Carnal Knowledge (1971)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writer:

Jules Feiffer (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 1971 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

The film traces the sexual and emotional confusion of two men from their Amherst College days in the fifties through the Kennedy sixties...

Plot Keywords:

Love | College | Sex | Misogynist | 1940s

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	Jonathan
Ann-Margret	...	Bobbie
Art Garfunkel	...	Sandy (as Arthur Garfunkel)
Candice Bergen	...	Susan
Rita Moreno	...	Louise
Cynthia O'Neal	...	Cindy
Carol Kane	...	Jennifer

Directed by
Mike Nichols

Writing credits
Jules Feiffer		(written by)

Produced by
Joseph E. Levine	....	executive producer
Mike Nichols	....	producer
Clive Reed	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Rotunno

Film Editing by
Sam O'Steen

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Robert Luthardt

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Anthea Sylbert

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair styles supervisor
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup supervisor (as Charles Schram)

Production Management
Joe L. Cramer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tim Zinnemann	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert Schultz	....	property master

Sound Department
Larry Jost	....	sound recordist (as Lawrence O. Jost)
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Mary Ellen Mark	....	still photographer
Giuseppe Maccari	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Piero Servo	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stu Linder	....	editorial assistant

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Joseph E. Levine	....	presenter
Meta Wilde	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• AVCO Embassy Pictures

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1971) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1988) (Finland) (TV) (2007) (TV1)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (197?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2008) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Globo Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:X | Argentina:18 | Canada:18A (video rating) | Singapore:M18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 (video rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Trivia:

Ellen Burstyn auditioned for the role of Bobbi. After seeing the finished film, however, Burstyn admitted she could not have played the role as well as Ann-Margret did.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jonathan:If you had a choice...
Sandy:Yeah?
Jonathan:Would you rather love a girl, or have her love you?
Sandy:I want it mutual.
Jonathan:I mean if you couldn't have it mutual.
Sandy:You mean would I rather be the one who loves, or is loved?
Jonathan:Yeah.
Sandy:It's not that easy a question. But, I think I'd rather be in love.
Jonathan:Me too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Charlie Rose: Quentin Tarantino" (1994)

"I wouldn't kick her out of bed"

Mike Nichols directed Jules Feiffer's script of two men in their times with the opposite sexes, beginning with college years, then years later when they have occupations, and settling on middle age. Jack Nicholson creates one of his more complex characters here, which like About Schmidt or The King of Marvin Gardens, doesn't end up the happiest guy in town. His Jonathan is lusting, condescending, scared (deep inside), angry, and intelligent all at once, though never knowing himself well enough to know the one he's getting his rocks off with. On the flip-side his best friend Sandy (Art Garfunkel) is sensitive, unsure, though without a feeling of overt confidence and control like Jonathan has, and that feeling of confidence over the other sex is what keeps them together in discussion, and serves as a tinge in their friendship in their older age.

In college, Sandy meets Susan (Candice Bergen), and is more of a friend at first, while Susan begins an affair she didn't intend on with Jonathan. This unfolds, and when they graduate and are out in the world Jonathan meets Bobbie (Ann Margaret) who is a pure vixen with, at the behest of Jonathan, is a louse and wanting a commitment Jonathan can't take. The last scene with Rita Moreno, and especially the last shot featuring an ice skater Jonathan saw once, say it all about his character- essentially, as it is with nearly all men, he wants what he can't have.

Many of the angles and many of the one shots of faces for long stretches, the camera compositions and time length, etc, reminded me of techniques that director Ingmar Bergman used in his movies that dealt with relationships, men with women, and how the desperation in their personalities either become their downfall, or a life lesson later on. In a sense, Carnal Knowledge is Nichols' throwback to Bergman as was Interiors for Woody Allen, though his dealt with the strife in a family and Nichols is a character study dealing in love and sex. Never-the-less, non-art film goers shouldn't be scared off by the notion that Carnal Knowledge is bleak or sterile. It may not be the most cheerful, or an entirely fair to both sexes, but it is important in that it views Jonathan, Sandy, Susan, and Bonnie, as people, and Nichols doesn't force the viewer to judge these people if they don't want to. For its time it was groundbreaking, and today it's almost mature compared to the barrage of "relationship" movies of late. And, if anything, it should have mass appeal to devourers of film acting. Grade: A