arford is a wealthy medical doctor, and his wife Alice is an art collector. They have one daughter, Helena. The normal routines of everyday life fill the hours and minutes of the
             Harfords' life together. They are happy and live the perfect life. Soon, this facade will break down, and truths and fantasies will be revealed that will devastate everything they know about each other and about themselves, only to lead them to a new, enlightened perspective on their relationship. Bill goes on a journey, much like the heroes referred to by Joseph Campbell, and follows the monomyth arc that is so inherent the lives of everyone. There is a starting point, the monotony of normal life, a call to adventure, encounters with various guides and characters who propel Bill on the way, the descent into the Underworld, the crossing of the threshold into the belly of the beast, the confrontation with the truths and demons that haunt him, the hero's potheosis, and his return to his normal life, where he looks out on his world from an enlightened view.
             The film opens with a night on the town with the Harfords, specifically a formal party hosted by one of Bill's patients. Kubrick shows us a couple that could be any family in America(Albeit they're rich as hell.), getting ready in the same bathroom, saying goodnight to the daughter and babysitter, dancing in each others' arms. It is a glimpse into the day-to-day lifestyle of the characters, but it is also an introduction to the main theme of the film: sexual fantasy in the face of commitment. At the party, Bill and Alice separate briefly, but each have their own miniature encounters. First, Bill sees an old friend from medical school, Nick Nightingale, playing piano with the jazz band. They exchange small talk, and Nick informs Bill of his weekly gig at the Sonata cafe, which will play an important role later in Bill's journey. In the first in a series on interruptions throughout the film, Nick is cal...