(Spoiler)
So what do you think ultimately became of Rick? Do you think he regretted turning down the job selling Porsches? Do you think he remained a lifeguard for life? Do you think he moved to Santa Cruz, took up with a teenage vegan, and made a comfortable living raising organic produce? Or something else entirely?
After posing in the nude for a Playgirl centerfold, Rick Carlson became something of an overnight sensation and he soon parlayed his notoriety into a successful acting career in the porn industry. ("Lifeguards Gone Wild," "Lick My Beach Ball," "Mouth-to-Mouth," "Coming in My Speedos," "Going Down Under the Waves," "Surfboard Slut," etc.)
Seriously, I think Rick's early mid-life crisis gradually faded into an acceptance of life as he wanted to lead it. He stayed in his job as lifeguard for a number of years but then began to pick up part-time work in other fields: bartending, managing a small restaurant, etc. He eventually met a woman to his liking, she moved in with him, they discussed marriage but never quite got around to it, life went on.
Sensibly put, I see it that way too. (The second paragraph, that is!)
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I think he ended up marrying his high school sweetheart and after working a few more years as a lifeguard, he became a lifeguard trainer at a local academy.
There's no doubt in my mind that he was destined to end up doing something where he's educating or helping others, no matter what stage of life he was in.
Rick's an idiot.
He was earning $10K in 1976 dollars ($36K in todays dollars). he had the opportunity to double his salary (to $72K in todays dollars), moved in with Ann Archers character, hotter than any of the other bimbi he hung out with, in her beautiful home. She was running a fancy art gallery. He likely would have made much more than the $72K with Ann Archer siphoning gallery patrons to the porche dealership.
Since she could support the family, he could have banked all of his salary. By 1986, he would have had roughly $150K in the bank (assuming a marginal tax rate of 35%) which he then could have used to buy Microsoft stock with when the company went public in 1986.
By 2000, the stock is worth well over $100 million. At that point her son is out of the house, and Rick and Ann could have been traveling the world and spent as much time on any beach in the world they wanted to. He could have bought his own beach and been the body guard on his own private beach.
Instead, now he is a broken down 65 year old poverty stricken drunk, trying to relive glory days in bars, pathetically attempting to pick up gen X women who laugh in his face. He ends up in prison for exposing himself on the beach to a 15 year old minor. He lives out his days in prison as Reggie's bitch.
I disagree, rjl. You're assuming it's all about money.
Under your scenario, he would've had to waste 24 years of his life -- the prime of his life -- doing crap he didn't want to do. By the time he retired, he'd be old, too old to really enjoy the beach like he could in his younger years.
By staying at the lifeguard job, he instead had 24 years of banging young, hot women, and enjoying his life. He could eventually get a house and have it paid off, and probably move into bartending as he got older. With his happy, self-satisfied personality, he would always be able to swing younger women.
Maybe the choice would be right for you -- but it's not right for him.
[deleted]
You have to remember the era this movie inhabited - all about doing what feels right. And what feels right at 32 is quite different than what feels right at 42 or 52 or whatever.
For comparison, check out the movie or book (but NOT the TV series), "The Paper Chase." After studying and working so hard, Hart simply throws away the mail that reported his grades (while his girlfriend, Professor Kingsfield's daughter, smiles benignly). He threw away a scholarship and a Harvard law education for what was "right."
I figure both guys kicked themselves in the ass later and had to grub out an unhappy existence when neither of them was young or pretty anymore. There's a big difference between between being a lifeguard and being an administrator. If you enjoy one, it doesn't follow you'll enjoy the other. Seems like he didn't like anything that smacked too much of work.
But oh, those breathtaking "do your own thing" 1970s.
Samantha
"We're here. We're dead. Get used to it."
Off Topic:
Samantha: I have to disagree with your inerpretation of the ending to The Paper Chase. I don't think he throws away a scholarship and his Harvard Law education. He tosses the letter away, not because he's quitting law school, but because he's decided it's not going to take over his life anymore. Through the whole movie he's obsessed with school and espcially his instructor - to the point of being a total douchebag. He knows he got a good grade, but before, he would have ripped open the letter to see what it was, but he's not that guy anymore. And that's what him throwing the letter away shows imo.
Exactly. He didn't quit law school, he just realized his own knowledge/mastery of the law was more important than the grade the professor decided to give him.
I also don't believe he was on scholarship.
Great movie Warped! Saw this on cable the other night.
I say he's a forest ranger.
Hello, Zurichpoet! It is indeed a terrific film, both for the plot and the feeling it evokes.
He could well be a forest ranger, and a volunteer firefighter on the side.
Hello!
Made me think of a cousin. She was a lifeguard, in Orange County (outside LA, south of it?). People gave her guff about "not growing up". She went to go guard trees and suddenly was considered mature.
Save human lives = childish.
Save trees = adult.
Don't know what that says about "society". And I heard the medical is better for the latter too....
Yes, Orange County is pretty much suburban L.A., without all the smog or celebrities (though there's plenty of both these days).
Lifeguards unfortunately have a bad rap, just like taxi drivers, male nurses and shopping-mall security guards. There is honor in all professions, just as there's the occasional debit to the field.
I suspect the benefits were weaker for lifeguards than for forest rangers because they were seen as expendable jocks, and hey, they get to work on the beach all day so why would they complain? Just like selling trendy sports cars no one needs would be a step "up" for Rick.
Was her tower. I see why people were jealous, I mean, wanted her to errr, grow up!
http://ocmomblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DSC01478.jpg
Rick didn't have a bad situation at all. He was a county worker with a degree as he mentioned and likely could've eventually moved up to a supervisory position within the county. Add in he likely would've gotten a real nice public pension paid by the taxpayers when he retired.
Today, that situation is what a lot of people look for...a gravy government job.
Exactly!
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