Carnal Knowledge | | Cast : | Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen | | Director : | Mike Nichols | | Studio : | Mgm/Ua Studios | | Format : | Color, Widescreen | | Released Date : | January 01, 1971 | | DVD Released Date : | January 11, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 28, 2005 | | Summary | "Would You Rather Love A Woman Or Have A Woman Love You?" | Content
 | One of the most controversial movies ever made, this early 1970s' masterpiece cemented the reputations of Jack Nicholson and Mike Nichols, proved that Art Garfunkel can act, gave Candice Bergen her big break, and turned Ann-Margret into a serious actress. Initially, "Carnal Knowledge" was greeted with mixed reactions, but over time has been considered groundbreaking in its frank portrayal of sexual relationships between two womanizing friends over a nearly 30 year period.
The film starts off in college, where two friends name Jonathan (Nicholson) and Sandy (Garfunkel) are roommates who dote on sex and nothing else. When Sandy meets Susan (Bergen) at mixer, he is immediately smitten with her, as is Jonathan, who takes her under his own wing. A few years go by as we see Sandy become involved with Jennifer (Carol Kane). Finally, Jonathan falls in love with the beautiful, and, yes, busty Bobbie (Ann-Margret, who deservedly got an Oscar nomination for her role). Their relationship becomes rougher as years go by, culminating in one of Nicholson's greatest fits of rage ever, matched by Ann's emotional breakdown as she begs him to marry her. The film seems to be very crowded, but the plot unfolds so smoothly, you never get a sense of "gosh, I wanna shut this off because I don't understand it", since every storyline in it grabs you and never lets go.
The performances in this film are perfect. Nicholson gives one of his best performances ever as Jonathan, while Ann-Margret gives what may well be her single greatest performance of her career. It was great to see these two perform together, as Nicholson is my favorite actor and Ann my favorite actress. The two play off each other so well that they make the film watchable for their chemistry alone. Garfunkel was a perfect choice to play Sandy. Everyone may know him as one half of Simon & Garfunkel, but watching him play the part, he embodies it so well you can't imagine anyone playing the role. Though she leaves the movie pretty early, Candice Bergen did a superb portrayal of Susan, and Carol Kane was great as Jennifer. Rita Moreno does not appear until the last scene, but she really does the make the most of her screen time.
"Carnal Knowledge" is a cinematic masterpiece that belongs in any dvd collectio. Do not hesitate in purchasing this movie. It is a must have. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 15, 2005 | | Summary | A glorious cult movie! | Content
| This film seems as the good wine improving itself thorugh the times. Its whole context focusing around the depresive and provoking look through the sexual attitude of two male friends obssesed with this premise, constituted the American answer to this important genre that gathered some of the most remarkable pictures dealing with this theme: From Zabriskie Point,If,Going places,Woman in flames, Bad obsession,The Grande Bouffe,The Servant,The last Tango,Emanuelle and Wide eyes shut we can enlist this select group of hard to beat films that maintained originality and expressivenes; that is why thirty years after, the film has not aged just a bit.
Ann Margrett made the best achievement of her career with that role.
Go for this collector item!
|
| Rating | | | Date | June 10, 2005 | | Summary | So Unsentimental It's Scary | Content
| When this movie first came out, a contemporary labelled it a movie about two guys who confused liking women (...). That was true.
But oh, it's so much more. Nicholson delivers one of his best, if less well-recognized, angry outbursts. He's so good at rage-a-holism that you cannot help but admire him. More than that, though, he shows the terrible emptiness of a man who only knows relationships as transactions and who believes that to give of yourself risks not getting as much back - and that the only people who do that are chumps.
Art Garfunkel's character - and his performance - are way too easily eclipsed by Nicholson's. But it offers so much: he is a doctor who's self-absorption is so extreme that you wonder how he could manage the spiritual demands of medical practice. And he lusts for Candace Bergen, a woman portrayed as either frigid or just non-responsive because she's preoccupied by her feelings for Jack.
So, you have a pretty volatile mix: lust, sex, betrayal, high levels of emotions such as anger...
Told in a clinical cinematic style which is amazingly apt, given its sharp contrast. Much of the story is told via static, unmoving head shots. For most of the movie, even non-head shots are done with a mounted, fixed camera. People leave the frame, are away for a while, and then come back into frame.
The "boring" camera underscores how Mike Nichols wants us to see his characters: in a dispassionate way, as though we were observing an ant colony with detached irony. God, it's a good thing that these awful, bankrupt people are nothing like WE are...
Of course.
And then there's the last sequence. Rita Moreno demonstrates acting life after being Maria's best friend in West Side Story...playing a prostitute, she executes a script written by Jack Nicholson which Jack now requires, to the letter, in order for Jack to reach climax. "It's in the air," she says, with an indescribable facial expression of professional satisfaction and delight, as though the world can now go on because Jack, in a pre-Viagra day, can achieve an erection.
Thank God we're so much better now...we have Viagra.
Watch this movie. Learn something about yourself in the process. Beware of stepping on ants, too... |
| Rating | | | Date | June 07, 2005 | | Summary | wish I'd seen this movie about 20 years ago... | Content
| ...when, as a horny teenager this would've provided all kinds of wonderful insights into that wonderful wacky world of men and women and what transpires between them both in and out of the bedroom, which might've spared me a lot of trouble in the subsequent years. Or not...lol!
It's amazing to watch Jack Nicholson in his early 20s, but actually the real show-stealer here is Art Garfunkel...wow, never knew that he could act so well! Absolutely convincing as the boyish, naive, gullible beta-male being sexually mentored by the wannabe alpha-male played by Jack Nicholson who by movie's end has hardened into massive psychological and sexual dysfunction. Candice Bergen and Ann Margaret are both spectacular, the brief nude scenes with A.M. were quite refreshing in showing how yummy a pre-aerobics, pre-silicone female body can be and of course this woman just oozes animal sexuality.
One of the beauties of this movie is its journalistic (rather than MORALISTIC) approach...it shows things as they are, instead of shoving its own "spin" onto some potentially volatile subject matter.
The dialogue has a wonderfully precise, razor-sharp quality to it, almost like that of a play. Strong and original characters played by capable actors, an authentic and uncompromising storyline...Hollywood just doesn't make them like this anymore! (Nor does Mike Nichols, sadly enough.) |
| Rating | | | Date | April 22, 2005 | | Summary | Fine Study in Failed Personalities | Content
| This movie struck a chord with me, having dealt with some very similar people during my lifetime. Events depicted in the film aren't as relevant as the personalities behind the events. Nicholson's character is most certainly a sociopath--shallow, manipulative, vain, and unable express genuine emotions or empathize with the pain he inflicts upon others. He desires the 'perfect' woman, a (preferably) buxom woman who can give him great sex and then turn into a little china doll to be placed on a shelf until she's needed again. It's that simple. He eventually finds 'happiness' in the form of Rita Moreno--a woman who is willing to act out Nicholson's fantasies with him, right down to speaking a very precisely planned dialogue.
Ann-Margret's character is a tragic figure. Having been used all of her life as a sex toy, she "shacks up" with Nicholson in the hope of finding true love. But her personality isn't nearly strong enough to reform him. She fears being alone and unloved above all else and is willing to repeatedly swallow her pride while taking abuse in the hope that everything will somehow turn out all right. She is a classic example of a kept woman who ends up losing her soul. She is willing to share everything with men who will never share anything of themselves with her.
Candice Bergen, despite her second billing, has a relatively small role as an innocent woman (unlike Ann-Margret) who succumbs to Nicholson's charms despite being involved with his 'best friend.' She is an example of women who go for the bad guy, the rebel, the wolf, in their youth before settling down with a good guy as they mature.
Garfunkel's character is something of a paradox. He's a nice guy who envies Nicholson's bad boy ways and conquests. As a result, he, too, finds himself straying in an attempt to find his niche.
Rounding out the major players is Cynthia O'Neal, in the role of Garfunkel's one-time girfriend Cindy. She is as strong as Nicholson, something that intrigues and attracts him greatly. Still, in the end, he must know that it would be the equivalent of mixing fire and gasoline. But that doesn't stop him from trying to play with fire.
Overall, a very enlightening character study. |
|
Picture 01 (20)
