What’s so brilliant is that it uniquely understands the complexity of gay love. So often, it feels like gay romance when written by straight people, tries to put parameters of heterosexuality onto it. Questions like “does she feel the same?” become dangerous in a gay setting.
revisiting carol years later has made me appreciate it so much more - especially considering i watched it as a younger, questioning gay person and i am now fully aware of being a lesbian. i used this film as an outlet but now i see its entire artistry
Carol is such an important movie to me and so many others. I was asolutely obsessed about it for a period. I watched it, over and over and over... it's the first time I felt so many emotions watching a romance movie. As a queer person I never really understood these. Didn't cared. But now I do and for that I am so, so grateful. It changed my life. Literally. Tomorrow I leave my hometown, and I'm pretty sure I will take the dvd with me, even if my crazy obessive period has passed ahah Thank you for this beautiful video (honestly great translation of the atmosphere of the movie ahah! I cried by the end :') Thank you so much for your work!
I am currently in the throws of the obsessive period you spoke of. I watched it for the 1st time a week ago today, and I haven't stopped watching it since. I am so relieved that I am not the ONLY person. ❤
that is so funny, I am living the same thing. I thought there was something strange about my addiction to the film, I mean I watched it 7 times in a week haha ! @@1stLadyAjavon
@@buakawbanchamek6160 same for me, you can really see Therese's gaze changing, from "you hurt me" to "I love you" in like 3sec ! the whole movie is a masterpiece
I hadn't seen Carol before - and I sat down and watched the whole movie, just so that I could then watch and enjoy your video in full. I'm seconding what others have said, in that I really enjoy your videos and am loving your approach to these dives. Really stellar work. The level of thought + the attention to detail that you put into making these video essays has made an instant fan out of me.
One of the best descriptions of adaptations I’ve ever heard is the ability to capture the ‘spirit/soul’ of the source material. As long as that remains you can make whatever changes you need. That’s always stuck with me. Great essay. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed, it's the spirit of the thing that matters, but what that means exactly can be a hard thing to articulate. Which is why I think Carol is a great case study for learning about adaptation.
@@JamesWoodall yes, it did occur to me after I posted that it’s a bit of an abstract concept. Of course, if we had it all figured out, we wouldn’t still have arguments over what makes a good adaptation, haha.
(I'm sorry if it was mentioned i haven't seen a lot of ppl cover this topic)I wish you also highlighted the call and response of the music, it being the clarinet and piano and string instruments most likely during vivid and important scenes. Such as when she's on the train ride after going to Carol's house. Or the scene right after when Therese made it home The call and response is hinting at the two characters, one being Carol, which is the bigger more open sound, as you see she oftenly tries to get Therese to open up more and explain her feelings. While on the other hand, Therese voicing is the rather much softer response of the music. Regardless if the back and forth is clarinet to piano or Cello to piano. And when they both get louder it's basically like the aura around them changing and suddenly shifting I also wanted to add that due to this, the music will take big development changes when it comes to plot or when significant moments btw Carol and Therese happen. Majority of the big moments are during the beginning. The more softer and louder call and responses are in the middle. And these two themes both collide whenever Carol leaves at Waterloo. I myself am an actual musician and this is something that I've learned about over the years and I seen this movie multiple times to confirm that the music is a second voice for them. In a way words cannot describe music (especially in here) is derived to help develop the tone during each situation or a break in the scenes (panning around or scene changes)
I just rewatched this movie for like the fourth time (it became a christmas tradition) and I always noticed new little things that I didn't see before. This was so insightful though, because I don't know much about the original source material! It's so nice people are still making videos about this movie after 6 years of being out. :)
just watched it for the first time for like a week ago, and immediately fell in love with the cinematography and how it made me feel that it's more of a love story than as a lgbtq+ story movie, thankyou for making this vid~~ 👌✨ makes me love this film more
Yes, I also hate the idea that there is a need to label ANYTHING lgbtq+ . Like Cate has said - it's a love story. Love is the same for everyone - regardless of sexuality. As long as no one is getting hurt then who cares if it's "traditional love" or whatever they want to compare this story to, really?
@@mybiz2167 Society cares and that creates the central conflict. Who cares if Romeo and Juliet love each other? The audience doesn't care, but since their families will separate them, they have to go underground, with disastrous results.
@VixenValori It's not just a love story, it's a forbidden love story, and that's a big difference. "Carol" is most explicitly in the territory of "Anna Karenina," and it's in the tradition of "Romeo and Juliet," "Madam Bovary," etc., not "Pride and Prejdice." What's different is the reason for the scandal. In "Carol" it's a lesbian affair that causes the conflict rather than a heterosexual affair or a feud, so in that regard it's fundamentally an LGBTQ+ story.
I fell in love with the story of Carol and Therese so much, I wrote my Master Thesis (in English Literature) about the novel. Even though the novel was frist published 70 years ago, the plot still feels so real and intense and the emotions transported through the novel and film resonate with modern day queer women because of their authenticity. This video is a perfect summary of my thoughts and analyses and give a sense of why both, novel and film, are perfect works of art. After watching this video, I feel like I want to write another thesis to also acknowledge the movie and write a comparative analysis about this masterpiece of an adaptation :D
What I love about Carol is both women were feminine and didn't seem gay - I saw myself in them. I'm gay however I don't look gay, and I certainly don't act it. I'm feminine and prefer a feminine partner. I find most lgbt movies to be made with the same ingredients, they are all rather... obvious. For me, Carol was a breath of fresh air, it was another way of looking at a female couple. And the hopeful ending was a relief for once. My only two critiques of the movie are that the first love scene was a bit tame, I felt it needed more passion. And lastly, I didn't enjoy some of the angles or the constant reflections of windows, mirrors, etc. I know it's an artistic aesthetic but I REALLY like looking at the character's face, so having it distorted was a bit frustrating for me. Other than that, everything about this movie is excellent. Cate Blanchett looking like a total woman and Rooney Mara looking like Audrey Hepburn - it's just beautiful. It's one of my favorite lgbt movies.
I know what you mean about femme to femme. This was very challenging for me coming out in the late 70s when a lot of lesbians were rejecting "traditional" standards of beauty. And being femme was looked down upon, and/or meant you were supposed to be attracted to butch women, which I generally haven't been. It's much less restrictive now, thankfully. I wish that had been true when I was young and coming out, but better late than never ...
About the angles or the constant reflections of windows, mirrors ... , Todd Haynes draws his inspiration from street photographers Saul Leiter and Vivian Maier, and for the architecture, from Hopper's paintings. 🙂
I found carol truly moving.Maybe as a lesbian woman the subject matter made some difference,however I feel it was unrelated in this instance.The depth of emotion.The longing glances Just magical.x
The lawyer office scene seems even more true to Highsmith's character, for that. Carol's parting shot at Harge "... we're not ugly people, Harge" is her warning that she is braver than he is (and is sacrificing her daughter so she can live authentically, and because to sacrifice her authentic self will be short-changing her daughter). Carol knows that Harge is a coward, and would rather deny his daughter her mother than have his dirty laundry aired publicly. Also, Carol lived more in the short time on the road with Therese, living out of a suitcase in roadside motels, so far away from her "society life". Nagy's contrasting of her time with Therese against her "polite" life with Harge reinforces why Carol "surrenders" to Harge in the end. As for Carol leaving the gloves, ABSOLUTELY she meant to do that! She even looks back, and her eyes flick down to the counter - she knows they're there, she's leaving them for Therese. On re-watching that scene a couple of times, i was also focused on the only other woman in the room - the stenographer. The way she looks at Carol when she walks in is a fantastic combination of softness (pity) and hardness (contempt).
Who did the audio narration? It wasn't a mistake. Therese wanted to show that she had asserted her independence. God Bless Phyllis Nagy. Even after nearly Six Years, Carol is a Cult Classic. In Japan alot of women said they had a "Therese" in their lives too.
I just love everything about this video. The clarity of the words, the editing, the subtle analysis, the music. I've never seen this film but this video got me into it and now I feel like I know it. Thank you so much for this experience, keep it up 👏
I also felt that the character of Carol was much more sympathetic than in the book, Carol would actually get annoyed with Therese at times, which only happened in the movie during the scene when Harge interrupts them in the home.
I did not object to Carol criticizing Therese or getting annoyed at her in the book. Carol is blunt, maybe too a fault, but I saw that as part of her casting off convention and steeling herself against battles with Harge and society at large, not a character flaw. Carol's swearing (mild by today's standards) I put in the same category. And I believed the criticism of Therese's extravagant purse for a Christmas gift was perfectly valid.
An ABSOLUTELY STUNNING video essay 🤍 thank you so much for your INCREDIBLE WORK! Made me connect with the film on a deeper level. Your video is so film-like. Thank you 🤍😌
I love this movie so much... The last scene, the 2nd telephone scene and the "i love you" scenes are my absolute favorites!!! Thank you so much for your great analysis on this masterpiece!!
This video is trully amazing. I have loved Carol since the first time I watched it and now I'm trying to get the book (is not that easy in my country). I always thought that Carol has something unique compared to other LGBTQ+ media and it is the lonely and realistic queer experience. As a queer woman myself, this movie means a lot.
That is correct…But the even more amazing thing is, that it was made in the 1980s… and on general release too !!!!…. Quite something !!! the two leads were brilliant…as were the whole cast ( including the producer/director, Donna Dietch, in a brief appearance in a casino scene)…Similarly, there was predominantly an intention to see it as a ‘love story’ between two people…end of 👍…and it was just that….
Now, I liked this film before, but I never understood how well done and thought out it actually was. Thank you for your insight, finding the details and explaining it so wonderfully.
Cate’s performance is absolutely divine ! Even after seeing Carol again and again I feel the emotions as if it was the first time I watched this film. I would never understand why that year Cate did not receive the Best Actress Award at the Oscars and for the Cannes Film Festival even though I appreciate Rooney Mara, they should have received it together. I am sure we all agree with that 😊
Really interesting video. There's always new things to discover with this film, no matter how many times you see it. The custody hearing scene is one of my favourites - so beautifully written and acted. Thank you so much!
Brilliant piece! Thank you so much for this. I've never heard such poignant, detailed insights and perspectives about adapting a book to film. Spectacularly well done.
The analysis of cinematography is the best part. I can adapt what you said to every movie I'll see from now and ask some good questions about how movies are filmed and why in that way. Thank you!
I never comment on videos, but I have to. Please, keep going. Do what you’re doing. “Most Interesting Scene” is delightful. I’m so excited to find you at the beginning of this.
Excellent video! I’ve only discovered this movie yesterday & I love it!! I rented it & then I immediately watched it again & bought it. Not only the story but the film itself is quite beautiful. Oftentimes people say the book is better than the movie but after watching this..I think personally I would not enjoy the novel as much. I’m so glad for the changes made in adaptation. I can’t imagine having a narration or not seeing Carol’s life the way we did. It’s just a wonderful film. And thank God for a happy ending!🙌🏻
As the video said, the book is entirely from Therese's point of view. If you get into the book, you're caught up in Therese's intense feelings and the development of the relationship, and you really don't care about what other people are doing offstage. I happen to like the movie better, but it's not because Nagy changed the book. The people who made the movie are at the pinnacle of their professions, and everything came together in this production to make a masterpiece. As a novelist, I don't think Highsmith is in their league, but I think it's a very good novel, and if "Carol" was a run-of-the-mill movie, I would probably prefer the book.
Great movie, and great video. I agree this is a great scene and an interesting extension of the book, but I have major problems with other changes Nagy made to the book. My biggest objection far and away is making the power dynamics in the relationship so imbalanced that they make Carol a sexual predator --- or close -- and Therese being relatively passive, easy prey, almost infantilized. I'm not saying the relationship is abusive, but in the #MeToo era (and long before), Carol's behavior raises huge red flags. Amazon reviewers of the book have pointed out that if the story had a wealthy man in his late 20s to early 30s take a 21-year-old woman on a long trip, the presumption would be that he was a predator. (In the book, Therese says she's 21, and the biggest clue to Carol's age is that her daughter is 6.) Highsmith certainly wrote Carol as the dominant partner in the relationship, but Therese does plenty to advance the relationship on her own initiative, and she's hardly the kind of childish, dependent babe in the woods that Nagy created. This is probably most vividly illustrated in the buildup to the sex scene. In the movie, Carol unilaterally decides she wants to have sex, starts undressing, and caresses Theres as she sits passively. In the book (and this text was highlighted in the video), Therese initiates their first kiss by telling Carol she loves her. (That's as far as it goes until the next morning.) Many other choices shift the power balance presented in the book. One that was glossed over in the video is that the purse that Therese buys for Carol is monstrously expensive. Carol gives Therese a monogrammed suitcase -- without a camera. The gifts are roughly even, although Therese can't afford the gift she gives. Nagy changed the the gift dynamic drastically by having Therese give a modest gift (a record), while Carol's gift is much more extravegant than in the book since the suitcase includes a camera. The drastic imbalance of gifts in the movie portrays a classic ploy by wealthy predators to buy loyalty, affection, etc. Three more examples of Nagy making Therese less assertive: 1) In the book Therese asks to kiss Carol the night they decide to travel together. (Carol refuses without comment.) 2) During their first lunch together, Therese tells Carol, "I think you're magnificent," her most forward statement during their meeting. Nagy followed the dialoge in the scene pretty closely, but she chose to leave that line out. 3) In the book, there's no suggestion that Carol tried to set up a meeting by deliberately leaving her gloves on the counter. Therese invites follow-up contact by sending Carol a Christmas card. Nagy's script denigrates Therese professionally. She is presented as self-deprecating and short on confidence. She hasn't put together a portfolio, and she tells her boyfriend she's just thinking about it. Highsmith's Therese has already landed a design job before the novel starts and hustles like crazy to get more work. Every indication is that she projects a confident image. Nagy sells Therese short by making her weak in other ways. The most glaring example is when Abby is sent out to Iowa to chauffeur Therese back to New York. In the book, Therese is heartbroken, but she doesn't revert to such a level of dependency. Actually, Therese does know how to drive, and Carol leaves the car in her care with the understanding that she will drive it to New York when she's ready. Therese briefly holds a job before she returns home. I don't remember the context, but the scene in the movie where Therese sobs and tells Carol that she always says yes appears to me to be not just made up but totally unjustified. Therese also does not sob on a night train from Carol's home to New York City. I don't know what evidence Nagy had that she would do such a thing. Other smaller changes are just ludicrous. Real private eyes looking for dirt don't expose themselves to their targets by pretending to be friendly salespeople. In the book, Harge's private eye acts like a professional, and the couple discovers him basically by accident. In the book, Therese has to cut short the meeting for tea with Carol because she needs to go network at an early-evening cocktail party. She leaves the party in time to catch Carol at a reasonable dinnertime. In the movie, she hangs out at a party with friends until at least midnight, judging by how worn out the bunch of mostly young adults looks. Then Therese takes a cab to the Oak Room and finds the dinner party still in full swing. Even in New York City, dinners that start at 9 p.m. don't go well past midnight. All of this is not to say that the script to "Carol" is bad, but that many of the choices Nagy made are highly questionable.
Your analysis is great and very honest, which i appreciate. In my opinion Nagy probably wanted to "sell" Therese as inexperienced and very innocent young woman in many ways (like the youtuber said in his video) but indeed sometimes her choices are unjustified. Maybe the next adaptation (which i do believe will happen at some point, like the new netflix series based on the "the talented Mr Ripley" another P. Highsmith book is being developed) will be very much like the book and offer way more authenticity to the characters etc. Who knows. But until then we have this movie to cherish, which is still a wonderful movie.
@@PreciousHuddle Thanks for your kind words. Is another version of Carol/The Price of Salt actually being planned or written? That would be surprising, but I'd love for it to happen.
I absolutely love this video!! Very well articulated and researched, and I love the style you put to this essay, it’s really a little gem! One small question, what is the name of the first track that plays during the intro and plot summary? I can’t find it on Cis minor’s page
Thanks for your kind words! There's actually two tracks by cis minor there. For the intro, it's Bassoon Over Bourbon Street (soundcloud.com/cis-minor/bassoon-over-bourbon-street). For the plot summary, it's The Story Of Rose and Klaus (soundcloud.com/cis-minor/the-story-of-rose-and-klaus)
this is one of the most beautiful videos of ever seen in RUclips, very well made. It’s almost as if I’ve watched the movie again, many details and explanations I think makes the movie seem more alive and beautiful. Carol will continue to be one of my favorite films of all time.
Wow!!! The more this film is dissected and fleshed out through superb commentary like this the more I appreciate it with each re-viewing. We are close to a 10yr anniversary of it's release and it would be nice if all involved could celebrate it in all its glory during PRIDE month in some type of setup that would include an audience. Thank you so much for this "Summary of a Scene". I will forever be aware of the subtle nuisances that were explained and relish in rediscovery everytime I watch it On Demand💯💯💯🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Amazing vid! I would have loved to hear you talk about "the price of salt" line in the book. I read the book after watching the movie and the line in the book hit me hard. Its interesting to know that Highsmith changed the name of the book when re-releasing it, I didn't know that.
i honestly don’t think the novel should matter to its adaptation. different mediums need different approaches. i almost never bring source material into the analysis of art because it just doesn’t matter. the work is the work. not the work it is based on.
I love this movie but it always leave feeling melancholy for past relationships that ended too so and relationships that may never be because I’m too afraid to take a chance
This video is absolutely marvelous. It made me want to read the novel asap. And, like many of the comments already made I wish this could be a long running series in your channel, James! It's definitely a great insight of wonderful films! Hope you can make something out of old Hollywood film adaptations as well such as GWTW! Cheers!
There were some differences. Carol comes by with The Suitcase, Richard comes by with a Special Form of A Cake, then meets Carol then they almost go for Coffee. Richard "reminds" Therese that they have a Date to hear a Friend of his playing but Therese wants to go out for Dinner with Carol.
Quite honestly, I do wonder what would a film that is more faithful to the book in spirit look like. The film becomes a typical drama, to an extent about going against the grain for love, to an extent about gay rights. To me the book was an exploration of a pain - trying to find the love you never had in someone new. It feels very personal, almost like a fantasy, like wish-fulfillment - the wish of experiencing this weird kind of love. Therese never got a good motherly figure, and Carol is losing her daughter. Therese wants to be cared for - Carol wants to care, and how that dynamic works, how it heals and hurts - that to me was the centre of the book that never got to flourish in the film. But adapting such an... impressionistic book is hard, of course. I think only a visionary could have made it so that it worked well. In film people do prefer the dramatic and not the lyric, which can often be a shame, especially in cases like this. The book became very important to me, because it showed pain and feelings I myself carry, and i think in movie form it could have resonated with even more people.
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
What’s so brilliant is that it uniquely understands the complexity of gay love. So often, it feels like gay romance when written by straight people, tries to put parameters of heterosexuality onto it. Questions like “does she feel the same?” become dangerous in a gay setting.
Wait what do you mean?
¿pero la persona que escribio esto no es hetero es gay.....
Carol was written by a lesbian :)
Exactly, this is set in the 50s so carol has to be subtle. She doesn’t know whether or not Therese is lesbian bc that kind of thing was taboo then
@@georgi1690 I know but can u imagine alll the how down lows back then I would of been getting my cheeks clapped wearing that red A proudly !
I really hope the most interesting scene becomes a long running series.
Hear, hear, 🗣🗣🗣
Yeeezs 🤍
o yeah....in my dreams as well.....
The book actually made it very clear that Carol's choice to give up fighting for custody of her daughter was an act of courage and self preservation.
revisiting carol years later has made me appreciate it so much more - especially considering i watched it as a younger, questioning gay person and i am now fully aware of being a lesbian. i used this film as an outlet but now i see its entire artistry
Carol is such an important movie to me and so many others. I was asolutely obsessed about it for a period. I watched it, over and over and over... it's the first time I felt so many emotions watching a romance movie. As a queer person I never really understood these. Didn't cared. But now I do and for that I am so, so grateful. It changed my life. Literally.
Tomorrow I leave my hometown, and I'm pretty sure I will take the dvd with me, even if my crazy obessive period has passed ahah
Thank you for this beautiful video (honestly great translation of the atmosphere of the movie ahah! I cried by the end :')
Thank you so much for your work!
I am currently in the throws of the obsessive period you spoke of. I watched it for the 1st time a week ago today, and I haven't stopped watching it since. I am so relieved that I am not the ONLY person. ❤
that is so funny, I am living the same thing. I thought there was something strange about my addiction to the film, I mean I watched it 7 times in a week haha ! @@1stLadyAjavon
@@agathebf3787ihave addiction to the ending
@@buakawbanchamek6160 same for me, you can really see Therese's gaze changing, from "you hurt me" to "I love you" in like 3sec ! the whole movie is a masterpiece
@@agathebf3787 wow , you're a feeling dictionary, such an interpretation
Another fantastic video. I'm loving these dives into "Most Interesting Scenes". Thank you!
Hear, hear, 🗣🗣🗣
Now I love video essays, but I've never felt such emotions from one. As a young lesbian, thank you. Thank you so much.
I hadn't seen Carol before - and I sat down and watched the whole movie, just so that I could then watch and enjoy your video in full. I'm seconding what others have said, in that I really enjoy your videos and am loving your approach to these dives. Really stellar work. The level of thought + the attention to detail that you put into making these video essays has made an instant fan out of me.
Same
One of my favourite films, ever. Close to perfect in every aspect.
I agree! Like it’s beyond just a lgbt film it’s just a GREAT movie 🎥
i agree. its one of the most perfect films ive seen in my entire life. my #1 favorite movie
The book is better ,read it
@@iliketowatchvideos47hard to imagine not watching Blanchett and Rooney. 💕💜💕💜
I'm hooked by this video, really solid. I do believe Carol is best LGBT movie of all time.
Cate Blanchett can goddam act
I clicked on this, decided I want to watch it because I don't know... And that was the best 30 mins of my life
One of the best descriptions of adaptations I’ve ever heard is the ability to capture the ‘spirit/soul’ of the source material. As long as that remains you can make whatever changes you need. That’s always stuck with me.
Great essay. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed, it's the spirit of the thing that matters, but what that means exactly can be a hard thing to articulate. Which is why I think Carol is a great case study for learning about adaptation.
@@JamesWoodall yes, it did occur to me after I posted that it’s a bit of an abstract concept. Of course, if we had it all figured out, we wouldn’t still have arguments over what makes a good adaptation, haha.
Hear, hear, 🗣🗣🗣
The music by Carter Burwell definitely plays a very relevant role throughout the whole film. Thanks for your anaysis and comments.
(I'm sorry if it was mentioned i haven't seen a lot of ppl cover this topic)I wish you also highlighted the call and response of the music, it being the clarinet and piano and string instruments most likely during vivid and important scenes. Such as when she's on the train ride after going to Carol's house. Or the scene right after when Therese made it home
The call and response is hinting at the two characters, one being Carol, which is the bigger more open sound, as you see she oftenly tries to get Therese to open up more and explain her feelings. While on the other hand, Therese voicing is the rather much softer response of the music. Regardless if the back and forth is clarinet to piano or Cello to piano. And when they both get louder it's basically like the aura around them changing and suddenly shifting
I also wanted to add that due to this, the music will take big development changes when it comes to plot or when significant moments btw Carol and Therese happen. Majority of the big moments are during the beginning. The more softer and louder call and responses are in the middle. And these two themes both collide whenever Carol leaves at Waterloo.
I myself am an actual musician and this is something that I've learned about over the years and I seen this movie multiple times to confirm that the music is a second voice for them. In a way words cannot describe music (especially in here) is derived to help develop the tone during each situation or a break in the scenes (panning around or scene changes)
yes!!! i once wrote a paper in college about exactly this
I just rewatched this movie for like the fourth time (it became a christmas tradition) and I always noticed new little things that I didn't see before. This was so insightful though, because I don't know much about the original source material! It's so nice people are still making videos about this movie after 6 years of being out. :)
just watched it for the first time for like a week ago, and immediately fell in love with the cinematography and how it made me feel that it's more of a love story than as a lgbtq+ story movie, thankyou for making this vid~~ 👌✨ makes me love this film more
Hear, hear, 🗣🗣🗣
I agree completaly
Yes, I also hate the idea that there is a need to label ANYTHING lgbtq+ . Like Cate has said - it's a love story. Love is the same for everyone - regardless of sexuality. As long as no one is getting hurt then who cares if it's "traditional love" or whatever they want to compare this story to, really?
@@mybiz2167 Society cares and that creates the central conflict. Who cares if Romeo and Juliet love each other? The audience doesn't care, but since their families will separate them, they have to go underground, with disastrous results.
@VixenValori It's not just a love story, it's a forbidden love story, and that's a big difference. "Carol" is most explicitly in the territory of "Anna Karenina," and it's in the tradition of "Romeo and Juliet," "Madam Bovary," etc., not "Pride and Prejdice." What's different is the reason for the scandal. In "Carol" it's a lesbian affair that causes the conflict rather than a heterosexual affair or a feud, so in that regard it's fundamentally an LGBTQ+ story.
I fell in love with the story of Carol and Therese so much, I wrote my Master Thesis (in English Literature) about the novel.
Even though the novel was frist published 70 years ago, the plot still feels so real and intense and the emotions transported through the novel and film resonate with modern day queer women because of their authenticity.
This video is a perfect summary of my thoughts and analyses and give a sense of why both, novel and film, are perfect works of art.
After watching this video, I feel like I want to write another thesis to also acknowledge the movie and write a comparative analysis about this masterpiece of an adaptation :D
Good for you 😊. Also unlike other Lesbian Pulp Fiction Novels the two had a chance of a happy ending
I'd love to read that 🙂
@@simonewaschik8506 You mean The 📖
@laminage actually I meant the thesis of @RikeConstanze I would love to read 😊
@@simonewaschik8506 I have the book 📖📚 in a pdf format
What I love about Carol is both women were feminine and didn't seem gay - I saw myself in them. I'm gay however I don't look gay, and I certainly don't act it. I'm feminine and prefer a feminine partner. I find most lgbt movies to be made with the same ingredients, they are all rather... obvious. For me, Carol was a breath of fresh air, it was another way of looking at a female couple. And the hopeful ending was a relief for once. My only two critiques of the movie are that the first love scene was a bit tame, I felt it needed more passion. And lastly, I didn't enjoy some of the angles or the constant reflections of windows, mirrors, etc. I know it's an artistic aesthetic but I REALLY like looking at the character's face, so having it distorted was a bit frustrating for me. Other than that, everything about this movie is excellent. Cate Blanchett looking like a total woman and Rooney Mara looking like Audrey Hepburn - it's just beautiful. It's one of my favorite lgbt movies.
I know what you mean about femme to femme. This was very challenging for me coming out in the late 70s when a lot of lesbians were rejecting "traditional" standards of beauty. And being femme was looked down upon, and/or meant you were supposed to be attracted to butch women, which I generally haven't been.
It's much less restrictive now, thankfully. I wish that had been true when I was young and coming out, but better late than never ...
About the angles or the constant reflections of windows, mirrors ... , Todd Haynes draws his inspiration from street photographers Saul Leiter and Vivian Maier, and for the architecture, from Hopper's paintings. 🙂
Single? 😂❤
@@melodiefrances3898feminity was rejected amongst lesbian back then?
Looking gay is a stupid thing to say tbh
Another brilliant video on top of Devil Wears Prada, please keep these coming!
Hear, hear, 🗣🗣🗣
this is beautifully made, im utterly in awe! Carol has to be one of my favs of all time
I found carol truly moving.Maybe as a lesbian woman the subject matter made some difference,however I feel it was unrelated in this instance.The depth of emotion.The longing glances Just magical.x
this is a fantastic video, I keep coming back to it! You deserve hundreds of thousands more views
The lawyer office scene seems even more true to Highsmith's character, for that. Carol's parting shot at Harge "... we're not ugly people, Harge" is her warning that she is braver than he is (and is sacrificing her daughter so she can live authentically, and because to sacrifice her authentic self will be short-changing her daughter). Carol knows that Harge is a coward, and would rather deny his daughter her mother than have his dirty laundry aired publicly.
Also, Carol lived more in the short time on the road with Therese, living out of a suitcase in roadside motels, so far away from her "society life". Nagy's contrasting of her time with Therese against her "polite" life with Harge reinforces why Carol "surrenders" to Harge in the end.
As for Carol leaving the gloves, ABSOLUTELY she meant to do that! She even looks back, and her eyes flick down to the counter - she knows they're there, she's leaving them for Therese.
On re-watching that scene a couple of times, i was also focused on the only other woman in the room - the stenographer. The way she looks at Carol when she walks in is a fantastic combination of softness (pity) and hardness (contempt).
Did you read the book?
Yes, i have read the book. Might read it again now!
@@karendownes4864 haha ,i really wanted to see how carol greet therese with here hands at the end
Who did the audio narration? It wasn't a mistake. Therese wanted to show that she had asserted her independence. God Bless Phyllis Nagy. Even after nearly Six Years, Carol is a Cult Classic. In Japan alot of women said they had a "Therese" in their lives too.
I just love everything about this video. The clarity of the words, the editing, the subtle analysis, the music. I've never seen this film but this video got me into it and now I feel like I know it. Thank you so much for this experience, keep it up 👏
Its a beautiful Story beautifully told but the real magic is Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as the main characters. Stroke of pure genius 💕💕
When I heard that Cate Blanchett was going to play Carol I just thought "Perfect."
I also felt that the character of Carol was much more sympathetic than in the book, Carol would actually get annoyed with Therese at times, which only happened in the movie during the scene when Harge interrupts them in the home.
I did not object to Carol criticizing Therese or getting annoyed at her in the book. Carol is blunt, maybe too a fault, but I saw that as part of her casting off convention and steeling herself against battles with Harge and society at large, not a character flaw. Carol's swearing (mild by today's standards) I put in the same category.
And I believed the criticism of Therese's extravagant purse for a Christmas gift was perfectly valid.
Carol... Cate... ❤
cate and rooney were amazing in this film it’s one of my favourites
This film is a masterpiece! The plot,the directing,the cast,Cate Blanchett is really great, the music is breathtaking!
I love this series, it's always fascinating to dive into a pivotal scene.
You just made me fall in love with this work all over again! Really loving this Most Interesting Scene In ___ series.
An ABSOLUTELY STUNNING video essay 🤍 thank you so much for your INCREDIBLE WORK! Made me connect with the film on a deeper level. Your video is so film-like. Thank you 🤍😌
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
Carol is a perfect film. There is a reason why there is such a thing as, “the cult of Carol”.
I love this movie so much... The last scene, the 2nd telephone scene and the "i love you" scenes are my absolute favorites!!! Thank you so much for your great analysis on this masterpiece!!
This video is trully amazing. I have loved Carol since the first time I watched it and now I'm trying to get the book (is not that easy in my country). I always thought that Carol has something unique compared to other LGBTQ+ media and it is the lonely and realistic queer experience. As a queer woman myself, this movie means a lot.
Another great and interesting video.
Love to see a video essay take a breather. Beautiful and aesthetically and thematically relevant style you took on x
I believe the 1985 movie Desert Hearts also had a similar ending? I loved both. Wonderful job on this review 👏
That is correct…But the even more amazing thing is, that it was made in the 1980s… and on general release too !!!!…. Quite something !!! the two leads were brilliant…as were the whole cast ( including the producer/director, Donna Dietch, in a brief appearance in a casino scene)…Similarly, there was predominantly an intention to see it as a ‘love story’ between two people…end of 👍…and it was just that….
Gosh I love both the book and the movie so fucking much. Wonderful vid btw :D
Cate is so good at playing lesbian, that I can't imagine it would be her last that kind of role...
Masterful examination of the scene and the film. Well done! (and my God WHAT a writer Highsmith is. An absolute genius with a turn of phrase).
This is almost too good for RUclips.
Now, I liked this film before, but I never understood how well done and thought out it actually was. Thank you for your insight, finding the details and explaining it so wonderfully.
Cate’s performance is absolutely divine ! Even after seeing Carol again and again I feel the emotions as if it was the first time I watched this film.
I would never understand why that year Cate did not receive the Best Actress Award at the Oscars and for the Cannes Film Festival even though I appreciate Rooney Mara, they should have received it together. I am sure we all agree with that 😊
I agree!! I def feel like if they switched categories Cate would’ve won.
i love this scene.
Fantastic.I'm currenty reading the book and I'm just falling in love with the story over and over again. Loved your video.
Really interesting video. There's always new things to discover with this film, no matter how many times you see it. The custody hearing scene is one of my favourites - so beautifully written and acted. Thank you so much!
And beautifully shot
Brilliant piece! Thank you so much for this. I've never heard such poignant, detailed insights and perspectives about adapting a book to film. Spectacularly well done.
I STILL WANT TO SEE THE SEQUEL THO😭😭😭 IM MAKING A PETITION RN
The analysis of cinematography is the best part. I can adapt what you said to every movie I'll see from now and ask some good questions about how movies are filmed and why in that way.
Thank you!
I never comment on videos, but I have to. Please, keep going. Do what you’re doing. “Most Interesting Scene” is delightful. I’m so excited to find you at the beginning of this.
Excellent video! I’ve only discovered this movie yesterday & I love it!! I rented it & then I immediately watched it again & bought it. Not only the story but the film itself is quite beautiful. Oftentimes people say the book is better than the movie but after watching this..I think personally I would not enjoy the novel as much. I’m so glad for the changes made in adaptation. I can’t imagine having a narration or not seeing Carol’s life the way we did. It’s just a wonderful film. And thank God for a happy ending!🙌🏻
As the video said, the book is entirely from Therese's point of view. If you get into the book, you're caught up in Therese's intense feelings and the development of the relationship, and you really don't care about what other people are doing offstage.
I happen to like the movie better, but it's not because Nagy changed the book. The people who made the movie are at the pinnacle of their professions, and everything came together in this production to make a masterpiece. As a novelist, I don't think Highsmith is in their league, but I think it's a very good novel, and if "Carol" was a run-of-the-mill movie, I would probably prefer the book.
Great movie, and great video. I agree this is a great scene and an interesting extension of the book, but I have major problems with other changes Nagy made to the book.
My biggest objection far and away is making the power dynamics in the relationship so imbalanced that they make Carol a sexual predator --- or close -- and Therese being relatively passive, easy prey, almost infantilized. I'm not saying the relationship is abusive, but in the #MeToo era (and long before), Carol's behavior raises huge red flags. Amazon reviewers of the book have pointed out that if the story had a wealthy man in his late 20s to early 30s take a 21-year-old woman on a long trip, the presumption would be that he was a predator. (In the book, Therese says she's 21, and the biggest clue to Carol's age is that her daughter is 6.)
Highsmith certainly wrote Carol as the dominant partner in the relationship, but Therese does plenty to advance the relationship on her own initiative, and she's hardly the kind of childish, dependent babe in the woods that Nagy created. This is probably most vividly illustrated in the buildup to the sex scene. In the movie, Carol unilaterally decides she wants to have sex, starts undressing, and caresses Theres as she sits passively. In the book (and this text was highlighted in the video), Therese initiates their first kiss by telling Carol she loves her. (That's as far as it goes until the next morning.)
Many other choices shift the power balance presented in the book. One that was glossed over in the video is that the purse that Therese buys for Carol is monstrously expensive. Carol gives Therese a monogrammed suitcase -- without a camera. The gifts are roughly even, although Therese can't afford the gift she gives. Nagy changed the the gift dynamic drastically by having Therese give a modest gift (a record), while Carol's gift is much more extravegant than in the book since the suitcase includes a camera. The drastic imbalance of gifts in the movie portrays a classic ploy by wealthy predators to buy loyalty, affection, etc.
Three more examples of Nagy making Therese less assertive: 1) In the book Therese asks to kiss Carol the night they decide to travel together. (Carol refuses without comment.) 2) During their first lunch together, Therese tells Carol, "I think you're magnificent," her most forward statement during their meeting. Nagy followed the dialoge in the scene pretty closely, but she chose to leave that line out. 3) In the book, there's no suggestion that Carol tried to set up a meeting by deliberately leaving her gloves on the counter. Therese invites follow-up contact by sending Carol a Christmas card.
Nagy's script denigrates Therese professionally. She is presented as self-deprecating and short on confidence. She hasn't put together a portfolio, and she tells her boyfriend she's just thinking about it. Highsmith's Therese has already landed a design job before the novel starts and hustles like crazy to get more work. Every indication is that she projects a confident image.
Nagy sells Therese short by making her weak in other ways. The most glaring example is when Abby is sent out to Iowa to chauffeur Therese back to New York. In the book, Therese is heartbroken, but she doesn't revert to such a level of dependency. Actually, Therese does know how to drive, and Carol leaves the car in her care with the understanding that she will drive it to New York when she's ready. Therese briefly holds a job before she returns home. I don't remember the context, but the scene in the movie where Therese sobs and tells Carol that she always says yes appears to me to be not just made up but totally unjustified. Therese also does not sob on a night train from Carol's home to New York City. I don't know what evidence Nagy had that she would do such a thing.
Other smaller changes are just ludicrous. Real private eyes looking for dirt don't expose themselves to their targets by pretending to be friendly salespeople. In the book, Harge's private eye acts like a professional, and the couple discovers him basically by accident. In the book, Therese has to cut short the meeting for tea with Carol because she needs to go network at an early-evening cocktail party. She leaves the party in time to catch Carol at a reasonable dinnertime. In the movie, she hangs out at a party with friends until at least midnight, judging by how worn out the bunch of mostly young adults looks. Then Therese takes a cab to the Oak Room and finds the dinner party still in full swing. Even in New York City, dinners that start at 9 p.m. don't go well past midnight.
All of this is not to say that the script to "Carol" is bad, but that many of the choices Nagy made are highly questionable.
Your analysis is great and very honest, which i appreciate. In my opinion Nagy probably wanted to "sell" Therese as inexperienced and very innocent young woman in many ways (like the youtuber said in his video) but indeed sometimes her choices are unjustified. Maybe the next adaptation (which i do believe will happen at some point, like the new netflix series based on the "the talented Mr Ripley" another P. Highsmith book is being developed) will be very much like the book and offer way more authenticity to the characters etc. Who knows. But until then we have this movie to cherish, which is still a wonderful movie.
@@PreciousHuddle Thanks for your kind words.
Is another version of Carol/The Price of Salt actually being planned or written? That would be surprising, but I'd love for it to happen.
Love your video and explanation!! Would you make a video about Tár?
I absolutely loved this Film. It felt like falling love!
Just watched this movie and it was INCREDIBLE. So subtle, but carefully crafted. Cate blanchett did an amazing job.
Yes!! Each time I rewatch the movie I see a bit more of her performance she’s SO good in this role
I absolutely love this video!! Very well articulated and researched, and I love the style you put to this essay, it’s really a little gem!
One small question, what is the name of the first track that plays during the intro and plot summary? I can’t find it on Cis minor’s page
Thanks for your kind words! There's actually two tracks by cis minor there.
For the intro, it's Bassoon Over Bourbon Street (soundcloud.com/cis-minor/bassoon-over-bourbon-street).
For the plot summary, it's The Story Of Rose and Klaus (soundcloud.com/cis-minor/the-story-of-rose-and-klaus)
@@JamesWoodall thank you so much!!
It really is my favourite scene in the movie along with the ending scene
this is one of the most beautiful videos of ever seen in RUclips, very well made. It’s almost as if I’ve watched the movie again, many details and explanations I think makes the movie seem more alive and beautiful. Carol will continue to be one of my favorite films of all time.
Wow!!! The more this film is dissected and fleshed out through superb commentary like this the more I appreciate it with each re-viewing. We are close to a 10yr anniversary of it's release and it would be nice if all involved could celebrate it in all its glory during PRIDE month in some type of setup that would include an audience. Thank you so much for this "Summary of a Scene". I will forever be aware of the subtle nuisances that were explained and relish in rediscovery everytime I watch it On Demand💯💯💯🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Amazing vid! I would have loved to hear you talk about "the price of salt" line in the book. I read the book after watching the movie and the line in the book hit me hard. Its interesting to know that Highsmith changed the name of the book when re-releasing it, I didn't know that.
@appleblossom101 I was totally confused by the line. What does it mean to you?
Shame this doesn’t gave many views. All these ppl on the internet say they wanna be filmmakers but won’t support people like you.
I really love your Most Interesting Scene series. I hope you continue it. A really lovely video essay thank you!
i honestly don’t think the novel should matter to its adaptation. different mediums need different approaches. i almost never bring source material into the analysis of art because it just doesn’t matter. the work is the work. not the work it is based on.
Film adaptation is a craft, just like painting is. I think one goal of the video is to show how the crafter went about her job.
Such a fantastic video! So good! I hope this becomes a long-running series.
Cate set the bar!
Can we talk about how briliant this video was? on top of a great topic, it was such a nice watch, just like the briliant movie. Well done James!
I love this movie but it always leave feeling melancholy for past relationships that ended too so and relationships that may never be because I’m too afraid to take a chance
Watch Brazilian film The Perfume of Memory-by Oswald Montenegro-on You tube
Fantastic video. Thank you for this brilliant analysis of one of my favorite movies!
more more please! loving these videos, very well made
The best! Also I cry every time.
This video was stunning. Fantastic work.
this movie is a masterpiece
Muchas gracias. Es muy interesante.
I loved this depth that you explored and helped me to understand, thank you! I’m going to have to watch the film again now!
that was such an amazing, fascinating and smart video!!
Such a very well made film. Acted perfectly.
This video is absolutely marvelous. It made me want to read the novel asap. And, like many of the comments already made I wish this could be a long running series in your channel, James! It's definitely a great insight of wonderful films! Hope you can make something out of old Hollywood film adaptations as well such as GWTW! Cheers!
Love this! I just watched Carol and loved it
There were some differences. Carol comes by with The Suitcase, Richard comes by with a Special Form of A Cake, then meets Carol then they almost go for Coffee. Richard "reminds" Therese that they have a Date to hear a Friend of his playing but Therese wants to go out for Dinner with Carol.
I don't normally comment on video essays, but I loved yours. Incredible work, well done!
Désert hearts had a happy ending.
What a through video. What made me fall in love though is the music, especially the one used in the outro. Anyone knows the title?
Made my cry, thank you for this ♥️
Gosh, I had not seen this film nor had I read the book, but I kept thinking "Brief Encounter". Must watch. Thanks.
Hey I just found your channel. INSTANT SUB! Please keep the content coming.
this was an interesting take on the novel and film.one of the rare cases where both are highly recommended.
Can someone tell me the name of the last song? Great video!
I'll never get over cate and this movie
Cate is the goat 🐐
What a superb analysis
cate is a muse
This is how I knew Cate and Rooney and Carol movie is my favorite.
well... how they made me feel is why I keep watching this film a million times.
"We are not ugly people."
Quite honestly, I do wonder what would a film that is more faithful to the book in spirit look like. The film becomes a typical drama, to an extent about going against the grain for love, to an extent about gay rights.
To me the book was an exploration of a pain - trying to find the love you never had in someone new. It feels very personal, almost like a fantasy, like wish-fulfillment - the wish of experiencing this weird kind of love. Therese never got a good motherly figure, and Carol is losing her daughter. Therese wants to be cared for - Carol wants to care, and how that dynamic works, how it heals and hurts - that to me was the centre of the book that never got to flourish in the film.
But adapting such an... impressionistic book is hard, of course. I think only a visionary could have made it so that it worked well. In film people do prefer the dramatic and not the lyric, which can often be a shame, especially in cases like this. The book became very important to me, because it showed pain and feelings I myself carry, and i think in movie form it could have resonated with even more people.
Masterpiece for real
Very well done. Thank you.
I know this isn't one of your more popular videos, but this is one of my favourite movie essays