Carnal Knowledge (1971)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writer:

Jules Feiffer (written by)

Release Date:

5 November 1971 (Sweden)

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 | Sex | College | Friend | Reference To Lassie

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Köttets lust (Finland: Swedish title) (TV title) (Sweden) [sv]
Ânsia de Amar (Brazil) [pt]
Ce plaisir qu'on dit charnel (France) [fr]
Coneixement carnal (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Conocimiento carnal (Spain) [es]
Conoscenza carnale (Italy) [it]
Die Kunst zu lieben (West Germany) [de]
I gnorimia tis sarkas (Greece) [el]
Ilk defa (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Iniciação Carnal (Portugal) [pt]
Kødets lyst (Denmark) [da]
Mandomsåren (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Miehuusvuodet (Finland) [fi]
Porozmawiajmy o kobietach (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:X | Argentina:16 | Canada:18A (video rating) | 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:

When Jack Nicholson would get ready to play his nude scenes, he'd prepare everyone on set by warning, "Here comes Big Steve!"

Quotes:

Jonathan: At one time, it was great what we had... the kidding around. It can't have a natural time span. Affairs can't dissolve in a good way. There's always got to be poison. I don't see why, I really don't see why!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 (1999) (TV)

You hang on every word of this lively, honest script by cartoonist Jules Feiffer.

Its a wry, often funny, often sombre drama about the sex lives of two college roommates, Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel (who's actually fine in this - much better than in Catch-22) - at college, and in middle age.

There are really very few movies where the dialogue seems so true and searching, yet funny, that you hang on every word. I can only think of a few - and this is one of them.

It is episodic, and may be broken into two halves - intentionally, importantly. The heart of the story is in the comparison of the first half and the second: how the two men have or have not changed. If you consider this is the purpose of the film, the two halves are not perfect - but nevertheless a fascinating film.

Bitterness, nostalgia and melancholy run through this character comedy from the 70's. Its a frank, confronting (depending on the viewer) laying bare of sex. Though there is very little actual sex in the film, this one is definitely only for adults. A penetrating character study, and a richly worded film filled with wit, irony and character penetration by cartoonist Jules Feiffer.

9/10. Not perfect, but absolutely must-see.