THE DROWNING POOL (1975) ¢ ¢ ¢ 1/2
D: Stuart Rosenberg
Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa,
Murray Hamilton, Melanie Griffith, Gail Strickland
Richard Jaeckel, Linda Haynes, Coral Browne,
Andy Robinson, Helena Kallianotes, Leigh French
Los Angeles private eye Lew Harper (Paul Newman) drops down in New Orleans, where he's soon up to his neck in greed, deceit, corruption and murder. This was Newman's second outing as Harper, the detective created (as Lew Archer) by mystery novelist Ross Macdonald. The story's a little complicated. Mrs. Newman plays Harper's client, the unhappy wife of a millionaire. Murray Hamilton plays a flamboyant oilman. Richard Jaeckel's a corrupt cop. Melanie Griffith plays a nymphet who could give Lolita a run for her money. Andy Robinson plays (what else?) a psycho. Somebody's guilty of homicide, but who? It all gets kind of crazy toward the end, but these folks are kind of crazy, anyway. The cinematography's by Gordon Willis, who wasn't called the prince of darkness for nothing. Take a look.
