Episode 22: "The Swimmer", 1968

Explicit

The American dream has been elusive for many people over the years. In cinema the conventional "American dream" process has been executed many times. But in 1968's "The Swimmer" the aftermath of achieving the American dream is laid out for us. This film is a hidden gem because it has Burt Lancaster shirtless the whole time (with seeing his bare butt) and it has all the hallmarks of convention starting with it's movie star Burt Lancaster, following with it's cast of suburban functional alcoholics chumming it up and having a good exchange of gossip. But, as the viewer watches we get clues about Ned (Burt Lancaster); the type of man he is, or at least was; why he won't allude to where he was the past couple of years; does he have money problems? etc. Upon the ending of the film the viewer is left filling-in-the-blanks creating a story which poses th ...