Off The Record
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice Attracted Attention And Got Everyone Talking When It Came Out: All The Secrets And Big Mistakes
With its daring perspective on relationships, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice attracted attention and got everyone talking when it came out.
Few people noticed a tiny element about Natalie Wood, a decision made to conceal a personal secret, even if the film shocked viewers.
The 1969 release of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was a groundbreaking film. By delving into taboo subjects such as open relationships and modern marriage, the film offered a daring and humorous look at the changing societal conventions of the late 1960s. It was more than simply a film; it was a cultural event that captured the essence of a time when everything was being questioned, including loyalty and love.
Natalie Wood and the rest of the amazing cast were key to the movie’s success. Natalie, who was already well-known in Hollywood, played Carol with her usual poise and nuance. Her portrayal gave the movie a sense of realism and relatability while bringing the intricate relationships to life.
But without the support of Natalie’s three co-stars, the film would not have been a hit. The picture became renowned thanks to the depth, comedy, and heart that Robert Culp, Elliott Gould, and Dyan Cannon brought to their individual roles as Bob, Ted, and Alice.
Taking a behind-the-scenes look reveals how this “dirty” movie went from being a paper script to receiving four Academy Award nominations, leaving one amazed, astonished, and slightly taken aback.
A hot tub with naked people
One of filmmaker Paul Mazursky’s best-known works and a significant milestone of the New Hollywood era is Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, or BCTA, as we’ll also refer to it from now on. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the advent of New Hollywood, sometimes referred to as the “American New Wave,” which revolutionized the motion picture industry. It allowed filmmakers the flexibility to tackle more difficult and contentious subjects by shifting the emphasis from the conventional studio system to a more director-driven approach.
The idea for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice came to Paul Mazursky when he read an article in Time magazine about Fritz Perls, a “gestalt therapist” who was apparently having a wild time in a hot tub with naked people at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California.
Established in 1962, Esalen was a popular destination for New Age therapy and was certainly not your typical spa! Mazursky and his spouse were intrigued and decided to investigate, discovering that they were the only pair in a gathering of strangers who truly knew one another. Mazursky wrote the final draft of the script for the comedy and boundary-pushing movie after having some fun at Esalen and working on it with his friend Larry Tucker in Palm Springs.
From frozen rookie to cocky director
Paul Mazursky’s first day of filming Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice swiftly devolved into a nightmare. He claims that when he arrived on the site, he was met by seventy-five excited crew members who were all staring at him, waiting for him to give the order and begin shooting. The director of his debut movie, Mazursky, froze. He was clueless on what to do.
“I lost it all,” Mazursky admitted.
Fortunately, photography director Charles Lang noticed the panic beginning. Lang made a daring suggestion, loud enough for everyone to hear, that he and the frozen Mazursky should work out the opening shot by raising a film crane into the air.
Paul hesitantly consented because he had never been in one of those cranes before and he was afraid of heights. They fastened his straps and proceeded to ascend. Paul was unable to look down and was gripping the seat tightly. He was afraid.
Then, Charlie leaned over and said, ”There’s no shot up here, but we ought to talk about what we might do. You can start with this, do that, etc.”
After three minutes of Charlie’s calm guidance, Paul’s was able to relax, and his confidence came rushing back. He yelled down to the crew, “Okay, take us down; we’re ready to start!”
In an instant, Mazursky—who passed away in 2014—went from a scared beginner to a self-assured filmmaker.
“From then on, I was a cocky little bastard,” he joked later.
Natalie Wood’s first movie in three years
You can’t discuss Ted and Alice, Bob and Carol, and Natalie Wood without bringing her up. She looked lovely in the film, and her presence is still one of her most famous cinematic moments. Actually, this was her first movie in three years, and it had the potential to be a huge return for her, but she missed the chance.
Wood’s final acting role for almost five years was in BCTA, which was filmed in the fall of 1968. She took a hiatus from feature films after this, and it wasn’t until Peeper (1975) that she made another appearance.
The bracelet on Natalie’s left wrist
Look at the band that Natalie has on her left wrist. She sustained a wrist injury as a child actor that never completely healed, leaving it somewhat deformed.
This occurred during the filming of The Green Promise when Natalie was ten years old. She broke her left wrist when the bridge crumbled beneath her as she was rushing across it. Although her stepfather assisted in hiding the occurrence, Natalie took matters into her own hands because she was so ashamed of the disfigurement.
Natalie constantly wore a bracelet to conceal the flaw and make sure it was always visible. Actually, it’s challenging to locate a photo of her without it.
Can you spot Leif Garrett?
Did you know that Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was Leif Garrett’s first motion picture appearance?
Indeed, this 1969 movie marked the teen idol-to-be’s big-screen debut, long before his rise to fame as a pop artist and heartthrob in the 1970s.
When Leif first starred in the picture, which incidentally became the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year, he was five years old.
A cameo you might miss if you blink
There are many sly appearances in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. First up, Bill Cosby will be gone almost immediately; you won’t see him again.
To find him, follow these steps: Bill Cosby is dressed in sunglasses, a red shirt and a hat. In the nightclub scene, he briefly appears and runs into Bob as he and the others are making their way to their table.
If you’re looking closely, you’ll then see Donald F. Muhich, who portrays Alice’s therapist. He was actually Paul Mazursky’s real-life therapist, which is awesome. Talk about life copying art.
Not to mention Paul Mazursky himself, who can be heard yelling in the background at the Esalen Institute.
Natalie’s wardrobe
Natalie Wood always had impeccable style. Whether attending a premiere, concert, or charity event, Natalie Wood exuded elegance and grace.
Her ability to easily combine celebrity status with genuine charm was particularly noticeable in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. The renowned Moss Mabry created her clothing, which came to represent the fashion of the day.
Natalie’s wardrobe throughout the movie reflected her ability to be both legendary and approachable, from her easygoing, bohemian appearances to her effortlessly stylish ensembles in more formal sequences.
Even better, Mabry created a bra especially for Natalie Wood that became well-known as the “Natalie Wood bra.” He did, however, keep the design’s identity a well-held secret.
Dyan Cannon’s triumphant return
In Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Natalie Wood was not the only actress to make a spectacular return. After going through a difficult period in her personal life, her co-star Dyan Cannon also made a comeback to the big screen. During her tense divorce from Cary Grant, which included allegations of his unpredictable behavior while under the influence of LSD, Dyan had to deal with a media frenzy. Although she requested full custody of their baby, the legal struggle instead left her broke.
Despite this heartache, Dyan was committed to reviving her career, and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice provided her with the ideal setting. Her life took a drastic change when she was cast as Alice Henderson, and she embraced it with renewed resolve.
“For eight months, I couldn’t do anything. I was too stunned, too confused, and too upset over what had happened. Then one day something inside me clicked. I realized that I was not going to get anywhere sitting around and feeling sorry for myself; it was time for me to go out and get busy,” she told the AP in 1968.
Goofs galore: Spot the mistakes in BCTA
Every movie, including Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, is full of hilarious moments! Alice and Ted are eating desserts at a restaurant in one scene, yet the very next shot shows them eating those same desserts. When Bob puts on a record later, following the party, it is evident that the record player is empty of records as the background music plays.
Additionally, Bob wears his topcoat and approaches the stairs when Carol discloses her affair. However, the coat is removed in the following image, and Carol is clutching it. These minor errors may not ruin the enjoyment, but they do contribute to the film’s surprising charm.
Threw the actors into the bed
The famous sequence in which Mazursky pushed the players onto the bed in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was mainly unscripted, which is an intriguing fact.
The director purposefully let the actors improvise in order to capture an unpolished and organic performance. The rest of the ensemble, including Natalie Wood and Elliott Gould, were initially uncertain of what to do; in fact, only Robert Culp, who played Bob, appeared at ease in the hectic environment. Critics said that this improvisation enhanced the film’s genuineness.
A testament
While many stars viewed Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice as a pivotal moment, Natalie Wood viewed it as the beginning of a poignant phase in her life. She took a break from acting and left the limelight after the movie’s popularity.
Unfortunately, this would be her final big-budget movie before she passed away too soon in 1981. Wood’s personal life remained far more complicated, overshadowed by sad events that ended too soon, even though the film captured the free-spirited, boundary-pushing attitude of the 1960s.
Her performance in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, however, is nevertheless a tribute to her extraordinary brilliance and classic beauty, and it will always be remembered in the annals of film. Pay tribute to her legacy by sharing this post on Facebook!
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