The Swimming Pool
Seen it?1969 | 123 min | Drama, Thriller
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Silence of the Lambs or Dial M for Murder, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 3 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1969: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Set in a magnificent villa near a sun-drenched St. Tropez, lovers Jean-Paul and Marianne are spending a happy, lazy summer holiday. Their only concern is to gratify their mutual passion - until the day when Marianne invites her former lover and his beautiful teenage daughter to spend a few days with them. From the first moment, a certain uneasiness and tension begin to develop between the four, which soon escalates in a dangerous love-game.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 122K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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Dial M for Murder Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed thriller.
Klute Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed thriller.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Jacques Deray
- Alain DelonJean-Paul
- Romy SchneiderMarianne
- Maurice RonetHarry
- Jane BirkinPenelope
- Paul CrauchetL'inspecteur Lévêque
- Suzie JaspardEmilie
- Maddly BamyLa mulâtre
- Thierry ChabertUn ami
- Steve EckardtFred
- Ruth PriceSinger (uncredited)