Overview
A candid exploration of love, friendship, and the complexities of desire unfolds in a vibrant city.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- caustic
- witty
- cold
- serious film discussion
- classic cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Mike Nichols's sharply observed, darkly funny study of male sexual hypocrisy, especially the performances and writing, while some found its emotional coldness and limited character development alienating.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jonathan and Sandy's romantic lives are followed from college through the early 1970s.
Jonathan's serial affairs and manipulative treatment of women are contrasted with the men's self-serving conversations about sex.
The film observes relationships with cold, comic detachment and little consolation.
The film centers on extended conversations and confrontations among Jonathan, Sandy, and their partners.
Films like Carnal Knowledge, and why
The Graduate
shared new hollywood frankness, sexual politics, and unsentimental relationship drama
The Last Detail
shared male friendship, romantic disillusionment, and psychologically incisive urban drama
Scenes from a Marriage
shared intimate examination of infidelity, emotional cruelty, and changing sexual mores
Movie Details
- Director
- Mike Nichols
- Release Date
- 1971-06-30
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (241)
Cast
- Jack Nicholson
- Candice Bergen
- Art Garfunkel
- Ann-Margret
- Rita Moreno
- Cynthia O'Neal
- Carol Kane
- Sheri Jackson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- BFI Player Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Carnal Knowledge about?
- Two college friends measure their adult lives through sex, rivalry, and increasingly corrosive ideas about intimacy.
- What is Carnal Knowledge like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Carnal Knowledge as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Carnal Knowledge violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Carnal Knowledge.
- What did critics think of Carnal Knowledge?
- Critics broadly praised Mike Nichols's sharply observed, darkly funny study of male sexual hypocrisy, especially the performances and writing, while some found its emotional coldness and limited character development alienating.
- Which films are like Carnal Knowledge?
- Films with a similar feel include The Graduate, The Last Detail, and Scenes from a Marriage.
- How long is Carnal Knowledge?
- Carnal Knowledge runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Carnal Knowledge?
- In United States, Carnal Knowledge streams on BFI Player Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
