The Swimmer

From the trivia files: The Swimmer and Planet of the Apes were both released in 1968, but the magnificent Burt Lancaster looks better in a swimsuit than Charlton Heston did in his loincloth. Based on John Cheever's short story, this devastating drama charts the long day's journey into night for Ned Merrill (Lancaster), a middle-aged businessman who confounds his affluent WASP friends with his impulsive pronouncement that he intends to "swim" home pool by pool. Each stop brings a memorable encounter (among them, a former babysitter for Ned's children, the embittered mother of a betrayed friend, a former lover) that ultimately points to tragedy at his own doorstep. This unsung gem is at once intimately observed and over the deep end (at one point, Ned races a corralled horse), but Lancaster is riveting in one of his most challenging roles. Sporting a sparkling new digital transfer, this otherwise extra-less disc is recommended. (K. Lee Benson)