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Bobby Was As Much of a Phony as the People He Despised

posted 4 years ago by spacecomedy (1955)
10 replies | jump to latest

The films of the 1970s had so many interesting character studies. They weren't always likable characters, mind you, but at least they were interesting.

At some point, Bobby decided to adopt the lifestyle of a common laborer even though he came from a wealthy family and was welcome to return to the family compound whenever he wanted. When he tells the group of intellectuals that they're "full of shit," I realized that he was, too. Maybe that's what made him so angry. They were pretending to wisdom and he was pretending to being a regular Joe even though he knows he isn't. He even tells Elton as much during their last fight when he says, "I'm sitting here listening to some cracker a****** lives in a trailer park compare his life to mine!"

The most honest characters were Rayette and Carl. They knew who they were and didn't pretend to be anything else.

Food in Films: The diner scene is a classic--even though no one eats a single bite.

[–] BourbonKing (5612) 4 years ago

That was my take away from my first viewing. There seems to be a growing argument between two camps that love and hate this movie based on idealized conclusions, but I think the director's goal was to show the tragedy of American idealism eating itself into oblivion.

[–] spacecomedy (1955) 4 years ago

Do you think Bobby's an idealist? To me, he seems much more like a cynic, though I'm not sure why since he has so many life options compared to most of the other characters. He chooses to moonlight as a common laborer, but he could've also chosen to be a professional pianist or simply a member of the idle rich. He has options whereas someone like Rayette doesn't.

[–] BourbonKing (5612) 4 years ago

IF you're trying to reason why Bobby is who he is then that's another discussion altogether. As I stated before, Bobby's constant directionless actions lead him to a path of oblivion and most likely physical and spiritual desolation. It may very well be that he's an untreated sufferer of Bipolarism for all we know. The movie isn't made to provide a basic Hollywood narrative about a hero who finds love, loses it, then claims it back again.

I liked this movie's visceral portrayal of regular people, including the elites not just the rednecks, as well as a lead character who we think is set to find his way but in the end he betrays our expectations. It leaves you wondering if he felt that he betrayed himself.

[–] spacecomedy (1955) 4 years ago

Interesting point. I'd never considered that Bobby might be suffering from mental issues. I always had the impression that he was simply bored with his original life, but if he was bipolar (or had a similar issue) that would explain a lot about his behavior.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

"At some point, Bobby decided to adopt the lifestyle of a common laborer even though he came from a wealthy family and was welcome to return to the family compound whenever he wanted."

That sort of thing was fashionable among the young, cool, and prosperous, the sort of people who'd write articles or make films about their adventures in Looking For America. They thought they were exploring the world and getting in touch with real life, and that they'd come back to their 10% or 1% bubble with infinitely more understanding of real people than their peers.

The actual working people who were being visited tended to be rather annoyed by such people, saw the rich adventurers as moochers or accused them of "slumming".

[–] spacecomedy (1955) 4 years ago

Yes, indeed. Reminds me of the lyrics to Pulp's "Common People."

[–] BourbonKing (5612) 4 years ago

A good movie that touches on this idea is Preston Sturgen's "Sullivan's Travels".

[–] spacecomedy (1955) 4 years ago

A classic! A more recent indie that explores this is "God's Pocket", one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's last films. Richard Jenkins plays a journalist who thinks he understands working class people...until they explain otherwise.

[–] KBiker (764) 3 years ago

When he goes off on the group of phony intellectuals, he's brooding over the love he wants but believes he's already lost from Catherine Van Oost, Carl's fiancé and student. Remember, just before he explodes at them, he hears that Catherine is engaged to Carl. This is a big surprise to him, and you can tell by his facial expression he's not happy hearing it. Then after his explosion, he goes searching for Catherine, who left the gathering, and winds up being throttled by Spicer, the beefy ex-sailor.

Besides that, they were "totally full of shit."

[–] spacecomedy (1955) 3 years ago

I agree that they were full of shit, but this scene made me realize he was, too. Bobby was pretending to be an ordinary joe, but he wasn't and never would be. He was a tourist in the world of working men and women.

Reminded me of the lyrics to Pulp's Common People...
You wanna live like common people
You wanna see whatever common people see
Wanna sleep with common people
You wanna sleep with common people
Like me