MovieChat Forums > Drive, He Said (1971) Discussion > Where does the title come from?

Where does the title come from?

posted 10 years ago by jtdeclercq
5 replies | jump to latest

Seen this film in the seventies, but can hardly remember it. Probably wasn't that impressive. Or my memories start to fail me. Hope not, I'm only 65 years old.

Today I stumbled upon a wonderful poem by Robert Creeley, 'I Know a Man'. And in it, I found the sentence: drive, he said.

I wonder: did Jack Nicholson take it from this poem?

I Know a Man

As I sd to my
friend, because I am
always talking, -- John, I

sd, which was not his
name, the darkness sur-
rounds us, what

can we do against
it, or else, shall we &
why not, buy a goddamn big car,

drive, he sd, for
christ's sake, look
out where yr going.

Robert Creeley (1926 - 2005)

[–] chuko3 10 years ago

As applied to basketball tactics, it means to advance with speed down the lane or along the baseline towards the basket in order to, hopefully, put up a clear shot or dunk. It's something the coach would yell out to the player with the ball from the bench, for instance.

[–] jtdeclercq 10 years ago

Interesting. Is there any reference in the film which makes this plausible? Can't remember it, for the life of me. But you're probably right.

I thought I stumbled upon something intriguing, sort of giving it an intellectual arty twist, but guess I'm wrong.

The Creeley poem is nonetheless great, though.

[–] mk_82 10 years ago

I just watched this earlier. A character in the beginning of the film recites the same poem you posted.

[–] jtdeclercq 10 years ago

Now here's an answer. So my initial thought was justified. Thank you!

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

As chuko3 said above there are plenty of basketball references in the movie to players being asked by the coach to drive with the ball.🐭