WheneverIseeLaPauraIthinkofitasacompanionpiecetoEyesWideShut,ormaybeitistheotherwayaround.Adulterymakesbothfilmstickbutindifferentways.IthinkPhillipFrenchwasrightonthemoneywhenhepointedoutaWizardofOzthinginKubrick'slastwork.LikeDorothy,TomandNicolegothroughfantasiesandnightmaresandattheendDorothy'sreassuringchildishmottothere'snoplacelikehomeisironicallyupdatedtotheadultcircumstantialadagethere'snosexlikemaritalsex.Kubrick'stakeisintellectual,heneverleavestheworldofideastotouchtheground.Hetauntstheaudiencefirstwithaneroticmovieandthenwithathrillerandrefusestodelivereitherofthem.Hewasmarriedtohisthirdwifefor40years,untilhedied.RosselliniwasstillmarriedtoIngridBergmanwhenhedirectedLaPaura;theyhadbeenadulterousloversandtheirinfidelitywidelycriticizedLaPauraisatale,anoirishone.Thenoirintrigueissolvedandthetalehasahappyending.Thecityisnoir;thecountryistale,theterritorywherechildhoodispossible.Thetransitionisoperatedinthemostregularwaybycar,along-heldshottakenfromthefrontofthecarasitridesintotheroad,asifwewereenteringadifferentdimension.Irene(Bergman)startsthemoviewejustseeadarkcitylandscapebuthervoice-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'sthefairygodmotherwhospeaksthelastwordsinthemovie.
