Plot Summary for
The Swimmer (1968) More at IMDbPro »

Neddy Merrill has been away for most of the Summer. He reappears at a friends pool. As they talk, someone notices that there are pools spanning the entire valley. He decided to jog from pool to pool to swim the whole valley. As he stops in each pool his interactions tell his life story. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

One summer day in an upper class neighborhood of suburban New York City, middle aged Ned Merrill appears in the backyard of one of his friends and neighbors, who he has not seen in quite some time. Before the neighbors can welcome him, they who are happy to see him, Ned jumps into their swimming pool with much energy and vitality. Ned learns that with the addition of a recent swimming pool in another neighbor's backyard, he can literally swim home moving from swimming pool to swimming pool, his home which is miles away. He names the route Lucinda's River, after his wife. He is determined to make this journey despite some obstacles along the way. At each swimming pool, Ned stops and chats with his neighbors. Each stop reveals more and more of Ned's life journey until he reaches his final destination. Written by Huggo

Merrill is clearly driven by inner forces. His friends are baffled by his determination to complete this quest, "swimming home", which we immediately intuitively understand. His passion is monumental, as are his oblivion and decades of neglect of those he holds most dear. His odyssey leads from love and power to despair and ruin. Written by Doug Reingold

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