The Swimmer
“I'm a very special human being.” Ned Merrill (Burt Lancaster)
A tale of one man's wild obsession – seen through the eyes of others, his was a journey inwards to discover the truth. Ned Merrill (Academy Award® winner Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry) is a man with a chequered past, in search of some understanding. Whilst visiting a friend in upstate New York he notices the abundance of backyard pools in the area and decides to travel back to his own home by simply swimming across every pool that he comes to. What begins as an innocent idea soon becomes a challenging ordeal as, at each house, he is confronted with a stark reminder of his position in the world and the indubitable effect it has on others. Featuring a powerhouse performance from Burt Lancaster, based on John Cheever’s provocative short story and directed by Frank Perry, The Swimmer also stars Janice Rule, Janet Landgard, Joan Rivers , Kim Hunter and Marge Champion.
