Pick-up (1975) Synopsis

Chuck pauses to relieve himself during his job of delivering a mobile home, and encounters two hippie girls. Carol, the more free-spirited girl (she often plays with her plush cat toy), wants to get a ride with him. The more contemplative Maureen identifies him as an Aries, and that means trouble. Despite Maureen's prediction of a "bad trip", Carol finally gets her to come on the mobile home. On the way, Maureen does a tarot reading and learns that she will soon meet someone who will guide her to greater things, and that she should avoid "lower animal passions". As Chuck drives through Florida, Carol performs a sexy dance next to him, entertaining some good 'ol boys in a passing pickup truck.There's a storm, and Chuck manages to drive the mobile home into a swamp. He and Carol go for a walk, enjoying the beauties of nature, playing with a baby raccoon, and frolicking in the nude. Maureen, alone, encounters the priestess of Apollo, who tells her she will be the new priestess and gives her a staff. This will help her defend Apollo against his enemy Pazuzu (presumably meaning the king of demons from Mesopotamian mythology). Maureen finds an altar in the swamp, where she lies down naked and begins to writhe, apparently undergoing some sort of ritual.Back in the mobile home, hearing Bach's organ chorale Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme on the radio triggers a flashback for Maureen. As a young girl, she was a church organist who became the victim of statutory rape by a priest. Later, Carol has sex with Chuck and then flashes back to her own youth, when she seduced a rather naive young man. This segues into the present, where Carol and Chuck are having sex in a tree, then frolic in a pond and have sex while swinging from a vine.Back in the mobile home, local senator Max shows up and tries to get Maureen's vote. He first assumes she'll be pro-abortion, but she says she's against all killing. However, Max is prepared to do a quick flip-flop, with signs proclaiming him "1000%" on either side of any current issue. When Maureen points out she's from California, he makes a comment about that state's "large avocados" and leaves. Outside, she sees a clown carrying balloons, she seems unsure until he offers her one. Then she acts delighted until the clown removes his mask, revealing a threatening face. She screams and runs back to the mobile home.The trio are low on food, so Chuck gets a bow and arrow from the mobile home and goes boar hunting. He manages to down his prey with one shot. The girls are disturbed, but later it's clear that all three shared the meal. Chuck mentions his oppressive upbringing, leading to a flashback in which his mother berates him while he tries to use his ham radio. He tells the girls that he has left home with no intention of returning any time soon, and that he finally feels free and unafraid, not even worrying about their current predicament. Maureen goes into a trance, takes a stick from the fire on which they cooked to boar, and plunges it into her palm. Chuck bandages her hand.That night, Chuck checks on Maureen, and they go into the swamp as Carol sleeps. They find Maureen's altar and begin to kiss. The clown, the priest, Max, and finally the priestess show up to observe. Once they leave, Maureen and Chuck have sex on the altar. Meanwhile, Carol awakes and goes outside to dance. She encounters a group of good ol' boys (with flashbacks to the ones from early in the movie, although it is too dark to tell whether these are the same ones). At first, they just appreciate her dancing, but they turn more aggressive, tearing at her clothes. Carol runs away with the boys in hot pursuit.The next morning, Maureen and Chuck awake, naked, in the swamp, but with no altar around. They get dressed and spot a plane, so start running. As the plane flies off, they stop, and sticking out of the water Maureen sees a hand holding Carol's stuffed toy. She screams, and suddenly we are back at the initial meeting of Chuck and the two girls. This time, instead of being reluctant, Maureen smiles and says "A beautiful Aries!" Both girls enthusiastically board the motor home. As they drive off, we see the clown's balloons floating into the sky. Then we see Carol's toy cat lying by itself in the swamp, with "The End" superimposed.

Chuck pauses to relieve himself during his job of delivering a mobile home, and encounters two hippie girls. Carol, the more free-spirited girl (she often plays with her plush cat toy), wants to get a ride with him. The more contemplative Maureen identifies him as an Aries, and that means trouble. Despite Maureen's prediction of a "bad trip", Carol finally gets her to come on the mobile home. On the way, Maureen does a tarot reading and learns that she will soon meet someone who will guide her to greater things, and that she should avoid "lower animal passions". As Chuck drives through Florida, Carol performs a sexy dance next to him, entertaining some good 'ol boys in a passing pickup truck.There's a storm, and Chuck manages to drive the mobile home into a swamp. He and Carol go for a walk, enjoying the beauties of nature, playing with a baby raccoon, and frolicking in the nude. Maureen, alone, encounters the priestess of Apollo, who tells her she will be the new priestess and gives her a staff. This will help her defend Apollo against his enemy Pazuzu (presumably meaning the king of demons from Mesopotamian mythology). Maureen finds an altar in the swamp, where she lies down naked and begins to writhe, apparently undergoing some sort of ritual.Back in the mobile home, hearing Bach's organ chorale Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme on the radio triggers a flashback for Maureen. As a young girl, she was a church organist who became the victim of statutory rape by a priest. Later, Carol has sex with Chuck and then flashes back to her own youth, when she seduced a rather naive young man. This segues into the present, where Carol and Chuck are having sex in a tree, then frolic in a pond and have sex while swinging from a vine.Back in the mobile home, local senator Max shows up and tries to get Maureen's vote. He first assumes she'll be pro-abortion, but she says she's against all killing. However, Max is prepared to do a quick flip-flop, with signs proclaiming him "1000%" on either side of any current issue. When Maureen points out she's from California, he makes a comment about that state's "large avocados" and leaves. Outside, she sees a clown carrying balloons, she seems unsure until he offers her one. Then she acts delighted until the clown removes his mask, revealing a threatening face. She screams and runs back to the mobile home.The trio are low on food, so Chuck gets a bow and arrow from the mobile home and goes boar hunting. He manages to down his prey with one shot. The girls are disturbed, but later it's clear that all three shared the meal. Chuck mentions his oppressive upbringing, leading to a flashback in which his mother berates him while he tries to use his ham radio. He tells the girls that he has left home with no intention of returning any time soon, and that he finally feels free and unafraid, not even worrying about their current predicament. Maureen goes into a trance, takes a stick from the fire on which they cooked to boar, and plunges it into her palm. Chuck bandages her hand.That night, Chuck checks on Maureen, and they go into the swamp as Carol sleeps. They find Maureen's altar and begin to kiss. The clown, the priest, Max, and finally the priestess show up to observe. Once they leave, Maureen and Chuck have sex on the altar. Meanwhile, Carol awakes and goes outside to dance. She encounters a group of good ol' boys (with flashbacks to the ones from early in the movie, although it is too dark to tell whether these are the same ones). At first, they just appreciate her dancing, but they turn more aggressive, tearing at her clothes. Carol runs away with the boys in hot pursuit.The next morning, Maureen and Chuck awake, naked, in the swamp, but with no altar around. They get dressed and spot a plane, so start running. As the plane flies off, they stop, and sticking out of the water Maureen sees a hand holding Carol's stuffed toy. She screams, and suddenly we are back at the initial meeting of Chuck and the two girls. This time, instead of being reluctant, Maureen smiles and says "A beautiful Aries!" Both girls enthusiastically board the motor home. As they drive off, we see the clown's balloons floating into the sky. Then we see Carol's toy cat lying by itself in the swamp, with "The End" superimposed.

Published Time: 2018-06-15 20:21:56