Review of Cockfighter (1974) by Eric B — 13 Sep 2011

I am torn with this film, while I applaud the character of Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) and the idea that Hellman was trying to portrait, I feel that by including actual cockfighting in this film derives the audiences attention away from the true theme of the story. But this is where I am most torn because I feel that the actual cockfights are a necessary element in this story. I watched this film with a film club in Berlin and when we discussed the film afterwards it seemed that everyone was concerned with the rights of the roosters in the film. Frank Mansfield knows cockfighting but does he know love? And an even more important question is - Where is his heart? in his chest? or in his cock?

I would argue that Frank's heart lies in his cock (both his rooster and in this penis). 1. Frank is a very physical man - this attribute is highlighted by the fact that he doesn't speak - so for his love interest Laurie Bird and for the audience Frank exist purely on an physical level (aside from some narration and a flashback) - but for Laurie he is purely physical. One could argue that love is more emotional than physical and that lust is more physical that emotional.

2. At the end of the film Laurie tells Frank that he is void of emotion and that his rooster has more heart than he does - heart is in his cock. As a response to this Frank rips the head off of his rooster and presents it to Laurie. Laurie accepts the roosters head then runs off to her car. Frank's manager Omar Baradinsky ask Frank about his lady troubles to which Frank (first time he has diagetically spoken) says "she loves me." Laurie accepting Frank's cock is overtly sexual - and to Frank this "sexual act" is love.

3. I would also argue that all voyeurism in this film lies within the cockfights - which is why I feel that is was essential for them to be real - thus making the act of watching these forbidden fights voyeuristic.