THE SWINGER (1966)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
Ann-Margret remains one of the most vivacious, electric screen presences of the 60's and beyond. Her star turn in "Bye-Bye Birdie" lead to more serious acting roles in films such as "Carnal Knowledge." What I can't quite fathom is her role in this forgotten 1966 picture called "The Swinger," which is as pointless and boring as one can imagine. It is essentially a promo for Ann-Margret as a physical, sexy presence, nothing more.
Ann plays an ambitious writer named Kelly Ollson who is seeking to publish a profile on swingers in a Playboy-type magazine headed by the handsomely rich Ric Colby (Tony Franciosa). Of course, she is rejected by Ric since she is too innocent to be a swinger herself. At this point, I found it silly to believe that Ann-Margret would be considered remotely innocent by anyone but never mind. Kelly decides to prove she is a swinger to get the job, or so I figured. She has her body painted in an outrageous pseudo orgy and does a photo montage in various styles of dress, though there is barely any nudity to be found. She also proves to be an amoral drunk just to convince him she is a swinger! Ric is mesmerized by her and falls in love, seeing that she is sweetly innocent after all.
"The Swinger" is purpotedly a romantic sex farce but we mostly get older men chasing women in offices, endless and unfunny sexist jokes, and Ann posing lovingly before the camera not to mention acting like a complete fool when the screenplay requires her to. Oh, and there is a teaser ending that is as stupidly unconvicing as they come, and some fast-motion shots of Ann riding a motorcycle sans a helmet.
"The Swinger" is excruciating to watch from beginning to end, serving as neither entertainment nor as a pop culture curio. Directed by George Sidney, who helmed the similarly awful "Viva Las Vegas," this is as empty-headed and clueless as they come bearing little charisma and zero laughs. At least, the stunning opening sequence is a keeper in the pop culture time capsule as we see Ann singing the title song in a tight black jumpsuit while sitting on a trampoline. The brief title sequence offers more pizazz and sexual energy than the rest of this lifeless film.
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