The Swimmer( 1968)

TV-MADrama

74%

User
Score

When you talk about "The Swimmer" will you talk about yourself?

Overview

Well-off ad man Ned Merrill is visiting a friend when he notices the abundance of backyard pools that populate their upscale suburb. Ned suddenly decides that he'd like to travel the eight miles back to his own home by simply swimming across every pool in town. Soon, Ned's journey becomes harrowing; at each house, he is somehow confronted with a reminder of his romantic, domestic and economic failures.

Top Billed Cast

Burt Lancaster
Ned Merrill
Janet Landgard
Julie Ann Hooper
Janice Rule
Shirley Abbott
Tony Bickley
Donald Westerhazy
Marge Champion
Peggy Forsburgh
Nancy Cushman
Mrs. Halloran
Bill Fiore
Howie Hunsacker
Rose Gregorio
Sylvia Finney
David Garfield
Ticket Seller
Kim Hunter
Betty Graham
Charles Drake
Howard Graham
Bernie Hamilton
Chauffeur
House Jameson
Mr. Halloran
Jimmy Joyce
Jack Finney
Michael Kearney
Kevin Gilmartin
Richard McMurray
Stu Forsburgh
Jan Miner
Lillian Hunsacker
Diana Muldaur
Cynthia
Keri Oleson
Vernon
Joan Rivers
Joan
Cornelia Otis Skinner
Mrs. Hammar
Dolph Sweet
Henry Biswanger
Louise Troy
Grace Biswanger
Diana Van der Vlis
Helen Westerhazy
Philip Bruns
Biswangers' Pool Party Guest (uncredited)
Alva Celauro
Muffie (uncredited)
John Cheever
Man at Pool Party (uncredited)
Lisa Daniels
Matron at the Biswangers' Pool (uncredited)
Hugh Franklin
Denny (uncredited)
John Gerstad
Bunkers' Pool Party Guest (uncredited)
Dennis McMullen
Lifeguard (uncredited)
Eleanor Perry
Woman at Pool Party (uncredited)
Frank Perry
Man at Pool Party (uncredited)
Marilyn Langner
Enid Bunker (uncredited)
Ray Mason
Bunkers' Pool Party Guest (uncredited)

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Review 2Discussion

A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Sat Jun 03 2023

"Ned" (Burt Lancaster) has been away for a while so his neighbours are a bit surprised to see him, clad only in his trunks, swimming in their pool. After some chat with them, he discovers that barring the odd bit of terrain to cross, he can pretty much swim his way home through the pools of other neighbours/friends/acquaintances - a river and even a public lido... The film now follows him as this rather unique journey introduces us to his community, and to his own interesting, complicated and lively backstory. I could run to all sorts of amateur psychology about my understanding of what each st...