THE SWIMMER (1968) Drowning man

THE SWIMMER, based on a haunting short story by John Cheever, is an allegory about suburban life and midlife crisis – and don't expect it to make total sense. But do be prepared to dive into a totally unforgettable tale about a middle-aged Connecticut suburbanite who shows up one day in swim trunks at a friend's pool. Ned Merrill (Burt Lancaster) gazes across the valley from their backyard and calculates he can swim the eight-mile river of pools across the county back to his family. With each increasingly more common pool – the last is public – we meet his acquaintances and learn more about his past. Having started out on a perfect summer morning, he winds up that night in a raging autumnal thunderstorm – a drowned soul on the rain-soaked doorstep of his deserted house.