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Year: 1970 - Columbia Pictures
Director: Bob Rafelson Screenplay: Adrien Joyce and Bob Rafelson Starring: Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Billy Green Bush, Sally Struthers, Fannie Flagg, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, Ralph Waite, Helena Kallianiotes, and William Challee Cinematography: László Kovács |
The first scenes of the film show Bobby as a typical oil field worker. He works hard all day for his money. For recreation he spends a lot of time playing cards, drinking beer, bowling, and watching television. His live-in girlfriend is a simple-minded, attractive waitress named Rayette Dipesto, played by Karen Black. At first, Bobby seems happy, but as the film progresses, it becomes evident that Bobby is dissatisfied with his life. Rayette annoys him because she is very clinging. He dislikes country music, and hates the way Rayette lives her life through Tammy Wynette songs. If Rayette is feeling in a good mood, she plays "Stand By Your Man". If Bobby has been staying out all night she plays "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" when he comes home. When he and Rayette go out bowling with their friends, Elton and Stoney, he cannot relax and enjoy the recreation of the game. He is very competitive and very angry at Rayette's lack of skill. He later cheats on Rayette with a equally simple-minded woman played by Sally Struthers.
In contrast to his co-worker and friend Elton, Bobby likes his job but finds the life that comes with it somewhat empty. Elton is perfectly happy with time at home with the wife and kids, watching television. He might run around at night with Bobby, but he values his family. Elton works at the oil field because he is unskilled and the job allows him to provide for his family. Like most of the working class he represents, Elton wants the material goods of the American Dream. Bobby is more interested in the raw experience of living. This contrast is illustrated in a great scene were Elton and Bobby are stuck in a freeway traffic jam after being sent home for drunkenness. Bored with just sitting in traffic, Bobby climbs aboard the back of a truck hauling household items, including a piano. He soon has the piano uncovered and is playing. As the truck takes off, Bobby is totally absorbed in his playing, oblivious to the fact that the truck is taking a wrong exit, taking him further and further from home. Elton is left bewildered, wondering what is wrong with his friend. Later, during a break at work, Elton extolls the joys of a family to Bobby and reveals that Rayette might be pregnant. Angered by the news and the prospect of being tied down, Bobby swears off his friendship with Elton and tells his boss he is quitting his job. Moments later, Bobby sees Elton confronted by two men who begin chasing Elton. Bobby comes to Elton's aid only to find that they are Federal Marshals there to arrest Elton for robbing a gas station a year ago. Bobby sees that the secret past can come back to haunt you.
The secret past is revealed to the audience when Bobby travels to Los
Angeles and visits his sister, Partita, who is a recording classical pianist.
Partita, played by Lois Smith, is overjoyed to see her brother. She informs
him that their father has suffered a couple of strokes and that Bobby should
come visit him at the family's home on "the island". The interplay between
Nicholson and Smith is great. They truly act like brother and sister while
on screen together. In the presence of his sister, Bobby converts his whole
demeanor, from that of a wild-natured blue-collar worker to a well mannered
leisure class son, as effortlessly as he changes from denim work shirt
to turtleneck and oxford sports jacket.
Bobby's past life sheds new light on his dissatisfaction with his working-class
lifestyle. As much as he has tried to immerse himself into this new life,
he cannot shake free from the snobbish prejudices he brings to it from
his upbringing. The is illustrated by his reluctance to bring Rayette along
on his trip to visit his family. He is clearly ashamed of her.
On their way up the California coast to visit Bobby's family, Bobby and Rayette give a ride to two women who have wrecked their car. The two are on their way to Alaska. One woman, Palm Apodaca, played by Helena Kallianiotes, wants to move to Alaska because it looked very clean from a picture she saw of it once. Palm goes on and on about how filthy everything and everybody is. She has a extremely negative view of life and wants to have nothing to do with American society. In some ways she represents the extreme cynicism of the counter-culture movement of the late 1960's. When the four travelers stop at a chain restaurant for lunch, the audience is treated to one of the most memorable scenes of the film. When Bobby tries to order toast, he is told by the waitress he can't have toast with his order because they don't allow substitutions. Bobby tries to show the waitress how to give him his toast and not break any rules by ordering a chicken salad sandwich and holding everything but the toast. When he still cannot get his toast, he violently clears the table in frustration. Bobby expressed the frustration that many Americans felt trying to deal with an impersonal and uncaring system that seemed to be emerging everywhere in America. Ill-tempered after the restaurant incident, Bobby finally kicks the obsessively complaining Palm and her companion out of the car.
When Bobby and Rayette reach the town near the ferry to the island, he checks Rayette into a motel, too ashamed to bring her along. Bobby crosses the water to the island, which in a symbolic sense, emphasizes how isolated his family is from mainstream society. When Bobby arrives he finds that his sister and one of his brothers are staying at the house with his father. Ralph Waite plays his brother, Carl, who has had taken a young divorced woman, Catherine, as a student. Bobby's family are all prominent classical musicians. Bobby finds that his father is in much worse condition than he thought. His father stares blankly ahead, a catatonic vegetable, unable to acknowledge anyone or anything. In the presence of his family, Bobby reverts back to the role of the prodigal son. His brother obliges by treating Bobby like an unruly youngster who should be ignored. One suspects that Carl may enjoy having his brother around, but he is too inflexible in his emotions to show it. Director Bob Rafelson has even seen fit to put Carl in a neck brace to emphasis his inflexibility. Bobby repays his brother by seducing his student, Catherine, who Carl is somewhat enamored with. Bobby is truly attracted to her on an emotional as well as physical level. Unfortunately, while Catherine, played by Susan Anspach, finds Bobby physically attractive, she perceives him as something of a failure for forsaking his life as a pianist.
Rayette finally shows up at the island estate, which puts a bind on Bobby's romance with Catherine. Rather than looking down upon Rayette, Bobby's two siblings are nothing but gracious to her. However, Bobby explodes at a party guest one evening for her pompous attitude toward Rayette. In the exchange between the guest and Rayette, both are absolutely clueless to understanding what the other is talking about. Besides defending Rayette, Bobby is also defending himself and the choices he has made. Bobby may also be experiencing some of his own inner conflicts for his inability to bridge the two different worlds he lives in. Surprisingly, Bobby's sister, Partita, has bridged that gap by starting a romantic relationship with her father's male care-giver.
Bobby finally has a meeting alone with his father. In his monologue, Bobby apologizes to his father for anything he may have done in his life to cause his father pain. He also makes a feeble attempt to explain what his wanderings mean. His father cannot give any reaction to Bobby. Ironically, this may be the best type of meeting for Bobby. He is allowed to make amends with his father, without admonishment, just like the biblical prodigal son.
After making peace in his mind with father, Bobby and Rayette head for home. Although Bobby has set his past in order, he is still troubled by the future. He does not want to go back to his life with Rayette. At a truck stop he slips away from Rayette and hitches a ride with a truck headed for Alaska. He leaves behind Rayette, his car, his coat, and his wallet with all of his money and identification. Bobby is heading off on another adventure to try and establish his identity and life anew.
While this total lack of responsibility seems shockingly selfish. At
a time in America when many people were feeling trapped by their responsibilities,
Bobby's action was a great catharsis. Many films of the Seventies ended
with similar acts against the status quo of society. Sadly, what started
out as reaction against the expectations of modern society, has created
a generation of individuals who, like Bobby, cannot or refuse to cope modern
society. This culminated with the self-centered America of the Reagan Era.
Films are a reflection of the prevailing attitudes of the society that
makes them. Any student of post-Sixties era in America would do well to
study this film.
The Internet Movie Database: 
* women - One of the two women is played by Toni Basil of the 80's hit "Mickey" fame. back