Review of The Swinger (1966) by Chris G — 23 Nov 2009

Let's just get the main part over with: The Swinger isn't a particularly good film, but it is bad in so many intriguing ways that if you have the time, you should at least give it a chance. Frankly, I'm surprised it is on the Flixster list; I've looked for it in the past to no avail. Anyway, about the movie:

1) This was back in the era when Ann-Margaret tended to let her breasts and hair do most of the acting. If that appeals to you, as it did to me when I was younger, this movie will be right up your alley.

2) Did you know that most of those crazy California beatniks in the mid 60's tended to be wholesome kids from the Midwest who favored pastels, showered and did their laundry regularly and got along great with authority figures? Yeah, caught me by surprise as well. I suspect this was the movie that finally drove Charles Manson over the edge.

3) Apparently, the sexual fantasies of most men in the mid 60's were pretty much ripped from the pages of Playboy's down market competitors.

4) The only thing I ended up coveting at the end of the movie is Tony Franciosa's sweet convertible, made when no body gave a rat's ass about gas mileage or air quality.

5) Playing with film speeds isn't as funny as the director thinks.

A cultural artifact from another age. For fun, pretend it's a lost episode of The Beverly Hillbillies (the film's exact contemporary) and guess when Jethro will show up or Mr. Drysdale might drive by.