Deep End (1970)

Mike, a troubled 15-year-old dropout, lands a job at a public bathhouse located in East London. This new position marks a significant turning point in his life, where he hopes to find direction and purpose despite his tumultuous past.

At the bathhouse, Mike meets Susan, his co-worker who is ten years his senior. Susan's playful nature and duality of affection and manipulation deeply intrigue Mike, leaving him both enchanted and confused.

Mike's initiation into the job is unconventional, as a female client provocatively engages him in suggestive banter involving a famous football legend, George Best. This experience sets the tone for Mike's introduction to the complex dynamics of adult interactions within the bathhouse.

Despite the chaos of his job, Mike finds himself increasingly infatuated with Susan. He grapples with the painful realization that she is engaged to Chris, a wealthy young man, complicating his emotional state and desire for her affection.

Mike learns that Susan is cheating on Chris with his former physical education teacher. This revelation fills Mike with jealousy and propels him to take action by following Susan and attempting to disrupt her dates.

During one of his stalking missions, Mike confronts Susan at an adult movie theater, resulting in a tumultuous scene. Although his emotions are high, Susan manages to maintain a sarcastic demeanor, both annoyed and intrigued by Mike's actions.

After relentless teasing from his peers and an accident where Susan damages Mike's bicycle, the tension between them escalates further. However, Mike's feelings for Susan persist despite the lack of mutual understanding.

In a desperate attempt to symbolize his affection, Mike retrieves a life-sized cutout of a stripper resembling Susan. When he confronts her with it on the London Underground, it spirals into a bizarre yet emotionally charged exchange.

Mike creates chaos during a foot race organized by the physical education teacher. His actions lead to vandalism and further escalate tensions between him and Susan, propelling their volatile relationship toward a breaking point.

Following a heated argument, Susan accidentally loses a diamond from her engagement ring, prompting them to return to the bathhouse for recovery. In a frantic rush, they utilize electrical wiring to heat a kettle, showcasing the desperation of the moment.

In a moment of intense emotion, Mike finds the diamond but challenges Susan to undress before returning it. This request leads to a complicated sexual encounter that profoundly affects Mike's self-image and understanding of intimacy.

The serene moment is shattered when Chris calls Susan, necessitating her quick scramble to leave. Faced with the imminent departure of the one he desires, Mike's emotions spiral out of control as he desperately tries to keep her from leaving.

In a fit of rage, Mike strikes Susan with a ceiling lamp, causing her to fall into the rising water below. This act of desperation triggers a series of chaotic events that entwine their fates in a dramatic and tragic manner.

As water engulfs Susan, Mike mirrors the earlier intimacy he shared with the photo cutout by embracing her underwater. This poignant moment crystallizes the complexities of their relationship and the dangers surrounding them, leaving their futures intertwined.