click for all 30 Days of Carol
A lot the questions accompany the theories surrounding the Record Store Gays, or as the screenplay initially describes them, TWO SHORT-HAIRED WOMEN. (Later, the screenplay explicitly marks them as “New York lesbians,” so please choose your fighter.) Questions like: What was their purpose within the script? What does it tell us about Therese in that moment? What does it tell us about Therese going forward? About Therese before? Did they have to have one of them pose like that? Are they hitting on Therese or are they letting her know they know? Are they even real? Did Therese imagine them? What, basically, are we to make of them?
They are a mystery. And maybe that’s the point of their role! They – these shorthaired, New York lesbians – are everything and nothing that we think they are. But that shouldn’t stop us from investigating further. In fact, it feels like we are given a clue for that very reason. What is it? Well, it’s June Christy!
This is June Christy! is an album by – you guessed it – June Christy, an American jazz singer known for her “silky smooth” vocals. Perfectly normal for two women in pantsuits to enjoy a little jazz. Or is it? The year is 1952 and Capitol Records released This is June Christy! in… 1958. Girl, what?
That’s not all. June Christy was born Shirley Luster (I mean this is an incredible name why). Therese is buying Carol a Christmas present. If you look at December to June as a forward processing of time – which I’m choosing to do as it supports my argument – everything is deliberately pointing to the future.
Stay with me. Let’s take a look at the song list.
“My Heart Belongs To Only You”
The first time Carol and Therese drive together, Jo Stafford’s “You Belong to Me” plays.
“Whee Baby”
The first time Carol and Therese meet, well.
“You Took Advantage Of Me”
TOMMY.
“Get Happy”
Gay.
“Look Out Up There”
… in space.
“Great Scot”
Isn’t it awful?
“Kicks”
Get them on route… 66.
“Why Do You Have To Go Home”
And leave me with Abby.
“Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (To Me You Are Beautiful)”
Dearest…
“Until The Real Thing Comes Along”
“I should have told her to wait.”
“I’ll Remember April”
The Ritz.
“I Never Wanna Look Into Those Eyes Again”
Richard at the party.
Of course: Therese and Carol’s whole story reflected back at us.
It all makes sense. Therese had just met an alternate version of herself and Carol as time traveling lesbians. Flung out of space wasn’t an endearment, it was a warning from their future selves, just like the record was. They tried to stop the eventual heartbreak from happening on two separate occasions, but it all got lost in the haze.
The detail here – just wow. A film for the ages. Every one of them.
Erin did I not already explain everything with time travel on like Day 16.
But good work in proving my half-baked theory with cold, hard facts here.
day 16 is today, as are all days
Also feeling the chances are odds-on that when we reach Day 30 of Carol we will enter a time loop and go back to day 1.
Pretty sure this is the twelth time I’ve opened this post for the first time and read this comment.
a beautiful way to find out our reality really exists in a hologram
Well for the two seconds they’re on screen I found them intimidating AF, they reminded me of the mobsters’ daughters I went to high school with.
That Carol and Therese are Time-Traveling Lesbians ™ I totally buy into though, I’m just not sure they’d look quite that tough !
more about the mobster daughters pls
A very big-name mobster sends his daughter, Corky* to my boarding school, for safekeeping most likely. He and the nuns go way back.
Her cousin, Sheila*, who happens to be the daughter of a mob tough guy, is also at our boarding school and follows Abigail around like a terrifying shadow. Corky is nice, in a low-key “I have power but I don’t want to show off” kind of way, and she’s quite gorgeous. I am wise enough not to be smitten with Corky, because ya know, the Don’s daughter, and plus Sheila clearly doesn’t like my face. Yikes !
In a scene that used to replay very often in my head, Sheila decides to make good on her threats. She grabs me, shakes me around a bit like a ragdoll and lifts me off the ground, pressing my back to the wooden lockers in our dorm, she’s hollering how she’s going to punch me for my disrespect, her fist is winding up, and then Corky simply bats her eyes and says very softly to put me down. Next thing I know I’m back on the ground and very wobbly. The crowd disperses like magic as Sister Gemma comes barreling towards me. I don’t remember much after that. There may have been some ear-pulling because Sister G was very fond of doing that.
Fun times ! I now actually consider this one of the highlights of my time there. Saved by the Don’s daughter. Swoon.
*Names have obviously been changed. Time has passed and I’m probably not in danger for talking about this, but I’d rather not risk it.
You’ll have guessed that “Abigail” and “Corky” are one and the same. I was looking for a spunkier name than Abigail, but didn’t catch them all, obvs !
I picture a giant neon sign above them flashing “us too gurl welcome to the club”.
Saaaaaame ?
What type of vibes is Therese putting out (when Carol isn’t there)? I don’t really need to know and yet I feel like I should know.
Wow, I mean, the signs are all there. Not sure how I missed this very important plot point on the first 4 watchings.
The question is, when are they now?
where aren’t they now
The Packard wouldn’t make for a very aerodynamic DeLorean…but I’m willing to suspend disbelief.
but it could fit A LOT of snacks
I’m just suddenly starving.
When she snaps her fingers the time loop begins again.
Glorious
i screamed. can you hear it?
nope. no one can.
I definitely took that whole brief exchange as a “we know that you know that we know” kind of queer recognition head nod and it brought back so many feels for me not gonna lie
sup
This reminds me of the cd cover for the Barenaked Ladies’ “Gordon.” Coincidence? I think not.
Will anyone know what I’m talking about? I think not.
I do! Big BNL fan here!
Yay!
Oh, Therese’s manager is frightful,
But this woman coming in looks delightful,
Outside is where Therese cannot go,
So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
This woman is looking for a dolly,
And she’s making Therese blush, oh golly,
This flirting isn’t just for show,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
And when the lady finally does depart,
Therese’ll have to leave the store for the storm,
But with thoughts of her in her heart,
All the way home she’ll be warm
kristana you’re a star
wow i think we might be in too deep
praying for us over the next 5 days
hang on tight kate!
“Get Happy”
So Gay
get gay
I always assumed it was the film’s “We accept you, one of us! Gooble Gobble!” moment, but I gotta say, this time traveling lesbian theory is very appealing to me. Mostly because I want to be one.
wishing you were one is the code that makes you one. congratulations blackmar!
Erin, I feel like this is deeply connected to Carol II: Tokyo Drift (A Good Day 2 Carol Hard)
this movie has it all
Fun fact one of the Record Store Lesbians is played by a theater professor at my university–the first college professor I ever had. She is this intimidating in real life, and has a sick collection of queer feminist clothing
which one!!
Maybe they’re from the Legends of Tomorrow time bureau? I totally believe Ava Sharp would have a whole team of lesbians at her disposal.
I’m a little late to the Carol party, but I was just made aware of the song “Carol” by Jen Cloher.
Actual lyrics include the line “every state has a Waterloo
Hotel room to remind me of you
Terrifying pleasure”
Yes, this is not entirely relevant to today’s topic, but I needed to share this information with people who care!
Looking forward to the chemistry between Cate Blanchett and Jodie Whittaker in the Carol / Doctor Who crossover
You know you are deep down the Carol rabbit hole when you enter the phase where you start thinking that time travel conspiracies are somehow involved.
Clearly those two are up to no good. I think they should go back to Union City and 1958 through the portal from whence they came.
Maybe I missed it or maybe you’re saving it for last but just in case, here is a link to a fabulous Kate McKinnon tribute/parody-
Sorry to be annoyingly picky but the version of “You Belong to Me” in the car/tunnel scene in the movie was actually performed by “Helen Foster and the Rovers”. Which apparently was the original version before Jo Staffords rendition.
But Jo Staffords version was more popular and I actually prefer it to the original.