Director Mike Nichols's provocative film, based on a Jules Feiffer script about the changes in America's sexual mores over the course of the three decades, chronicles the bitter experiences of two middle-class American males. Jonathan (Jack Nicholson), a cruel but charismatic misogynist, and Sandy (Art Garfunkel), a bland .. Read more
| Starring | Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Ann-Margret |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Nichols |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Director Mike Nichols's provocative film, based on a Jules Feiffer script about the changes in America's sexual mores over the course of the three decades, chronicles the bitter experiences of two middle-class American males. Jonathan (Jack Nicholson), a cruel but charismatic misogynist, and Sandy (Art Garfunkel), a bland idealist, meet as roommates at a small New England college in the 1940s. As their friendship progresses through the following decades, their search for the ideal woman leads to failed marriages, bad relationships, and emotional emptiness.
Nichols is particularly adept at negotiating the kind of psychological minefield presented in CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. Nicholson is fascinating to watch, but the supporting women, including Candice Bergen and Ann-Margret, supply the soul. Nichols uses a shadowy film noir technique that underscores the movie's exploration of the uncertainty in relationships and also employs long close-ups that offer the characters no room to prevaricate in his bleak vision of men, women, and romance.
| Starring | Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Ann-Margret, Carol Kane, Rita Moreno, Cynthia O'Neal |
|---|---|
| Director | Mike Nichols |
| Studio | OPTIMUM |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 34 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | German, Italian, Spanish |
| Subtitles | Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 25 Mar 2002 Production year: 1971 |
| Format | DVD |
This early seventies drama featured one of the roles which brought Jack Nicholson to international attention and was a precursor to the emerging debate into the price the sexual revolution had on personal relationships. Mike (The Graduate) Nichols directs a tale of two old college chums traversing life with some incisive flair and Ann-Margret is especially fine as a vulnerable partner eager to salvage honesty from the emotional debris. If Nicholson is a touch too vulpine and slavering (at times he teeters on the edge of caricature), the film admirably retains its edge and pace.
Hampered by an unsuitable wide screen, this pretentious but fragmented comedy drama is embarrassingly conscious of its own daring in subject and language, and good performances are weighed down by an unsubtle script and tricksy direction.
What you had billed as commedy is in fact a realistic view of relationships where lust is the basis and not love. I saw the movie shortly after its original release in the 60's and have refreshed my original opinion of the movie. Lustful relationships are unfulfilling! Not worth bothering to see.
This was early Jack Nicholson and I don't think he was over the moon with the film, but I watched, despite the earlier comments and it was alright without being fantastic. Worth 3 stars
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