The Swimmer (1968)

The Swimmer
Directed by Frank Perry
Written by Eleanor Perry from a short story by John Cheever
1968/US
IMDb lnk
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Ned Merrill: Pool by pool, they form a river all the way to our house.[/box]

Burt Lancaster’s “Swimmer” takes a poke at Mid-Century prosperity and despair.

After a long absence Neddy Merrill (Lancaster) shows up in his swim trunks at a neighbor’s pool.  The neighbors are currently enjoying the hair of the dog that bit them after a hard night’s drinking at a party.  They invite Neddy to join them in today’s plan.  But Ned takes it in his mind that he could swim home to his house on the hill by swimming certain pools in order.  His children’s nubile baby sitter joins him for part of the journey.

Ned seems to be a hearty, healthy, executive-type and at ease in the circles through which he swims.  His past eventually catches up with him as the story grows progressively darker.  With Joan Rivers and Kim Hunter among the ladies he meets.

Lancaster’s 52-year-old physique is amazing.  His acting is a tour-de-force.  I found the plot kind of strained by the twist ending but until then this had my attention all the way.  Recommended to fans of Mid-Century Modern or Mad Men.

Trailer – watch for Joan Rivers!