FIVE EASY PIECES film analysis | why Bobby ditched Rayette + Five things you may not know
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- FIVE EASY PIECES. In this film analysis, I'll explain why oil rig worker Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) decided to ditch his codependent girlfriend Rayette (Karen Black) at the end of the film. And I will also reveal a few surprising facts about actor Jack Nicholson and FIVE EASY PIECES that you may not know.
Director Bob Rafelson’s 1970 American drama FIVE EASY PIECES is written by Adrien Joyce, and based on the story by Rafelson and Joyce. FIVE EASY PIECES stars Jack Nicholson as Robert Eroica Dupea, or Bobby, Karen Black as Rayette Dipesto, Susan Anspach as Catherine Van Oost, Billy “Green” Bush as Elton, Ralph Waite as Carl, Sally Ann Struthers as Betty and Toni Basil as Terry.
Thanks for watching this film analysis of FIVE EASY PIECES and be sure to sign up as a patreon to get exclusive 1st looks at all of my upcoming videos before I upload them to UA-cam.
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Wow! You provided one of the best explanations for that film. Thanks!
Greatly appreciated 😊
Nice job, love the thought you put into this and your enthusiasm for film. This film really stuck with me even though I haven’t seen it in 20 years. Subscribed.
@@williamhooper1621 much appreciated!
this is what I consider Jack Nicholson's best performance
I would say you are right. This and Carnal knowledge.
Thing is, chopin wrote music in such a way, that playing it evokes feeling, regardless of whether the player feels anything...
great insight! thanks.
A very good analysis of this fine film. I agree with all your highlights. To me, this film embodies the emptiness and nihilism of the early 70's. I consider the whole film to be in the existential genre. It is about Bobby's search for real meaning in life. He never finds it - in the end, he just decides to just keep trying to look for it. This is the kind of serious art movie that is no longer made these days unfortunately. The acting by the entire cast in this movie was excellent. Every time I watch it - it moves me and makes me think. And that is exactly what art is supposed to do.
Thanks and I agree
This is one of my favorite movies. Great analysis by a very capable cinephile.
Right on, Francisco! I thought the ending was kind of cold but I still have this one up there with Carnal Knowledge as my favorite of Nicholson's films. Hope you had a great Sunday, my friend, and God bless!
a wholly unique take while hitting all the right spots. subscribed!
@@rudyciavarro thank you!
This has been one of my top favorite movies since I saw it in 1975 on television. in fact, it is one of my top five favorite movies from the 70s… My favorite decade for movies. This is the best analysis of this film I’ve ever heard and a breath of fresh air since no one seems to understand it that I know of. Before, I always looked at it as one of those “angry young man“ stories of that time.… when young people were breaking out of the restraints of established society and seeing most of it as fake… Kind of like how The Graduate has Benjamin seeing through all of the phoniness of his upper crust parents and friends. Fantastic job, I subscribed.
Thanks for the thumbs up, comment and subbing. Glad you liked my interpretation.
fantastic analysis, just watched this for the first time yesterday
glad you liked the movie and this analysis. thanks.
Very good. Great film, a very good analysis and I learned a few things I did not know before
Thank you for taking the time to watch the video and leaving this comment they are much appreciated
Really enjoyed your analysis. Thank you!!
@@jamesweber3136 Much appreciate it
I enjoyed the review and subscribed. How about reviewing Deliverance? It was one of my favorite assignments in Film Studies at University many years ago. I consider it an underrated masterpiece.
It's on the list, Joe, and thanks for subbing👍🏿
Great take on this complex character! This movie was one of the first Criterion Collection movies I had ever seen and I was excited as I hoped they were all this good, which was naive of me 😂. Your “did you know” part at the end was fast paced and interesting, much appreciated 👍!
Thanks for checking out my analysis, Adam. Very much appreciated.
Just a man going through his peter pan phases - an extended version.
Men understand why he had to leave...
Rayette will never understand and women everywhere will curse Bobby.
This is what makes this movie great.
It describes why men have to ramble and why women must be loved...
Try to find a copy of Jack Nicholson in Carnal Knowledge
My thoughts exactly
@@Larkinchance I have it, luckily. My 2nd best Nicholson film behind Five Easy Pieces. A masterpiece.
Finally getting round to checking this one out an amazing video Johnny
That’s terrific Terry let me know what you think and by the way I enjoyed your show last night when you have a great set up and those were some very good insights that I got from the movies you talked about especially once upon a Time in Hollywood which I love by the way
@@godfatherofcinema Yes I am like a runaway train sometimes I need to be more mindful of the chat but you still down for jamming on saturday?
@@terencemiguana Know what you mean, Terrence. When it's rolling it's hard to stop it. Think I misunderstood you and thought you said that your schedule was loaded. I'm going to see Hamilton Saturday afternoon but we can do something afterwards. If not, can we reschedule it? My bad.
@@godfatherofcinema Sure. Let me know a time that best suits you. I can have a late one. I did send an email. But if you need to rasincheck its supercool
@@godfatherofcinema Maybe the following Saturday or next tuesday night as i am off the next day.
Great analysis!
Right on, Turki. Appreciate you checking it out.
Incredible insight! Thanks so much, you've earned a subscriber.
Greatly appreciated, Alejandra!
Great video again. In time my friend and myself will be doing reviews. Continue to inspire, Brother.
Right on, myfonk! I highly encourage you to get it out of your system, my friend, and I wish you all the best and please let me know when you do. But just do it and get it out of your system. God Bless.
Excuse me sir, I may be a tad unwell, but I watched this movie, and there was 0 mention of anyone's mother, let alone a whole funeral. Care to elaborate where this knowledge comes from, my good man?
Sincerely,
The Samuel Paperman
Sure, sir. I believe that I pointed out the fact that I was drawing from the script as well as the film. Thanks for requesting clarification
@@godfatherofcinema Ah thank you kindly. Can you explain why it is called 5 easy pieces?
@@danielplotkin6883 Thank you sir. explaining the metaphor of five easy pieces was not the focus of this video so I didn’t really give it any thought however when I get the time between many projects that I am now focused on I will give that some thought as you know these type of films are open to many interpretations and in order to stay focused on a particular aspect of the film that is where my energies went thank you very much but please educate me what is the metaphor of five easy pieces since you seem to know save me the time of racking my brain on it thank you very much sir but I’ll take a wild guess before you do I believe that five easy pieces may refer to Mr. Dupea and his family who were all musicians
@@godfatherofcinema You are hard working man, sir, I wish you nothing but fortune in your projects. I do agree that this film is open to interpertation, and I will give you mine, but do be warned, it is based on only the film and not the screenplay, as I have not had the distinct pleasure of readin' in. I will lay out my postulations now.
While watching the film, I was under the impression that Bobby will fornicate with 5 women, and they will be his Easy Pieces, but the movie is far to clever for that.
If I had to wager a guess, the Five Easy Pieces may refer to a mixture of the women & the music he plays. He only courts women (besides Catherine) who are "Easy Pieces" just like how he chose to play a song he called an Easy Piece ( the Chopin piece). He runs away from all challenge in his life (being a musician, fathering a child, etc.) and sticks to only the Easy Pieces, because that is all he is worthy of doin'. The women in the movie account for three of the pieces, the Chopin piece is the fourth, and the fifth piece is either himself or his family.
I apolgize for rambling on. Your review and analysis was quite spectacular; have a great night sir.
@@danielplotkin6883 Wow, thanks for this perspective. Hadn't thought of this angle but it's plausible. That's the great thing about real art is that it's abstract enough to yield to those who appreciate it. Thanks for this (wish I'd thought of it) and GB.
I started this a few weeks back after you reccomended it but got interrupted, I need to revisit it from scratch. It's a really real kind of story. I like this type of film. As always thank you for the great vid.
Happy Sunday, Hep. Man, I am glad you checked this out. Outstanding flick. You need to check it out again, my friend.
@@godfatherofcinema just re-watched it, you weren't wrong, brilliant film. This is one of those that will definitely stay with me and be an important one for me. Thanks for putting me on to it man. Your channel is gold.
@@crypttorque681 Right on, Hep.glad you dug it! That ending was pretty Savage though wasn’t it?
@@godfatherofcinema poor Rayette. Eventually I guess he changed his name to Schmidt and got a mobile home.
@@crypttorque681 lol he probably did
Interesting choice of film... I saw it when I was so young that I didn't really understand it then, so very interesting to get your analysis!!
Happy Sunday, Bev! Good hearing from you. I think you should watch it again to see how you see it now as a more mature individual as opposed to how you saw it as a younger and less mature individual. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
when Five Easy pieces begins Jack Nicholson has a southern accent but when he gets home he doesn't have one. check it out 😎
I miss that thanks I will check it out
Excellent work, godfather
@@RoundtreeattheGrosvernor thannk you
more videos you might like: explaining Barry Lyndon ua-cam.com/video/7nzgxe1BSF4/v-deo.html explaining Chinatown: ua-cam.com/video/XQ3O5E_Q8pE/v-deo.html explaining Rocky: ua-cam.com/video/hKZQ9Biti-0/v-deo.html explaining The Godfather: ua-cam.com/video/A--uJCXK-wY/v-deo.html explaining A Clockwork Orange: ua-cam.com/video/TZz2BWsJeDs/v-deo.html explaining Klute: ua-cam.com/video/MnTPuzVWZV0/v-deo.html
I will always remember this film and the surprise ending when he left her at the gas station
@@patriciafootejohnson2817 I agree it was pretty devastating, but I understand his point
How did the “godfather” find the scene at Bobby’s mother’s funeral when he supposedly runs away from the coffin? Five Easy Pieces does not include such a scene. It could not be a deleted scene on the Blu-ray. In 1970, film of deleted scenes was thrown away.
Hi, Kathryn, and thanks for taking time out to watch this video! I AM the Godfather and this scene is in the script but not in the film; sorry for not clarifying that in this video. I read the script around 10 times in preparing this IN ADDITION to WATCHING the film and sometimes I take for granted that the 2 are not identical. But the scene was integral in helping me to understand Bobby more than the film did in his emotional nuances that affected the way he saw himself in relation to his art and relationships with people "underneath" his social class. Thanks again for watching the video and my apologies, Kathryn.
Damn i hadn’t heard about the movie, will have to check it out!
Pretty good flick, Eddy. You'll be glad you did.
What a brilliant analysis. One of my favorites films.
Thanks for watching the video much appreciated
The Godfather!
great movie amazing character was bobby
Thank for checking out the video, Cameron. I agree, Bobby was an amazing character.
your analysis spot on@@godfatherofcinema
He ain't complex. He's a conflicted rich kid.
Mothers funeral? Guess we watched different films.
I supplemented the film with the script so some of the facts that I used in this video came from the script as well thanks for watching
This Movie was boring as hell but I love Karen Black
Different strokes for different folks. I loved it. Thanks
My man, you have some really interesting commentary here. But I'd like to hear you talk for 10 seconds without seeing a clip! WAY too much editing of annoying clips into the video. Frankly, if you just sat there and made your points for the whole video (and good points, I think!), it would be SO, SO much better!
Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it. When I started, people complained about me being "a talking head" because I didn't have any clips in my videos. Thanks for appreciating this video on its merits sans the clips!
@@godfatherofcinema Yeah, I hear ya. Something to do with the YT audience. I see a lot of videos where clips are pushed to distract from the speaker's... well, limited value. haha. In your case, its the opposite! I'm not saying drop the clips, do whatever is best for your channel, of course. But "talking heads" can be interesting, too!
Great film, btw, probably my favorite. People always refer to the diner scene as a classic macho reaction in response to authority, but for me, the key was that he gives the waitress a logical, rule-following solution to the issue. It isn't anti-authority at all, but creative negotiation with it. The swiping of the plates and chatter in the car afterward distracts from this, I think. Perhaps test audience reactions made them reframe the scene as Bobby's macho defiant moment.
Great vid and channel!
@@danieldevries2644 Thanks a million Dan. I agree with you on the diner scene. Rules overrule common sense in that scene. Nicholson is one of the most underrated actors. This film and Carnal Knowledge are my personal favorites. This YT audience is something else. What gets me are these “reaction” videos. They’ll watch some lazy UA-camr literally watch a movie for 2 hours but label me a talking head for taking the trouble to analyze a movie in 20 minutes. Go figure
It’s pronounced Bobby Dupwee
👍
Anything else?
Deep stuff.
Appreciated!