The Swimming Pool (1969)

Lovers Marianne and Jean-Paul spend their vacation in a villa on the French Riviera near St-Tropez. Marianne invites her former lover, Harry, and his teenage daughter to stay. Tension rises between them, especially when Jean-Paul seduces Penelope.

Director:

Jacques Deray

Writers:

Jean-Claude Carrière (adaptation), Jacques Deray (adaptation)

Stars:

Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Maurice Ronet

Cast

Credited cast:
Alain Delon	...	Jean-Paul
Romy Schneider	...	Marianne
Maurice Ronet	...	Harry
Jane Birkin	...	Pénélope
Paul Crauchet	...	L'inspecteur Lévêque
Suzie Jaspard	...	Emilie
Maddly Bamy	...	La mulâtre qui danse (as Madlybamy)
Thierry Chabert	...	Un ami
Steve Eckardt	...	Fred (as Steve Eckart)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ruth Price	...	Singer

Storyline

Lovers Marianne and Jean-Paul spend their vacation in a villa near St.-Tropez. The main feature of the villa is a swimming pool, stage for most of the action. After a visit Marianne invites former lover Harry and his teenage daughter Penelope to stay. Tension between the grown-ups rises especially when Jean-Paul seduces Penelope. The consequences are deadly.

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Plot Keywords:

sunbathing | female nudity | saint tropez france | tension | vacation | 

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Taglines:

The first one out is in...the last one out is dead!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

The fourth of five films in which Alain Delon and Romy Schneider appeared together between 1958 and 1972. The first was Christine (1958).

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Goofs

A body of someone that has just drowned does not float on water. Only after the decaying process has started and gases build up in the body does the body float to the surface.

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Quotes

Jean-Paul: You talk a lot about the others, but never a word about Harry.
Marianne: Because there's nothing to tell.

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Alternate Versions

Spanish ending. A short shot of about 20 sec is added at the end for moral reasons: high angle on Inspector Levêque stopping his car in front of the house, followed by a police van.

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Connections

Referenced in Romy (2009)

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Soundtracks

Piège à Reflets
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Michel Legrand
Solo Violin by Stéphane Grappelli

User Reviews

lots under the surface but only eye candy above

And what eye candy - Alain Delon.

"La Piscine" is about two impossibly beautiful people in various stages of undress having a lot of foreplay. Or so it seems. Jean- Paul (Delon) and his lover (or wife, not sure) Marianne (Romy Schneider) are vacationing in a friend's mansion in Saint-Tropez. Lots of sun, making out, and swimming.

Marianne's ex-beau, Harry (Maurice Ronet) calls to say he's in the area, and Marianne invites him and his nubile daughter Penelope (Jane Birkin) to stay with him.

It's obvious that Harry still desires Marianne, so there is automatic tension. Then Jean-Paul seduces Penelope. Soon tension leads to something worse.

"La Piscine" is a typical foreign film - the ideas are sometimes obtuse, and it moves slowly. It's also too long by as much as a half hour. It's hard to concentrate on the plot because the beauty of the stars, Delon and Schneider, and their incredible chemistry overwhelm the story - to the extent that one doesn't really understand Jean- Paul's attraction to Penelope.

What erupts is the suppressed anger of the once-suicidal Jean-Paul, the competitiveness between him and Harry, and Harry's jealous possession of his daughter, whom he only recently met. As Penelope says, he likes to have her travel with him because people often think she's his mistress.

Schneider and Delon were a famous real-life couple but had broken up about five years earlier. Their chemistry is undeniable, and it's heartbreaking to think about what happened to her. Both actors give very "movie" performances - nothing overplayed, many subtle, nonverbal reactions. All of the acting is good, and the conflict scene between Harry and Jean-Paul is excellent.

"La Piscine" is considered a classic, but I believe many Americans had a hard time with it due to its languid pace and a tendency to look for action rather than psychology. Enjoy it for the beautiful photography and beautiful actors, if nothing else.

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French English

Release Date:

August 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Swimming Pool

Filming Locations:

Aéroport Nice-Côte d'Azur - Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,989

Company Credits

Production Co:

Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC), Tritone Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1