The Drowning Pool

Burbank, CA: Warner Brothers / First Artists / Coleytown / Turman-Foster, 1974. Revised Final Shooting script for the 1974 film.

Based on the 1950 Lew Archer novel by Ross Macdonald. Private investigator Harper returns in this sequel to the eponymous 1966 film, investigating a blackmail plot in a Louisiana bayou, where he finds himself in between an ex-lover, an oil tycoon, and the local police. In this early draft of the script Paul Newman's character is named Lew Ryan, perhaps evidence that the production did not begin as a direct sequel to "Harper," but simply as an adaptation of the source material.

Set in Louisiana, and shot there on location.

Blue studio wrappers. Title page present, dated September 16, 1974, noted as FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT, with credits for screenwriter Keenan Wynn and novelist Ross Macdonald. 128 leaves, with last page of text numbered 130. Xerographic duplication, rectos only, with pink, yellow, goldenrod, and green revision pages throughout, dated variously between 9/30/74 and 10/6/74. Pages and wrapper Near Fine, bound with two gold brads.

Grant US. Silver and Ward Neo-Noir. Spicer US Neo-Noir.

[Book #160151]