The Swimmer
The Swimmer is a 1968 American surrealist-drama film starring Burt Lancaster. The film was written and directed by Academy Award-nominated husband-and-wife team of Eleanor Perry (screenplay adaptation) and Frank Perry (director). The story is based on the 1964 short story "The Swimmer" by John Cheever, which appeared in the July 18, 1964, issue of The New Yorker. The 95-minute movie adds new characters and scenes consistent with those in the original 12-page short story.
Plot
In a woodland, bordering a well-off suburb in Connecticut, a fit and tanned Ned Merrill emerges wearing only a bathing suit. He drops by a pool party held by old friends and they offer him a cocktail while nursing hangovers from the night before. As they share stories, Ned realizes there is a series of backyard swimming pools that could form a "river" back to his house, making it possible for him to "swim his way home". Ned dives into the pool, emerging at the other end and begins his journey. Ned's behavior perplexes his friends.
More details
| author | Eleanor Perry John Cheever |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | Connecticut |
| director | Frank Perry Sydney Pollack |
| editor | Carl Lerner Pat Somerset Sidney Katz |
| genre | drama |
| keywords | abandon bathing suit chat diving board fall hot dog how to limp lock nurse obsess old friends other woman pool party shop owner stage actress swimming pool talk tan tennis court unpaid bill white elephant sale young boy |
| musicBy | Marvin Hamlisch |
| producer | Frank Perry Roger Lewis |
| productionCompany | Horizon Pictures |
| publisher | Columbia Pictures |
| recordedAt | Connecticut Long Island |
| theme | surreal |