La Piscine movie storyline. The failing writer Jean-Paul (Alain Delon) and his lover Marianne (Romy Schneider) are together for more than two years and spending vacation in a mansion in Saint-Tropez that belongs to a friend of them. They spend most of the time in the swimming pool that is the main attraction of the real estate. Jean-Paul is an insecure man and tried to commit suicide because of the reviews of his last novel but is now recovered.
When the composer Harry (Maurice Ronet), who had been Marianne’s lover for four years, calls her and tells that he is passing by Saint-Tropez with his teenage daughter Pénélope (Jane Birkin), she invites them to come to the mansion to stay with Jean-Paul and her. Soon Harry woos Marianne trying to rekindle their former relationship and there is a tension in the house. Jean-Paul does not react and seduces Pénélope instead, which discloses the true feelings of Harry towards him.
One night, Harry comes back late night drunk and argues with Jean-Paul, calling him a loser. However he falls in the swimming pool and Jean-Paul does not let him leave the water. Harry is drowned by Jean-Paul who forges a situation indicating that Harry has accidentally died. However the smart Inspector Lévêque does not buy the evidences of accident. What will happen to Jean-Paul?
La Piscine (The Swimming Pool) is a 1969 Italian – French psychological thriller film directed by Jacques Deray, starring Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Maurice Ronet and Jane Birkin. Set in summertime on the Côte d’Azur, it is a drama of sexual jealousy and possessiveness. Both French and English-language versions of the film were made, with the actors filmed speaking English for the international release, which was unusual at a time when movies were always either dubbed or subtitled. That 114-minute international release, shorter than the French version, also had a slightly different editing.
The filming began August 19 and finished October 19, 1968. French designer André Courrèges created many custom pieces for the film, such as the swimsuits worn by Schneider and Birkin. It was the first of the nine films Delon and director Jacques Deray made together, and the only one the star didn’t produce. It also marked the onscreen reunion of Delon and Romy Schneider, his co-star in Christine (1958) and romantic partner in 1958 – 1963.
It was during the making of this film that the Markovic Affair broke out. The body of Stevan Markovic, Delon’s bodyguard, was discovered in a public dump in the village of Élancourt, Yvelines, on October 1, 1968.
It was the fourth most popular movie at the French box office in 1969. The movie was released in the UK as The Sinners to limited box office response. It was released in Italy with twenty minutes cut out, but was a popular success.
La Piscine (1969)
Directed by: Jacques Deray
Starring: Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Maurice Ronet, Jane Birkin, Paul Crauchet, Suzie Jaspard, Maddly Bamy, Thierry Chabert, Steve Eckardt, Ruth Price, Stéphanie Fugain
Screenplay by: Jean-Claude Carrière, Jacques Deray
Production Design by: Paul Laffargue
Cinematography by: Jean-Jacques Tarbès
Film Editing by: Paul Cayatte
Costume Design by: André Courrèges
Makeup Department: Mariel Bernard, Fernande Hugi
Music by: Michel Legrand
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (France)
Release Date: January 31, 1969
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