02-04-2016, 03:41 PM
Contemplating the many swimming pools in the affluent suburbs where he lives, Ned (played by Burt Lancaster) welds them all together in his mind’s eye to form the Lucinda River (named after his wife), which he decides to swim home. Needless to say, this alimentary canal takes its toll on his cheerful demeanor all the way to the heart of darkness, where a bloated Marlon Brando waits with upraised machete.
No, wait. That last part is another movie. But this movie does get progressively darker.
Wow factor: Burt Lancaster topless throughout.
Caveat: He’s 55.
Further Caveat: He’s Burt Lancaster.
Later in his career, Burt took on riskier ventures. This one may top the list. He knew it was likely to fail at the box office (which it did, with a loud thud). But he was totally taken by the story. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing this role, and Burt puts in one of his finest performances.
The filming ran into all sorts of problems -- director replaced, actors fired, financing yanked near the end. Burt Lancaster himself paid out of pocket to get the film finished.
The critics give this film high praise. I do too. It transcends the short story (by John Cheever) it is based on, which is a rarity.
Shirts off to Burt Lancaster.
No, wait. That last part is another movie. But this movie does get progressively darker.
Wow factor: Burt Lancaster topless throughout.
Caveat: He’s 55.
Further Caveat: He’s Burt Lancaster.
Later in his career, Burt took on riskier ventures. This one may top the list. He knew it was likely to fail at the box office (which it did, with a loud thud). But he was totally taken by the story. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing this role, and Burt puts in one of his finest performances.
The filming ran into all sorts of problems -- director replaced, actors fired, financing yanked near the end. Burt Lancaster himself paid out of pocket to get the film finished.
The critics give this film high praise. I do too. It transcends the short story (by John Cheever) it is based on, which is a rarity.
Shirts off to Burt Lancaster.
I'm nobody's pony.