The password for entering the mansion party in the 1999 film "Eyes Wide Shut" is "Fidelio". It is best known as the title for the opera by Ludwig van Beethoven. This was his only opera. In the opera, a woman puts on a disguise in an attempt to free her imprisoned husband. So the disguise part is a pretty obvious link to the secret ball in "Eyes Wide Shut". But also, Nicole Kidman's character (Alice Harford) also tries to save her husband, Bill Harford, (Tom Cruise) by forgiving his nightly escapades.

"Eyes Wide Shut" is the last work of famed movie director Stanley Kubrick. Film aficionados like to note that many of his films contain layers of meaning not easily deciphered or understood. This applies to this film which got mixed responses.

In "Eyes Wide Shut", after Bill gets admitted to the suburban mansion where the party is being held, he thinks he is safely incognito. He is given a hooded black cloak and mask to wear. He sees what others are doing and this allows him to fantasize about his wife and a naval officer.

He will witness a weird ritual with chanting. A woman then tells him he is in danger. A man next leads Bill into the balconied ballroom. This is where the ritual occurred. A man in a red robe asks Bill to meet him in the center of a circle encased by a large audience. The man demands the password from Bill. He answers, "Fidelio"; but the man replies that he has given the password for admittance to Ziegler's party. Bill cannot provide the right answer.

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