MovieChat Forums > Carnal Knowledge (1971) Discussion > Some questions about the movie.

Some questions about the movie.

posted 13 years ago by Stardollsonly
2 replies | jump to latest

1. how many years does this movie take place? what year does it start off and what year is it at the end?

2. how old are john and sandy at the beginning and end?

3. did susan lose her virginity to john or sandy?

4. where does it show that sandy got married with susan.. in the summary on here it said they got married and have children, but i didnt see any of that? and he was with another girl towards the end?

5. did bobbie die at the end? if so how? did she overdose?

6. during the ballbusters parade slide show, john said he got married with bobbie and he has a daughter? if bobbie did die, how did this happen?

7. i especially did not get this part, the very ending? whose that girl that john goes to and whats with all of that she was saying to him?

sorry i know this is a lot of questions but i just really dont get this movie very much.. thanks for whoever answers!

[–] gustergal19 13 years ago

1) I read it takes place from their college days in the 40's to middle-age in the 70's.
2) See above
3) John
4) They don't show it; Sandy says it. At the end he's not with Susan anymore. He's with Carol Kane's character, who's supposed to be 18.
5) She overdosed on pills (maybe mixing with alcohol too?)
6) She didn't die. :)
7) It's implied that she's a prostitute, trying to turn him on it seems (it appears he's got problems in that dept.)

Hope that helped! I just finished watching the movie for the first time, so it's fresh in my mind. :)

[–] hockeyhrs 9 years ago

1. The college years take place somewhere in the late 40's or very early 50's.

2. The normal 18-22 college age range (they're too immature to be WW2 vets going back on the GI bill). Of course it requires a huge suspension of disbelief to buy 33-y.o. Jack Nicholson & 29-y.o. Art Garfunkel as 18-22.

3. Jonathan.

4. About 39 minutes into the movie. The first time Sandy & Jonathan are watching the amply-endowed woman-in-white skate at Rockefeller Plaza.

5. No death. Bobbie recovers, marries Jonathan, has a kid with him, divorces him, then busts his balls with alimony.

6. See 5.

7. Remember, this movie takes place decades before Viagra. As a man ages, his state-of-mind is a very important variable in sexual performance. A woman saying or doing the wrong thing can set him back, erection-wise, and Rita Moreno's character was there to do all the right things verbally (as well as physically). Remember in 2014 when LA Clipper owner Donald Sterling asked his mistress to take down Instagram pictures of her with black people*? That was less about race and more about Sterling not wanting to be reminded that his mistress had been with younger, studlier men before their relationship, and will be with younger, studlier men again once their relationship comes to a close.

* He said "black people", but that really meant "black men", because that mistress was a "guy's girl" (she generally doesn't hang with other women, unless they're also trolling for NBA talent).