The Drowning Pool *** (1975, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Melanie Griffith, Tony Franciosa, Murray Hamilton, Richard Jaeckel, Coral Browne) – Classic Movie Review 2,935

The 1975 mystery thriller film The Drowning Pool stars Paul Newman, reprising his role as Ross MacDonald’s cynical private eye Lew Harper in the sequel to his 1966 hit Harper [The Moving Target].

Director Stuart Rosenberg’s 1975 American mystery thriller film The Drowning Pool stars Paul Newman, who reprises his role as Ross MacDonald’s cynical private eye Lew Harper (Archer in the novels) in an acceptable, loose sequel to his far superior 1966 hit Harper (aka The Moving Target).

Nevertheless, The Drowning Pool is a smart whodunit, with some tense scenes and a fascinating cast on good form. However, the plotting is poor and director Rosenberg’s pacing is slack in a movie that, even at a comfortable 108 minutes, is too long for the material. Three top screen-writers – Tracy Keenan Wynn, Lorenzo Semple Jr and Walter Hill – don’t quite make it work in a smooth, polished way.

Joanne Woodward plays Iris, the New Orleans wife who calls in Harper (Newman) after her husband James (Richard Derr) gets a blackmail letter claiming that she has been unfaithful to him.

Gordon Willis’s sleek Technicolor cinematography and Paul Sylbert’s classy production designs are very evident assets in a generally extremely fine production.

The film is based on Ross Macdonald’s 1950 novel The Drowning Pool, with its setting changed from Southern California to Louisiana, apparently on the suggestion of Joanne Woodward, who thought it would be something different.

Walter Hill did the first script draft, trying ‘to toughen up the material and put a little more muscle in Lew Archer’s pants.’ The studio and the producers disagreed, but Hill said: ‘I thought going in the direction they wanted with the script was a highway to dullsville so I more or less jumped ship.’

After Paul Newman agreed to star, Lorenzo Semple Jr rewrote the script, then later Tracy Keenan Wynn worked on it.

The Drowning Pool is Melanie Griffith’s film début, playing Woodward’s sexy daughter Schuyler. It also stars Tony Franciosa, Murray Hamilton, Gail Strickland, Linda Haynes, Richard Jaeckel, Andy Robinson and Coral Browne.

Also in the cast are Paul Koslo, Joe Canutt, Helena Kallianiotes, Leigh French, Peter Dassinger, James Fontenot, Tommy McLain, Train Band, Martin Ahrens, Philippe Blenet, Jerome Greene and Cecil Elliott.

The film features Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox’s song ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ playing in the background of several scenes. Roberta Flack is best known for her love ballad ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’, released in 1969. It was a tribute to American Pie singer Don McLean.

Newman said: ‘A character like Harper is very easy. It’s great fun to get up in the morning and play Harper.”

The film was shot in late 1974, with location filming in Lake Charles, Lafayette and New Orleans, and was released on July 10, 1975.

The cast

The cast are Paul Newman as Lew Harper, Joanne Woodward as Iris Devereaux, Richard Derr as James Devereaux, Anthony Franciosa (credited as Tony Franciosa) as Chief Broussard, Murray Hamilton as J Hugh Kilbourne, Gail Strickland as Mavis Kilbourne, Melanie Griffith as Schuyler Devereaux, Linda Haynes as Gretchen, Andre Trottier as Hydrotherapist, Richard Jaeckel as Lieutenant Franks, Paul Koslo as Candy, Joe Canutt as Glo, Andrew Robinson (credited as Andy Robinson) as Pat Reavis, Coral Browne as Olivia Devereaux, and Helena Kallianiotes as Elaine Reavis.

Lorenzo Semple Jr and Gordon Willis both died in 2014.

Lorenzo Elliott Semple III (March 27, 1923 – March 28, 2014)

Gordon Hugh Willis Jr (May 28, 1931 – May 18, 2014)

RIP Oscar and Grammy-winning lyricist Norman Gimbel, who died on 19 December 2018 in Santa Barbara, California. Norma Rae (1979) won an Oscar for Best Original Song ‘It Goes Like It Goes’ for David Shire (music) and Norman Gimbel (lyrics), sung by Jennifer Warnes.

RIP Roberta Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025), who had chart-topping singles with ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ and ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’.

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© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,935

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