Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) is a man dislocated in society. Dissatisfied with his working-class life and girlfriend, unable to cope with his academic family, he flees through life in a constant state of unease. His dislocation is not due to a lack-of-charm; we see just how charming he can be in many scenes; rather, it is something deep within him that is the source of his discontent.
Had this film been made in today’s climate this inner problem would be considered a ‘flaw’; something to overcome by the film’s end to allow for the requisite happy ending. Not in the ’70′s though. Like much of the films I will examine in this series of posts, Five Easy Pieces does not offer simple solutions. It is a film about character, not trite resolutions for audiences to mainline.
In 1968 Jack Nicholson was a little-known actor/writer working for Roger Corman (who I will discuss in more detail in an upcoming post) whose latest project was writing and producing, along with Bob Rafelson, who also directed, a little film called Head. Some may of heard of the film as it was the film debut of a popular band/TV act called The Monkees. While it is an odd curiosity, the film was not successful. However, his career shot into the stratosphere when Dennis Hopper reluctantly cast him, at the last minute, in Easy Rider.
Easy Rider was a phenomenal success. Looking back on it now it is a horrendously-dated yet intriguing film. However, Nicholson’s performance is a firecracker; easily the highlight of the piece. It brought him to international prominence and the opportunity to further his acting career. Five Easy Pieces was his first chance since that breakthrough to prove that he had the acting chops to last. And prove it he did.
Unfortunately, the film falters when Nicholson is not the centre of attention. Thankfully he is the prime focus so this is rare but one sequence that comes to mind is near the middle of the film when Nicholson picks up two female hitchhikers. One hitchhiker is tormented by the filth of people and is moving to Alaska to escape it. It is an important point that informs Bobby’s later journey but it is dwelt upon to the point that it feels intrusive. The sequence culminates in a series of artificial cuts that intrude on the naturalistic aesthetic of the rest of the film; particularly if it is compared to the final shot of the film where the camera is static and just lets life move into, and out of, the frame. I would include the sequence here but for the fear it would dissuade people from watching the rest of the film.
And watch it you should. Despite any shortcomings in Rafelson’s direction, he has pulled together an exceptional film. It is a film that creeps up on you; the whole definitely more than the sum of its parts. The screenplay, co-written by Rafelson and Adrian Joyce, is intelligent and precise. Nicholson’s performance, along with the performances of those that interact with him, are nuanced and well-balanced, and, while some shot choices are a little haphazard, the cinematography by Lazlo Kovacs produces several evocative tapestries to elicit the internal drama.
While this film does not reach the heights of some that I will look at in the coming months, it is still essential viewing for fans of dramatic cinema or Nicholson.
