The Swimmer **** (1968, Burt Lancaster, Janice Rule, Janet Landgard, Kim Hunter, Diana Muldaur) – Classic Movie Review 5046

Producer-director Frank Perry’s weird but intriguing 1968 surreal drama stars Burt Lancaster as Neddy Merrill, a 50-year-old businessman who decides to jog from pool to pool to swim the eight miles to his home through the public and private pools that span the whole valley of his neighbourhood. Each pool evokes memories and prompts stories of his life, as well as an increasingly hostile reception from the residents he encounters.

Frank Perry and his screen-writer wife Eleanor Perry create a haunting fable from John Cheever’s 12-page 1964 New Yorker magazine short story, expertly handling the symbolism of the self-imposed marathon and theme of the destructive illusions of middle-class life.

Lancaster dives fearlessly into the deep waters of symbolic American art movies and, getting in the swim, his splendid performance is backed by a fine supporting cast and luscious New England scenery.

Also in the cast are Janice Rule, Janet Landgard, Kim Hunter, Diana Muldaur, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Marge Champion, Tony Bickley, Bill Fiore and Joan Rivers.

It is the 24-year-old Marvin Hamlisch’s debut as film composer.

Sydney Pollack worked uncredited as director after the first rough cut was screened. Producer Sam Spiegel removed his name from the credits. Lancaster said: ‘Sam had promised me to be there every weekend to go over the film, because we had certain basic problems – the casting and so forth. He never showed up one time. I could have killed him. The whole film was a disaster. Columbia was down on it and finally pulled the plug on us. But we needed another day of shooting so I paid $10,000 out of my own pocket for it.’

Lancaster judged it his best and favourite film. Lancaster took swim lessons from UCLA swim coach Bob Horn and worked out throughout shooting. Filming took place in the summer of 1966, and the film was released on 15 May 1968. It was, unsurprisingly, a box-office failure.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5046

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