MovieChat Forums > The Swimmer (1968) Discussion > The Butler

The Butler

posted 19 years ago by JackieVega
11 replies | jump to latest

I've watched this film twice over the last week and find it facinating. It is a bit dated but a lot better than 90% of the pap produced today.

A couple of questions

Why did the servant/butler who picked him up at gate of the nudists house have such a chip on his shoulder ? Ned only made a couple of frienly comments about the previous butler and the driver treated him like he was the biggest racist he'd ever met.

If the babysitter had such a crush on Ned wouldn't she have at least kissed him once to fulfil her fantasy ? She ran away like a startled hare as soon as he showed her a small bit of affection.

Why didn't anyone at the pool before the public pool (the house with the hot-dog cart) recognise Ned ? It was the closest pool to his house but only the owner seemed to know him.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JackieVega 19 years ago

Thanks , your reply makes a lot of sense.

I think the trunks in the air was to show he was nude and respecting their 'beliefs'.

[–] A_Minor_Blip 19 years ago

the reason the driver was mad is because ned thought he was his brother, and it's an old sort of racist "joke" that white people will say, about dark skinned people: "They all look alike", and the driver was insulted by the fact that the swimmer couldnt tell the difference

[–] JackieVega 19 years ago

I missed that. Not sure I agree but its a take on why he got miffed so quickly. Could be.
Cheers

[–] jww-1 19 years ago

If you listen to the dialogue between Ned and the butler you learn that the butler knows Ned but Ned doesn't seem to know the butler. Ned has met him previously but this is part of the blanked-out period of Ned's mind. The butler is probably upset that Ned is repeating what he said to him the 1st time they met (about the former butler). Also the butler is probably aware that Ned is not that welcome at the residence since he has obviously been there seeking a loan(s?) in the past.

[–] dedalus-16 19 years ago

I was aware of some racist undertones here. Ned mistakes him for another black man and seems to be endorsing that insult to non-whites that "they all look the same". The period in which this brilliant movie was made would have been an apt opportunity for this reference.

[–] A_Minor_Blip 19 years ago

you are correct, dedalus, the more you watch it the more you can tell the servant is insulted by this...

the servant mentions something about "having natural rhythm" in an ironic, bitter tone... that's another sign that he feels that lancaster is lumping all black men together...

trust me on this...

[–] nyc7 17 years ago

HOw's this for an EXTREME explanation. He's not a servant. He's the owner of the house and he is driving his own Rolls.

If he were a servant wouldn't he get out and open the door?

[–] MJ_Quint 16 years ago

brilliant explanation, not very plausible unfortunately.

[–] carol_schwartz 11 years ago

He did try to get out to open the door for Ned. Ned told him not to bother.

[–] Highlife0001 16 years ago

RE-

Why didn't anyone at the pool before the public pool (the house with the hot-dog cart) recognise Ned ? It was the closest pool to his house but only the owner seemed to know him.

I believe this was the Biswanger's house. Making some assumptions from info from Cheever's story - The impression I have is that the Biswangers were "new money" -thus they were a bit untactful about having money and invited a catch-all, albeit an upperclass one,to their parties. I noticed the people there were sort of a mixture - many not as hip as the crew Ned would have known or hung out with.

The story even says that Lucinda and Ned always ignored their party invitations. And in Cheever's Swimmer -Mrs. Biswanger can be overheard saying that Ned had gone broke and came over drunk asking to borrow $5,000.

So the Biswangers was Ned's major dose of turn-about which he was about to get more of later. Just another glimpse into the fascinating backstory of the Swimmer.