Rating of
4/4
Favorite not always "best"
woody - wrote on 01/27/11
Often, works of art that are among one's favorites are not generally considered to be "the best." There are personal reasons movies resonate with viewers, and sometimes it's difficult to explain why. The Swimmer is a bit clunkily filmed, has a sixties soft-focus romantic interlude, and has some "humorous" bits that haven't dated well. But I've been drawn back to this movie repeatedly ever since I first watched it years ago. It's faithfully based on a short story by one of the greatest short story writers. It features Burt Lancaster in an uncharacteristically vulnerable role, and its construction of steadily downward stairsteps is, to me, captivating. I can never find anyone who wants to watch this movie with me, but I will keep watching it.
