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The Drowning Pool Movie Review Summary

Actors: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Murray Hamilton, Melanie Griffith, Richard Jaeckel, Gail Strickland

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Drowning Pool


Directed by Stuart Rosenberg in 1975. Private eye Lew Harper has just arrived in New Orleans. He meets Iris Devereaux, one of his former girl-friends, who asks him to find the man who's sending anonymous letters about her infidelities to her husband. The Devereaux family is under the dominating and wealthy Olivia Devereaux's heel. Her son James, married to Iris, is a failed homosexual writer, and her granddaughter Schuyler Devereaux, 18 years old, is having sex with Pat Reavis, the chauffeur of the family who's just been fired by Iris.
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Harper starts his investigation and is soon contacted by Mavis Kilbourne, the owner of an important oil company, who'd like Harper to convince the hard-edged Olivia to sell him some land with its oil reserves. The next day, Olivia is found dead in the swamps, murdered. Although all the evidences show that the chauffeur Pat Reavis is guilty, Harper goes on with his investigations, finds Reavis in New Orleans, and learns that the chauffeur is also hunted by Kilbourne from whom he stole a note-book containing proofs of the corruption of local politicians.

Pat Reavis is soon killed by masked men and Harper kidnapped by Kilbourne who locks the detective in a former mental institution, now deserted. Harper escapes and Kilbourne is murdered by his own wife Mavis. When Harper comes back to the Devereaux's, he finds the family mourning the death of Iris who's just committed suicide. The detective, in the company of Police Lt. Broussard, will then try to find out who killed Olivia Devereaux and, above all, why.
The review of this Movie prepared by Daniel Staebler



Script Analysis of The Drowning Pool

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Actual chase scenes or violence 30%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 50%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 20% How difficult to spot villain?    -   Somewhat obvious Time/Era of Movie:    -   1960's-1970's Murder Mystery?    -   Yes What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot?    -   30% Kind of mystery?    -   hard boiled/private eye

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   private investigator Age:    -   40's-50's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White (American)

Setting

United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Deep South City?    -   Yes City:    -   New Orleans Misc setting    -   fancy mansion

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   moderately messy visuals of dead Sex/nudity in movie?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only    -   kissing Kind of violence:    -   guns Unusual forms of death    -   perforation--bullets Is this movie based on a    -   book

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