Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

JohnHowardReid A Coleytown, Inc./Turman-Foster Production, filmed on locations in Louisiana and California. Released through Warner Bros: July 1975. U.K. release: September 1975. Sydney opening at the Ascot. 108 minutes. SYNOPSIS: This sequel to "Harper" (1966) is set in New Orleans. This time, private detective Lew Archer (re-named Harper for the movies) answers the urgent call of a former romantic involvement (Joanne Woodward), who claims she is being blackmailed. Soon Newman-Harper is up against a bevy of unsavory characters. — L.J.Q.NOTES: MacDonald's first Lew Archer novel "The Moving Target" (1949) was filmed in 1966. This sequel was adapted from the second Archer novel, but any plans Hollywood may have made for big-screening the rest of MacDonald's work was shelved when this movie failed to click with either critics or public. Nonetheless, the film was actually nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America, losing out in the voting to "Three Days of the Condor" (also co-scripted by Lorenzo Semple, Jr). COMMENT: How did the wide-wide anamorphic screen fare in the mid- 1970s? Not too well, if this film is any indication. Director Stuart Rosenberg fails to utilize Scope at all in the dialogue scenes, relying instead on lots of clumsy, TV-style close-ups. He doesn't make much use of the movie's real locations either. The result is simply that "The Drowning Pool" almost completely misses the ambiance and atmosphere of a Ross MacDonald novel.Admittedly, Rosenberg is not alone in his failure. The photographer, the composer, even the production designer offer little help. Fortunately the action spots are powerfully handled. Also on the credit side, are some compelling performances. True, Franciosa is unconvincing, but the rest of the support cast plays far more credibly. In fact, mark down especially forceful delineations from Richard Jaeckel and the three girls in the plot: Linda Haynes, Melanie Griffith and Gail Strickland. Alas, Murray Hamilton exaggerates the villainy, whilst Joanne Woodward is a little too mysteriously bland. However, here's Paul Newman playing Paul Newman again (or at least the smart talking "Cool Hand Luke" Paul Newman), and doing same with charm and effectiveness.OTHER VIEWS: The script meanders from one crisis to another. The direction is equally perfunctory, and the stars generate few sparks. The aura is that of a long, routine TV mystery melodrama... The film is mostly a tepid collection of clichés. — William Wolf in "Cue".

barney_holmes Like a lot of the films that I enjoy, The Drowning Pool can be watched on two levels. It's a Bogart'ish, Nior'ish mystery thriller with only a few lines that come off as maybe trying to be too clever. But that is well balanced out by some class acting and story development along with some unusual sleuthing techniques that we see from the Newman character. The characters and morals, the nastiness and the kindness have an authentic stamp of reality about them that compares well with the sentimental sugariness and lack of reality of so many "violent" modern action/thriller films. That in itself is a reason for watching the film; just for the stark contrast with so many creative works today that claim to show "realism".On another level there is much social commentary going on here. The stifling psychological atmosphere lives up well to the title of this piece as we watch people tear themselves and their relationships apart; driven on, of course, by those who have a vested interest in seeing them fail.There is a key scene towards the end of the film that pulls together all the strings at work on this second level.Well worth it if you're prepared to pay attention.

sol1218 (Some Spoilers) With the possible exception of his movie debut as Basil the Sculptor in the bombed out, at the box office, 1954 film "the Silver Chalice" the movie "The Drowning Pool" is one film that the late Paul Newman would most want to forget being in.Follow up to his 1966 hit "Harper" Newman is back as the wisecracking and handsome as a movie star, which in fact he is, cool as a cucumber private eye Lew Harper but in new surroundings. Called from his home base in L.A Harper is hired to go to the Bayou Country by his former lover Iris Devereaux, Joanne Woodward, who's being blackmailed. What exactly Iris is being blackmailed about seemed a bit muddy, like the Southern Louisiana swamps, but according to her it somehow has to do with Iris' just fired chauffeur Pat Reavis, Andy Robinson, who claims-in the blackmail note-that he's got the goods on her! As Harper starts to get some mileage in his investigation he runs into local police Chief Broussard, Anthony Franciosa, who tries to put the cuffs on him at every opportunity. There's also Brossard' second in command the sweaty and high strung Lt. Franks, Richard Jaeckel, who's even more determined to put Harper away then even his neurotic boss, in regards to what's going on in the movie, Chief Broussard!We soon find out that Iris' step-mother Mrs. Olivia Devereaux, Coral Browne, known in these parts as the "Bird Lady" is really the cause to all the problems that both she and her sexy Lolita like 17 year-old daughter Schuyler, Melanie Griffith, are having. It fact it's Schuyler who at first tried to entrap Harper in having sex with her in a local motel which he gentlemanly refused by smacking Schuyler around! We also find out that the very hot to trot Schuyler was, or is still, having a hot and heavy affair with Reavis which may be the reason he's, in revenge for her firing him, blackmailing her mom Iris!The movie "The Drowning Pool" goes on and on with different plot-line thrown into it including Mrs. Olivia Devereaux's land holdings which Oil Barron Kilbourne, Murray Hamilton, whats to get his grubby hands on. It's also Kilbourne who, surprise surprise, the just fired Pat Reavis just happens to be working for. ironically one of the hoods that also works for Kilbourne Candy, Paul Koslo, looks so much like Reavis that for a moment,long after Revis departed from the movie, I though they were one and the same person!****SPOILER**** As you would have expected nothing is what it at first seems to be in a movie like this with the truth in this case being far more believable and logical then what the film tried to make you think it was. The half-a** surprise ending was anything but surprising in that by just observing the body language of the those in the movie it gave itself away within the first ten minutes! Only worth watching because of Paul Newman's super-cool performance as P.I Lew Harper with a really cool sequence towards the end of the movie with Newman, or Lew Harper, and Milbourne's abused wife Marvis, Gail Strickland, almost drowning in and effort to escape from being murdered by Kilbourne and his sidekick Candy in what's to be known as the film's title: "The Drowning Pool".

thinker1691 In 1966 Ross MacDonald's private investigator Lew Harper (Paul Newman) was hired by a wealthy matron to find a missing husband. It is nearly ten years later and we find the Los Angelas detective traveling to Cajun country in the deep south. Upon arriving he is immediately welcomed by Lt. Franks of the local police (Richard Jaeckel, superb performance) by arresting him for child molestation, lewd exposure, sex with Schuyler Devereaux, (Melanie Griffith) an underage girl, carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest. His influential employer, Iris Devereaux (Joanne Woodward) is an old flame from California, whom he had a love interest with six years ago. Now she wants him to discover who sent her a threatening Blackmailing letter. Her protector is the Chief of Police (Anthony Franciosa) who reminds Harper that he will be watching him for the slightest provocation against the family. There is no shortage of villains in this mystery story. Among them is Mr. Kilbourne (Murray Hamilton) a powerful millionaire intent on acquiring the oil rich land the Devereaux's own but won't sell. Pat Reavis (Andrew Robinson) the deject employee who seeks revenge for his dismissal and 'Candy' (Paul Koslo) who's as vicious as the dogs he trains for the arena. Harper plays it close to the vest as he quickly discovers his investigation begins to uncover more family secrets than a closet can hold. All of his efforts produce dead bodies, murder, mayhem, a lost account book and finally a drowning pool which threatens his very life. All in all, a superb movie for cast and characters and one which easily marks this film as a Classic. ****