Carnal Knowledge, written by Jules Feiffer and directed by Mike Nichols, 9 out of 10

Carnal Knowledge, written by Jules Feiffer and directed by Mike Nichols

9 out of 10

Notes and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

Carnal Knowledge is an exceptional film.

It is included on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:

-          http://www.listchallenges.com/new-york-times-best-1000-movies-ever-made/checklist/4

The director is the wonderful Mike Nichols, the genius who gave the audiences:

-          The Graduate, Charlie Wilson’s War, Closer and other great films

Jack Nicholson, one of the best actors ever, has the role of Jonathan, an interesting, excited, curious, not very loyal young man.

Art Garfunkel, better known for his musical career and his contribution to the soundtrack of The Graduate, plays Sandy.

Jonathan and Sandy talk about girls, their desires and preferences, if they would rather love than be loved…

Jonathan appears the earthier, experienced, the winner type when compared with his more naïve companion.

The former is encouraging the latter to approach Susan, portrayed by the resplendent Candice Bergen.

When Sandy does not get anywhere, Jonathan wants to try his luck, but Sandy persists and gets close to Susan.

Only later on, Jonathan makes a comeback, calls the girl and says that he is the friend of her boyfriend…

They get together and a sort of a ménage a trois follows, with innocent Sandy unaware of being betrayed.

In fact, the pushy, more assertive Jonathan advances much more quickly and becomes intimate with the woman.

Feeling compassion, perhaps pity for Sandy, who admits that it is the first time he kissed or did anything with the girl, she encourages him…

So much so that Jonathan is jealous and even goes as far as to say to the girl who is caught between that:

-          Why can’t you be like with Sandy when you are with me?

This was the first period in the lives of the two friends, a stage in which they did not know much about a relationship with a woman.

From this “Age of Innocence” we move to a later time, when Jonathan is more like a Don Juan, a womanizer and a hedonistic type.

He meets Bobbie, portrayed by Ann-Margret- winner of the Golden globe for this performance and nominated for an Oscar.

Their relationship is developing well, albeit based more on Carnal Knowledge rather than on a deeper understanding.

It may be that Jonathan, more interested in sex and maintaining independence at the same time is too shallow to commit to a long term bond.

When Bobbie keeps bringing up her need for stability and a solid association, Jonathan is showing anger and anxiety.

The tension is increasing and there is aggression and violence, more verbal than physical, but the trend is destructive.

The fact that Bobbie quits her job does not help, even if she is bored with it, staying all day at home, mostly in bed is a recipe for disaster.

Psychology research has showed that almost all couples experience a “Honeymoon Effect” and after about two years, creativity is needed so that someone new does not benefit from novelty and need for variety to break the couple.

Jonathan appears to be bored, looking for variety- which is indeed a necessary ingredient for happiness, but can be introduced through other means- and is ever more demanding of Bobbie, who wants to get married.

Sandy’s partner attracts the attention of Jonathan and they are both more interested in someone new, rather than their girlfriends…

And an interesting aspect of the filming, the accomplished way in which Jack Nicholson could act at his best:

“Screenwriter Jules Feiffer said he had no idea how Nicholson would tackle the multiple levels of the Jonathan/Bobbie fight, in which the character is "defensive, enraged, contemptuous, and bullying." If the actor got half of everything Feiffer had put into the scene on paper, the writer said he would be more than satisfied. Nicholson got everything, and on the first take, according to Feiffer. Astonished, the writer asked director Mike Nichols what he had told the actor. "Nothing," Feiffer reports Nichols replying with a grin. "I told him absolutely nothing. He came up with it all himself.”