Private detective Lew Harper (Paul Newman) of Los Angeles investigates a threat in Louisiana bayou country against an old flame of his, Iris Devereaux (Joanne Woodward). Iris is worried that her ex-chauffeur will tell her husband that she has been cheating on him. The story also involves Iris’ daughter Schuyler (Melanie Griffith) and Iris’ mother-in-law Olivia in several interesting sub-plots.

Harper is caught up in a power struggle between Olivia, the owner of the valuable, oil-rich Devereux estate, and oil tycoon Jay Hue Kilbourne (Murray Hamilton), while local police authority Broussard (Anthony Franciosa) has a personal interest in the family and wants the private eye gone.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/-SIE4ZmeBEA?si=dNkm73MAhm4Gy_1h&t=705]

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents The Drowning Pool with a tremendous 1080p master transfer in 2.39:1 sourced from a 2K scan of the Interpositive. This follow-up to Harper is something of a different animal as we transition from the ‘60s to the ‘70s, and we go from the bright City of Angels to the moody swamp of Louisiana. Warner Archive continues its hot streak as this release translates the material perfectly on disc. One of the most troublesome aspects could have been cinematographer Gordon Willis’s distinctly atmospheric cinematography, but the black levels hold firm without giving into crush. Highlights are likewise never an issue.

The film features some rich colors within the setting and outfits that show up on screen in a formidable manner. Every sequence delivers detail and clarity that greatly enhances the visual palette. The presentation retains the natural film grain which allows for texture in the image. The film does not showcase any bit of damage or dirt throughout. Compression artifacts, banding, and other such anomalies do not pop up as an issue in this transfer. Warner Archive always leaves us happy.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a remastered DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that presents this film effortlessly with a blemish-free sonic experience. There is no obvious age-related wear and tear to the track such as hissing, dropouts, or popping. Dialogue and background elements are balanced favorably along with the appropriate score. Dialogue emanates clearly with no elements drowning out any exchanges. The kinetic moments are handled admirably and give the track a bit of energy. Warner Archive has lived up to its normal level of quality. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Harper Days Are Here Again: An 11-minute vintage featurette is provided here that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the production of this follow-up along with interviews with the creative team. A lot of the focus is on the character of Harper, how Newman embodies him, and some of the ambitious stunts.

Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Drowning Pool is a worthy follow-up for this character as Paul Newman slips into the role with ease after nearly a decade. The location is different, but the tone and narrative play within a familiar realm. The mystery gets somewhat convoluted by the end, but the story itself is pretty satisfying and often quite thrilling. In terms of pure entertainment value, this may even edge out the original entry. Warner Archive has released a stellar Blu-Ray that sports a great A/V presentation and a sparse selection of special features. If you are a Paul Newman fan, this one is worth a watch. Recommended

The Drowning Pool can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.