The Swimmer (1968 film)
- Burt Lancaster: Ned Merrill
- Tony Bickley: Donald Westerhazy
- Marge Champion: Peggy Forsburgh
- Janet Landgard: Julie
- Janice Rule: ex-lover
- Kim Hunter: wife of an old friend
- Charles Drake: Howard Graham
- David Garfield: Ticket Seller (as John Garfield Jr.)
- Kim Hunter: Betty Graham
- Bernie Hamilton: Halloran 's Chauffeur
- Michael Kearney: Kevin Gilmartin Jr.
- January Miner: Lillian Hunsacker
- Diana Muldaur: Cynthia
- Joan Rivers: Joan
- John Cheever
- Lisa Daniels
The float is a surreal American drama film from 1968, in which Burt Lancaster plays the main role.
Based Upon
The film is based on a short story by American author John Cheever, the 1964 is released. For the film, the plot was a little changed. Some things have been added, others deleted.
Action
Ned Merrill, played by Burt Lancaster, is on a summer morning dressed only in a bathing suit, unexpectedly friends to visit, to swim in their pool. The pair is called the unexpected guest a warm welcome, even if since the last meeting at least two years have passed. After he learns that a friendly neighbor pair has also gained a pool, he comes to the idea that the land of his former acquaintances to swim through pools in a wealthy district of Connecticut, lined up like a river, while their land traverse. This " flow from the pool ," he calls as a dedication to his wife the " Lucinda River ". Details about the past lives Ned significantly only in hints and allusions former acquaintance, he on the other encounters on his way from a plot in their gardens. These allusions can suggest that Ned in his past was not only the caring and beloved family man, as he presents. In addition, it is clear that he is broke and many old friends still money is guilty. In the course of the film, and the more he becomes exposed increasingly negative allusions to the different former acquaintances, Ned speaks frequently of having to go home. One of the people he meets, his obvious former lover ( Janice Rule ), which confronted him with reproaches and humiliations.
For a few hours Ned is accompanied by a pretty young girl who regularly frequented once as babysitter in Ned's house, and he now admits to have fallen in love at that time in him. Your separate ways when Ned makes her unique overtures and takes to his heels.
As the last leg of his odyssey Ned is in his swimming trunks in front of his own unoccupied house. A thunderstorm is raised and it is pouring rain. The abandoned and overgrown tennis court is temporarily eclipsed by a memory of a tennis match with his happy daughter. The house is overgrown with weeds and while he desperately knocking on the door, the camera shows the abandoned interior of the house.
Formation and reactions to the film
The film was made already in 1966, but was not published until 1968 in the cinemas. For the filming of many plots were richer suburban residents temporarily collected a fee to shoot there can. When the film was released in 1968, this had little success. It was not until about the year he was discovered by many fans as one of his finest works Lancasters.
Reviews
" Allegorical film fable that demonstrates to the figure of a homeless wanderer, the narrow-mindedness of the well-off middle class American. The substantive and formal ambitions lead but partly in cheesy pathos and pretentious symbolism. "
This and that
Due to differences in director Frank Perry by Sydney Pollack was replaced in the middle of shooting, which led to delays in the rotation. Thus, the passages of the film with the young companion Julie of Sydney Pollack were arranged.
Burt Lancaster, at the time of the shoot already 53, had to undergo before and during the filming of a comprehensive fitness program and swimming lessons to become the athletic figure of the main character and the swimming scenes justice.
Janice Rule was a last-minute substitute for Barbara Loden.