Carnal Knowledge (1971)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Pierluigi P

  
  Incredibly and despicably cynic, and also quite true, because that's exactly how we talk about the opposite sex, one of us is either Nicholson or Garfunkel, but by the end both are two sides of the same coin in an aimless search for settling down with a saint in society/whore in… More
  Incredibly and despicably cynic, and also quite true, because that's exactly how we talk about the opposite sex, one of us is either Nicholson or Garfunkel, but by the end both are two sides of the same coin in an aimless search for settling down with a saint in society/whore in bed type of so called "perfect" female companion, The tone is fascinating, directing and acting-wise, Nichols' mise en scene borrows heavily from Italian psychosexual dramas and french nouvelle vague. A great approach, attack, pulverization and then rebuilding of a man's ego.

• Jim H

  
  Both sexually exploitative and immature in their own ways, two men navigate changing sexual mores during the sexual revolution. I always thought that <i>Closer</i> was the meanest film ever made, certainly the meanest in Mike Nichols's canon. Now that I've seen… More
  Both sexually exploitative and immature in their own ways, two men navigate changing sexual mores during the sexual revolution. I always thought that <i>Closer</i> was the meanest film ever made, certainly the meanest in Mike Nichols's canon. Now that I've seen <i>Carnal Knowledge</i>, I think <i>Closer</i> might have found its match but not its better. Exploring themes of lust and betrayal, <i>Carnal Knowledge</i> centers on the lives of two men, played by Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel, who resort to sex and sexual relationships to determine their self-worth. They wonder if the relationships they've had precluded them from other experiences, and what the film amounts to is a perception that no matter what path we choose, we're doomed to regret and a paralyzing lack of fulfillment. Nicholson's performance is one of the best of his career; the argument between his character and Bobbie is up there with the best moments he's ever put on film. Ann-Margaret is also incredible, and Garfunkel surprised me with his lonely, awkward naivete. The script is also superb with such great lines as Sandy claiming that a woman is doing him a favor is she sleeps with him and of course, "I'd almost marry you if you leave me." Overall, like <i>Closer</i>, this is a love story for adults -- cynical adults who know that the rules of engagement are always changing and often aggressive.

• Graham J

  
  Nicholsan's portrayal of a bastard is spot on.

• Conner R

  
  This is everything Mike Nichols was trying to say with his adaptation of The Graduate, but couldnâ(TM)t. This takes the idea of love, relationships and friendship and tears it apart. Jack Nicholsonâ(TM)s performance is so powerful that the rest of the movie could have been terrible… More
  This is everything Mike Nichols was trying to say with his adaptation of The Graduate, but couldnâ(TM)t. This takes the idea of love, relationships and friendship and tears it apart. Jack Nicholsonâ(TM)s performance is so powerful that the rest of the movie could have been terrible and it still wouldâ(TM)ve been worth seeing for him. Turns out, it happens to be an all around excellent movie. Garfunkel can actually act and both Ann Margret and Candice Bergen give extremely strong supporting performances. I like how this makes time shifts in order to show how much energy is put into affection and being happy with someone, even if itâ(TM)s just out of spite or curiosity.

• AJ V

  
  I understood what the story was trying to say in the end, but I wasn't sure it was worth watching the rest of the movie just to say that. This movie is slow and boring and depressing in the end, but it has a lot of good actors and it's very realistic.

• Elvira B

  
  Carnal Knowldege is a tragedy about two clueless, anxious men. It is one of them dialog-ridden films that don't struggle against their own self-awareness( <i>oh, let's try to outsmart the audience</i>... No). All in all, it is very direct concerning its outlook… More
  Carnal Knowldege is a tragedy about two clueless, anxious men. It is one of them dialog-ridden films that don't struggle against their own self-awareness( <i>oh, let's try to outsmart the audience</i>... No). All in all, it is very direct concerning its outlook on emotional relationships and convivence between men and women. Its thesis consists on the existence of a large 'void' between both sexes, a place where communication stops flowing, and where the concepts and mental schemes of each sex simply don't complement each other. Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel play fast-talking, fast-thinking, proactive and largely hedonistic young men, archtypes that apparently never go out of date. But not only that, they also take on the task of embodying the disintegration of their characters' self-respect, enthusiasm, and expectations as they grow older; more archtypes that, unfortunately, don't go out of date either. This film, in spite of a 40 year age difference, stays and will stay relevant today. It's impressive how many postures from the 1960s onwards can so resonate in the 2000s. These characters' frames of mind continue to exist, as do the issues they confront: Nicholson and Garfunkel's characters see women and sex as lifesavers or vehicles towards a better understanding of themselves and a better enjoyment of life, but they find it hard to come to terms with the part that involves encounter and com-passion. For this is perhaps the first time -that I can remember- a hedonistic, empty character is NOT redeemed by the woman of his dreams. These people are on their own, as is the development of their tragedy. Sex never goes out of date, but it can get boring when films approach it in an overly nonchalant, an overly sentimental, or an exploitative way. (One of the reasons I, unlike a good number of people, really enjoyed Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy, a movie intensely about sex but with virtually NO sex in it). Carnal Knowledge's perspective is on the darker side of the possible outlooks but still rational enough -hence, I suppose, the word Knowledge in the title, right?-in the way that social and sexual politics can <i>be</i> rational, in that it both fascinates and despairs at the dichotomy between sex and love, egotism and empathy. Knowledge also refers to the accumulation of experience, the collection, maybe, of disappointments and paradoxes that constitute these characters', and everybody's, universe. Too many films, I believe, attempt to cover this ground. What better time for success than the 1970s. I don't know if Carnal Knowledge is Mike Nichols' best film because I haven't seen all of his work, but I can say that he seems to be a masterful explorer of the dramatic -wait, tragic- possibilities of social life. How does redemption or "salvation" manifest itself in his films, if it does at all, would be a very interesting topic to research. The point is that Carnal Knowledge is honest and earnest and comfortable in the present it inhabits, and still easy to relate to in a diversity of circumstances.

• Tim S

  
  Really enjoyed this film. I am a big fan of Closer and am becoming an even bigger fan of Mike Nichols with every one of his gems that I am watching. As a director, he brilliantly works with actors and really knows how to bring the best out of them. Outside of Catch 22, I didn't… More
  Really enjoyed this film. I am a big fan of Closer and am becoming an even bigger fan of Mike Nichols with every one of his gems that I am watching. As a director, he brilliantly works with actors and really knows how to bring the best out of them. Outside of Catch 22, I didn't know what to think of Art Garfunkel as an actor (love him as Paul Simon's back up singer), but he surprised me and I loved his performance. Nicholson is Nicholson and proves why he is one of the best actors of all time. I loved the relationship between him and Ann Margaret. And that's another thing about Nichols is that he draws great performances out of actresses and actors that otherwise are considered just pretty faces (Julia Roberts is another example). I think the writing drew me into this film, but the camera work and performances put it over the top.

• Michael G

  
  A precursor to another cool Mike Nichols flick, Closer. Jack Nicholson is nothing short of amazing and Ann-Margaret was surprisingly great. The Ballbusters on Parade scene was great even if the final scene was a bit creepy. I loved the first act and the fact that there were shots… More
  A precursor to another cool Mike Nichols flick, Closer. Jack Nicholson is nothing short of amazing and Ann-Margaret was surprisingly great. The Ballbusters on Parade scene was great even if the final scene was a bit creepy. I loved the first act and the fact that there were shots longer than 5 seconds. All in all, Carnal Knowledge is essential Nicholson.

• Deb S

  
  "Would You Rather Love A Woman Or Have A Woman Love You?" Carnal Knowledge is a series of dialogues between two young college men, roommates and lifelong friends forever preoccupied with women and sex. Both are virgins when they first meet. The young cocky Jonathan (Jack… More
  "Would You Rather Love A Woman Or Have A Woman Love You?" Carnal Knowledge is a series of dialogues between two young college men, roommates and lifelong friends forever preoccupied with women and sex. Both are virgins when they first meet. The young cocky Jonathan (Jack Nicholson) is the more knowledgeable and attractive of the two; but quite the hedonistic bastard while the more sensitive Sandy (Art Garfunkel) is his friend, the nice guy who falls in love with a lovely coed Susan (Candice Bergen) and unknowingly shares her with his college buddy. As the "safer" one of the two, he is selected by Susan for marriage. Fast forward a few years and now both men are in their thirties, pursuing successful careers in New York. Jonathan has been running through an average of a dozen women a year but has never managed to meet the right one, the one with the full bosom, the good legs and the properly rounded bottom until at long last, he finds Bobby (Ann-Margret), an aging bachelor girl with striking cleavage and, quite obviously, something of a past in a bar. "Why don't we shack up?" she suggests. They do and a horrendous relationship ensues, complicated mainly by her obsessive desire to marry culminating in one of Jonathan's greatest fits of rage ever, matched by Bobby's emotional breakdown as she begs him to marry her. <a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2110a5j" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2110a5j.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Meanwhile, what has become of Sandy? He is a bored suburban husband, the sparks have gone out of his marriage, the sex has lost its flavor, and in order to spice up his life he hangs out with Cindy, (Cynthia O'Neal) a New York career woman who, according to Sandy, gives instructions in bed as if she were a drill sergeant. Also excellent in a smaller role is Rita Moreno, whose scene of servicing an unfeeling and impotent Jonathan, may be the harshest in the film in terms of critiquing male chauvinism. My thoughts: CK`s frankness in dealing with these young men's sexual psychology is quite daring for the 1970s. It's noteworthy that "Carnal Knowledge" was released just as the emerging feminist movement began to have some voice in real American life. The early scenes between Nicholson and Garfunkel were fresh and sincere and Nicholson as the male monster is excellent. Spanning some three decades of their friendship, we see how their attitudes towards sex, and women in general, shape their lives. Something seems to be missing that would would`ve made it a classic and I think this would have been helped with a better ending but hey that is just my opinion.

• Laura C

  
  A bleak look at love, to say the least. This film follows 2 male leads over 3 generations. The longtime friends meet as college roomates; one is a hopeful idealist (Garfunkle), the other a cocky bastard (Nicholson). Over time they both become cocky bastards. Needless to say this film… More
  A bleak look at love, to say the least. This film follows 2 male leads over 3 generations. The longtime friends meet as college roomates; one is a hopeful idealist (Garfunkle), the other a cocky bastard (Nicholson). Over time they both become cocky bastards. Needless to say this film pissed me off, more than any other film featuring womanizing jerks that I can think of off-hand. The women were wooden and blah, far from complex, which I think undermined the power of the film. In "Closer", a later Mike Nichols film the women are much more complex, not so much victims, as participants in their angst-filled relationships. I suppose one could argue they chose a particular type of woman, or rather any attractive woman who wouldn't challenge their own narrow, infantile view of the world where they are king. Where I thought this film did succeed was in the portrayal of a longstanding male friendship. I also think it did a reasonable job of transitioning the people and places through 30 years. Also, it held my attention and provoked quite a deeply felt emotional response, as negative as it was! I still consider myself a fan of Nichols and consider this film to be a interesting addition to his oeuvre.

• Mike T

  
  This movie is quite far ahead of its time in a lot of ways, so I find it difficult to compare it to the other works of its generation. Like Mike Nichols's The Graduate, this one is groundbreaking in terms of its sexual depictions. But in some ways it's even more powerful… More
  This movie is quite far ahead of its time in a lot of ways, so I find it difficult to compare it to the other works of its generation. Like Mike Nichols's The Graduate, this one is groundbreaking in terms of its sexual depictions. But in some ways it's even more powerful than The Graduate. It's laced with Oscar-worthy performances, directed with Nichols's trademark grace and style, and written like a Woody Allen film with grit. Feiffer's script is not overly focused on profound subtext or contemporary examination. Instead, he blatantly depicts two clueless, rather chauvinist men desperately attempting to engage in fulfilling relationships with women. An exciting and absorbing film experience.

• Sarah P

  
  It was an interesting film with a great performance (when is he not great?) by Jack Nicholson. However, it was a little too slow-moving and probably not something I would watch again.

• MJS M

  
  Finally got around to seeing this notorious Mike Nichols film about misogyny and sex from the fifties through the seventies (the present at the time). I thought Nicholson?s performance was fantastic, this might have been his career best, but I?ll have to think about that. The… More
  Finally got around to seeing this notorious Mike Nichols film about misogyny and sex from the fifties through the seventies (the present at the time). I thought Nicholson?s performance was fantastic, this might have been his career best, but I?ll have to think about that. The dialogue was also great and there was a lot to like about the story. That said, I thought the Nicholson character was a bit over the top, is anyone really this much of a blatant prick? Probably, but it still didn?t quite ring true, especially why his timid friend would put up with it for so long. Speaking of the timid friend, he?s also a weak link. It was a major mistake casting Art Garfunkel against Nicholson, he?s just not in the same league and his inability to stand up to Nicholson leaves the film a bit lopsided. That said, the pros here far outweigh the cons, this movie mostly lived up to the hype.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings