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A Movie A Day: Quint watches HARPER sequel THE DROWNING POOL (1975)
Harper Days Are Here Again



Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. Yesterday we talked about HARPER (1966) and today we have the sequel THE DROWNING POOL starring 1970s Paul Newman. I love 1970s Paul Newman, specifically for his work in THE STING. He’s a little more beat up, a little more rough around the edges in this era and it shows through in THE DROWNING POOL.

I was a little disappointed in the movie, to be honest. It’s not a bad movie, that’s for sure, but missing is the fire that Newman’s first run at the character had. It also felt a lot more muddled and confused than its predecessor.

However, I did feel the movie was worth the watch. One, it was great seeing Murray Hamilton, Mayor Vaughn himself, playing the main baddie the same year as his iconic sleazeball turn in JAWS. It was also good being reminded that Melanie Griffith was gorgeous in her youth.

In this flick, Griffith plays a Lolita-esque seducer and daughter of Joanne Woodward, Newman’s real life wife. Woodward ain’t bad, either, but everything that felt alive in the first movie felt flat to me in this one.

The cinematography, the script, the acting, the mystery… they all felt flat.

I missed having a femme fatale like Bacall, I missed the heart that Janet Leigh brought to the first flick. I missed the spark Newman had in the first film.

That said, the centerpiece of the film, Harper trapped in a flooding room, is very effective and the whole thing was worth the time if only to bask in Murray Hamilton chew the scenery.

Here are the titles for the coming week:

Wednesday, June 4th: PAPILLON (1973)

Thursday, June 5th: GUN CRAZY (aka DEADLY IS THE FEMALE) (1950)

Friday, June 6th: NEVER SO FEW (1959)

Saturday, June 7th: A HOLE IN THE HEAD (1959)

Sunday, June 8th: SOME CAME RUNNING (1958)

Monday, June 9th: RIO BRAVO (1959)

Tuesday, June 10th: POINT BLANK (1967)

What was your take on DROWNING POOL? What did you think? Let’s keep up the discussion in the talkbacks below.



Tomorrow we jump from THE DROWNING POOL to PAPILLON via writer Lorenzo Semple Jr. (who co-wrote DP with Walter Hill and Tracy Keenan Wynn) and trade in Paul Newman for Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. See you folks then.

-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com



Previous Movies:

June 2nd: Harper

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Reader Talkback

first???
by listo65
Jun 4th, 2008
12:51:50 AM
I mean...
by listo65
Jun 4th, 2008
12:52:52 AM
Done For Cash, I Would Bet
by georges garvaren
Jun 4th, 2008
12:54:46 AM
His real life wife at the time?
by Phloton
Jun 4th, 2008
01:00:56 AM
Phlton
by Quint
Jun 4th, 2008
01:09:17 AM
Don't change it because of Phloton, Quint.
by Talkbacker with no name
Jun 4th, 2008
01:55:42 AM
Let the bodies hit the floo...
by SlickyVonBoner
Jun 4th, 2008
01:59:13 AM
Nobody's Fool
by But anyway
Jun 4th, 2008
02:40:36 AM
Pretty average
by scruffytbk
Jun 4th, 2008
03:54:13 AM
THE CLOCK TOWER IS FINE!
by DocBosch
Jun 4th, 2008
04:44:26 AM
Yackbacker...
by TheRealMoriarty
Jun 4th, 2008
04:53:27 AM
I enjoyed this movie
by The Great One
Jun 4th, 2008
05:18:30 AM
Boorman's abrupt endings always catch me off-guard.
by Knuckleduster
Jun 4th, 2008
05:34:09 AM
Fuck you again Lovefilm.
by jpdisco
Jun 4th, 2008
07:36:55 AM
Lee Marvin squats on the world and releases
by Stuntcock Mike
Jun 4th, 2008
08:39:35 AM
Here's the thing...
by loogenhausen
Jun 4th, 2008
08:51:22 AM
Murray Hamilton.
by BrandonGK
Jun 4th, 2008
09:58:19 AM
Not Surprised, SHOCKED!!!
by Rustle
Jun 4th, 2008
10:10:51 AM
Okay, I'll confess
by Rustle
Jun 4th, 2008
10:18:17 AM
Point Blank will KICK YOUR ASS!
by LaneMyersClassic
Jun 4th, 2008
10:23:09 AM
jpdisco
by Knuckleduster
Jun 4th, 2008
10:54:08 AM
knuckleduster
by jpdisco
Jun 4th, 2008
11:32:43 AM
Harper's on HDnet Movies Friday the 6th
by Frightreviews
Jun 4th, 2008
12:07:03 PM
Papillon is going to rock your #$%* off!
by Snotfarmer
Jun 4th, 2008
12:14:44 PM
Didn't their lead singer die?
by Alkeoholic77
Jun 4th, 2008
01:13:32 PM
I agree "Drowning Pool" not on the same level as "Harper"
by dannyocean
Jun 4th, 2008
02:51:10 PM
loogen
by Quint
Jun 4th, 2008
03:05:07 PM
Melanie Griffith is one of the sexiest actresses ever
by BigTuna
Jun 4th, 2008
08:00:30 PM
Pic: "Ha ha haaa -- I live in a trailer park!"
by MrMysteryGuest
Jun 4th, 2008
08:39:05 PM
Melanie Griffith Really Worked The Lolita Act In Her Early Films
by Red Dawn Don
Jun 6th, 2008
02:37:47 AM
reminded me of Fletch
by WernerBrandes
Jun 17th, 2008
01:01:34 AM
GIVE ME THE AMULET, YOU BITCH!!!!
by DRACULA_WANTS_THE_AMULET
Jul 5th, 2008
10:52:51 PM

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