No.50
Jack and Wendy talk about what to do about Danny, the bruises on his neck, and what would happen to Jack if they left the hotel.
American History/Culture
Wendy is wearing a knitted sweater with ambiguous/Indigenous-esque patterning and Jack’s green plaid shirt from A3-A5.
Jack’s ego and desire for success is more important than his family’s safety. While this could also be considered ‘ domestic abuse’, it is part of American Culture as men have been expected to be ‘career focused’, while women have been cultivated to be ‘family focused’.
There is a pattern in American Culture where wealthy men sell out their children’s future for their own gain. Their own career and success becomes far more important than those generations coming after them in the name of greed and glory.
Jack bringing up teenage level jobs like working at a carwash and shoveling driveways denotes that Jack is not well-prepared to be an adult man.
Despite this, he will be told (and treated) as though he’s a very important part of the hotel.
Domestic Abuse
Wendy pacing foreshadows A54:i1155, as she talks out leaving Jack to take Danny to the Dr. Yet in this scene she welcomes Jack, but in No.54 she’s planning on leaving him.
The opening shot of window/long shot from hallway entrance reflects A72:i1625, i1647, i1657
Here, Wendy is looking forward to Jack coming- trusting him and his version of things. In A54, she is no longer counting on him, and in A72, she is actively hiding/running from him.
Jack’s ego and desire for success is more important than his family’s safety.
The Maze:
Kubrick as Unreliable Narrator:
“I didn't see one goddam thing.”
Viewers SAW Jack in Room 237, so it’s jarring to hear him tell Wendy he didn’t see anything- even if he did kiss the ghost, you’d want to tell your wife “Yes I saw a ghost there, she tried to attack me too”, but Jack doesn’t. He claims he didn’t see anything- that’s because what viewers witness in A48 is Danny telling Halloran what happened to DANNY after A44 ends and before Danny shows up in A45.
Wendy doesn’t inspect Room 237 herself, and trusts Jack’s account— a comment on both Kubrick’s unreliability and Jack’s.
Kubrick’s Aesthetic:
The opening shot of this scene utilizes the Golden Ratio. It shows the dwindling options for Wendy to escape and foresadhows No.72 where she can’t fit through the window.
Wendy’s need for Jack creates problems- she runs in front of the camera (visually blocking her exit).
Semiotic Splice
“Wendy, once you rule out his version of what happened, there is no other explanation - is there?
It wouldn't be that different from the episode that he had before we came up here, would it?”
This semiotic splice moment reflects two scenes: one with Danny talking to Tony in the bathroom and the necessity of the Social Worker / Doctor to begin with— and then the Social Worker / Doctor and Wendy’s conversation “Oh you should have seen him” / “I know kids can scare you to death, but these episodes..etc”
This all allows us to know about ‘The Incident’ which resulted in Danny’s dislocated shoulder, the onset of Tony, and Danny’s removal from school.
In both cases, Jack is involved and is directly related to Danny’s behavior and reactions. In A6/A7, Wendy is unaware that Danny’s episode is a result of talking to Tony about the family moving to the hotel. In The Incident, Danny is around Jack’s work and Jack acts aggressively.
So no, it wouldn’t be that different- especially noting that Jack’s role is diminished by both him AND Wendy at the detriment of Danny.
Color Palette reflection:
Pink and Yellow in The Living Quarters reflect the Pink + Gold within The Gold Room.
Ghost Story:
Jack’s anger and rage at Wendy’s suggestion to leaving is related to the hold the hotel/or ghosts have on him.
Cabin Fever:
The isolation Jack is enduring is making him weird and violent. However Wendy and Danny have been home since before they even moved to the hotel, and are exhibiting the same behavior.
This scene opens with the camera positioned in the back center, facing the bedroom. Wendy, pacing, runs foreground when she hears Jack blocking the camera (visually and metaphorically blocking her exit). The camera then acts like it did in No.13, with Wendy and Jack walking up stairs, Jack checking in on Danny (just like he inspects the room in No.13), and Jack leads Wendy into the bedroom.
The important thing within this scene is the intense mood shift. Jack is welcoming, calm, and maybe hedging into warm. As soon as the approach “doesn’t work”, he flips to anger and attacks Wendy storming out (sneering at Danny— and the camera).
The scene is shot in a parabola:
i994.1 and i1034
i997 and i1036
i1007 and i1034
The West Wing Hallway Living Quarters
Danny’s Bedroom
Wendy
Jack
Danny
There is no sound when the camera is on Jack and Wendy as the dialogue is meant to be the focal point. When the camera cuts to Danny in bed, Wendy can be overheard, but her voice is distorted. The addition of a heartbeat and ’sharp high pitched tones’ are collaged in as Danny sees the blood pouring from The Elevator. The atmospheric tones continue as the camera switches back and forth between Danny’s silent screaming and Jack actively yelling at Wendy.
High-pitched wailing is introduced, creating the sensation that Jack is being influenced.