give it both knees

[vitalinew]

give it both knees [?]

Context:
“I thought the character I played in Ace in the Hole was too rough. ‘Billy, don’t you think I should come on a little softer, a little more charming to make him sympathetic, make the audience care about him?’ Kirk Douglas asked, “But he said, ‘Give it both knees. Right from the beginning.’ I did.”

[tram801]

Смирись, покорись,ИМХО

[sledopyt]

It doesn't seem like a common expression. My wild guess is that the expression might use the analogy with horseback riding when you squeeze the horse with both knees to make it do something. In the given context, it could mean push it to the limit, play it rough.

[tram801]

Я и имел в виду, что не стоит менять манеру игры, типа оставь как есть. Ну, типа, забей на это. И причем раз и навсегда, с самого начала. Хотя, може, я и не прав, голова раскалывается, всё эта подлая метеочувствительность(((

[vitalinew]

Спасибо большое. Аналогия с ездой на лошади действительно многое проясняет. Я бы никогда до этого не додумался.

p.s нашел еще контекст (опять Билли Уайлдер)

"...But I think The Exorcist is good, riveting picturemaking. I also think that once you make up your mind to make a picture like this you've got to give it both knees, because it is not going to be in great taste or very subtle. I you do it, then do it. That's Sam Peckinpah's technique, the man who gives it three knees."

:)))

Thank you very much, sledopyt and tram801 !