MovieChat Forums > Carnal Knowledge (1971) Discussion > A question about the scene when Bobbie O...

A question about the scene when Bobbie ODs...

posted 14 years ago by jimbrown257
6 replies | jump to latest

In the scene when Johnathon and Sandy decide to swap chicks, Sandy goes into Bobbie's room and John tries unsuccessfully to bang Cindy.

After Cindy gets pissed and walks out, John goes to check on Sandy. When he walks in, he finds Sandy calling the hospital because Bobbie has OD'd and passed out.

Did Bobbie OD on downers on purpose or on accident or did John drug her or did Sandy just think John drugged her?

It seemed like John knew she was taking downers and would be passed out because he told Sandy if he was quiet she wouldn't even wake up. It also seemed like Sandy at least suspected John had drugged her because when he was on the phone he looked up and called John a bastard. Then it seemed like John thought he was going to get in trouble because he thought about running away. I couldn't tell what he yelled at the end of that scene.

So does anyone know what the situation was?

[–] artistathome 14 years ago

No one knows. It is obvious he doesn't want to get married so she ODs to guilt him into it or kill herself.

Typical. I don't even care, the movie was hokey pokey.

[–] Milkdoesabodygood 12 years ago

& then he runs after Cindy what was all that about.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Elynne 12 years ago

Here is my guess: throughout the entire argument, Bobbie was drinking and taking pills while she was drinking. Whether she was doing it on purpose or was just getting drunk and not paying attention to what she was taking, the pill bottle was probably right there next to the bed.

And Sandy's character is a doctor, so if she seemed to be passed out, his immediate response would be to look for pill bottles and booze, and to suspect that it was an over-dose. He knew already from things that Jonathon had said that they had been having an argument before Sandy and Cindy showed up, so that might have been why he called Jonathon a bastard.

[–] ohmemercylard 12 years ago

Bobbie was popping pills & boozing because she was depressed. John and Sandy called each other bastard several times during the film. I didn't detect any blame from Sandy our any implication John had drugged her. He said she'd be passed out and wouldn't notice sex because he'd seen her boozing/pill popping as they argued. He ran out because he always ran from everything that got tough or complicated. It was a fight or flight

[–] ohmemercylard 12 years ago

...response. I tend to read Sandy's calling him a bastard, which I didn't hear him say, as more of a general criticism of the way John treated Bobbie (and women), letting it get this messed up. John appears to remain just as clueless in middle age as he was sharing his schoolboy confusions during the opening credits. Really a brilliant film.