Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 drama directed by Mike Nichols, written by Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Jules Feiffer and stars Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Rita Moreno, Carol Kane, and Ann-Margret.
Carnal Knowledge follows 2 friends from college to their middle age years and their different philosophies on women and relationships. Jonathan (Jack Nicholson) devotes his life to superficial encounters based on sex; by contrast, his friend Sandy (Art Garfunkel) devotes his life to mentally stimulating but physically unsatisfying relationships, mainly marriages. Sandy is the type of man women say they want; Jonathan is the type of man women really want. Sandy is a gentleman; Jonathan, a bad boy. Sandy listens to what women say but Jonathan knows what they really mean. Sandy has book knowledge but Jonathan knows the flesh.
Among Carnal Knowledge’s themes are sex addiction, male impotence, infidelity, and dissociative behaviors. For example, when Sandy asks Susan for a kiss, she politely refuses and insults him in a nice way: “You’re the only boy I know that I can talk to.” But when Jonathan takes her out, he doesn’t ask her anything and they have sex on the 1st date! Susan gives her mind to Sandy but her body belongs to Jonathan. This moral conflict comes to a head when Jonathan gives her an ultimatum to make a decision between himself or Sandy.
Ann-Margret--who received an Academy Award nomination for supporting actress-- plays Bobby, the large busted sexpot who becomes Jonathan’s dream come true and worst nightmare.
Carnal Knowledge is not for everyone. Don’t get me wrong, it is good--damn good--but it pulls no punches. When I say that it pulls no punches, I’m not talking about sex or language. Except for a few profile shots, some leg, an ass cheek, a breast here and there, there is nothing in this film that any kid with an X-Box or Playstation 2 hasn’t seen (and believe me, if you’ve bought any video game in the past 10 years for your teenager or 12 year old, you’ve exposed them to a hell of a lot worse). What’s difficult about Carnal Knowledge is its "naked" honesty about the paradox of human nature. There are things that we say and then there are things that we do! Do women prefer Intelligence or size? Depends on the bank account. Do women like sensitive men? Depends on whether you’re talking about Pierre at the hair salon or Bob at the car repair. Do women prefer gentlemen or bad boys? Lol! Really? I guess to take a proverb from the Good Book: “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!” Generally, we say what we want, but we do what we are! No actor but Jack Nicholson could have played Jonathan Fuerst!
Anyway, Carnal Knowledge is funny, a head-trip, and a lean, mean 97 minutes, every last one of those minutes ferociously entertaining. I am not a Mike Nichols groupie (RIP) but this film is in my top 10. I have it on DVD and the picture is great. One of the great films of my favorite decade and a film that every Jack Nicholson fan should own. In my opinion, his best film.
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