The Sweet Ride (1968)

When a beautiful young woman (Jacqueline Bisset) is found on a Malibu highway brutally beaten after being thrown from a car, a tennis bum (Anthony Franciosa) and a surfer (Michael Sarrazin) are questioned by the police. In flashbacks, we find out what events lead to the tragic incident. Based on the novel by William Murray and directed by Harvey Hart (FORTUNE AND MEN'S EYES). It's a mess of a movie! As I've said before, nothing dates a movie like topicality and this movie goes into overdrive in being "with it" and "hip" with surfers, bikers and disenfranchised youth. All of its characters are rather slimy or creepy. After small roles in movies like TWO FOR THE ROAD and CASINO ROYALE both 1967, this was Jacqueline Bisset's first leading role in a major film and while she's drop dead gorgeous, this is the kind of movie that sabotages a young actress's future. Fortunately, her two follow up films (THE DETECTIVE, BULLITT) were much better and THE SWEET RIDE was quickly forgotten. The title song is sung by Dusty Springfield. With Bob Denver, Michele Carey, Michael Wilding, Warren Stevens, Norma Crane, Arthur Franz and Percy Rodriguez.