On C List of Movie Reviews
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Carnal Knowledge (1971)
Rate:
7
Viewed:
2/14, 3/23
2/14:
Mike Nichols directed Carnal Knowledge.
I've long considered him to be one of the best directors and liked his films because they're fresh that's filled with
witty dialogue, even after many years have passed. In short, his pictures stand the test of time.
Although I find the introduction funny, I've been disturbed in the long run by the increasingly objectionable content
when it comes to the reduction of women to nothing more than trophies via sex conquests. The moral is perfectly summarized
during the picture show when Jonathan, who's played wonderfully well by Jack Nicholson, gave his final review of each women
based on her sexual proficiency.
Basically, Carnal Knowledge is about the abyss of emptiness as the two men sink deeper in their destructive womanizing
ways. Hence, it's a daring, polemical picture that focuses on the objectification of women, wife swapping, brazen womanizing,
and colloquial myopic view of women. It reminds me of Alfie with Michael Caine. By the way, the answer to
the Seinfeld question in reference to Candice Bergen is: "No, she did not."
All in all, Carnal Knowledge is among Mike Nichols' best pictures.
3/23:
The quality is there in Carnal Knowledge, but the script makes no sense.
Mike Nichols was capable of getting best acting out of the cast for many films. Just think of
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,
Silkwood, Wolf, and
Primary Colors. Carnal Knowledge is no exception. Jack Nicholson is,
of course, the man, and he steals the show, no matter how distasteful the subject matter is.
However, the dialogue is poor. Yes, it sounds quality, but the words don't come together fluidly to describe what's going on.
Take Bobbie who's filling Jack Nicholson's character with angst. He's sick of her, but how exactly? Whenever he tries to explain, I
still don't get it. The situation was more clear in
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? despite everybody being drunk.
The other issue is that I can't help comparing Carnal Knowledge to
Alfie. Both are same type of films. Yet
Bill Naughton's writing was so brilliant that it literally made Michael Caine an international superstar. The point has been
made, and the topic isn't funny: the sexual degradation of females.
All in all, Carnal Knowledge's chief downfall is the weak screenplay.