsomething.OnlywhenthedirectorgivesawaytheplotbeforethemaincharactercanfindoutdoeshewantustofeelsomethingBergmanstillcan't.Whenshefindsout,wehavealreadyexperiencedthewarpedmechanicsofthesituationandwemayfocusonceagainontheemotionalimpactithasonBergman'sIrene.InLaPauratreasonsarenotimaginedbutreal,nightmaresaredeliberateandthecouple'svenomsuppuratesinbitterways.Needlesstosay,IngridhasanotherofherroughridesinthemoviesbutRossellinidoesn'tdareputherawayashedidinEuropa51,nordoesheabandonhertotheinscrutableimpassivityofnature(Stromboli).HisgiftislesstranscendentandfragilethantheconclusionofViaggioinItalia.Hejustgiveshiswifeasmuchofafairytaleendingasarealwomancanhave,ahumanlandscapewhereshecanfinallyfeelathome.Backtothecountry,ahalflitinteriorscenewhereshadowssuggestthecomfortofsleep.Afterall,it'sthe"fairygodmother"whospeaksthelastwordsinthemovie.
