Review of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) by Stuart K — 01 Feb 2011
Written and directed by Paul Mazursky, best known for Harry and Tonto (1974), Moscow on the Hudson (1984) and Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) is this dark satire on social and marital life in late 1960's America.
It's humour comes out of the awkwardness of situations, but it's focus on the 4 main characters. The film begins with a weekend at a retreat center in the mountains of California, attending are Bob Sanders (Robert Culp) and his wife Carol (Natalie Wood) and their friends Ted Henderson (Elliott Gould) and his wife Alice (Dyan Cannon).
The weekend promotes free love and how to be open and honest in a relationship. As a result, Bob and Carol reveal the relationships and affairs they've had, much to the indifference of Ted and Alice, but it does reveal a side of curiousity inside Ted and Alice, who are alot more conservative in their lifestyle, and wouldn't dream of doing things like that.
But, it all leads to an awkward night in a Las Vegas suite, on suggestion of Bob and Carol. It was controversial for it's day, but not so cutting edge now. Out of the two couples, it's Gould and Cannon who come out best, bewildered by what's going on in their life.
It's very slight, but Mazursky has done better films.
This review of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) was written by Stuart K on 01 Feb 2011.
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice has generally received positive reviews.
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