“Catch 22,” a film starring folk legend Art Garfunkel, was released on June 21, 1970. The film is of particular significance in the band’s history, as it was one of the main contributing factors to their breakup.
Filming on the project was initially slated to last three months, but ended up taking six. Work on the film carried on into the summer of 1969, during which time Art and Paul had agreed to write songs for a new album. Already feeling over extended, Paul began to grow bitter towards Art’s lack of commitment to their musical career.
Simon, who was working full-time on songs for the album, even went so far as to move from New York to Los Angeles to be closer to the film’s set. Those songs would become the basis for “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” that album that would be their last studio effort.