MovieChat Forums > The Swimmer (1968) Discussion > Other movies with similiar endings

Other movies with similiar endings

posted 11 years ago by NotSlowScott
4 replies | jump to latest

I was thinking about this unique movie for the past few days. The way it ended with Ned basically having a nervous breakdown was such a brilliant touch. I was then trying to think of other movies in which the character's last scene has him/her having a nervous breakdown before the closing credits. I could only think of a few movies that had a similar type of depressing ending. I am sure there are others.

Seize the Day -- Robin Williams is broke and he has come to the realization that he is in over his head financially; his cruel father, a doctor, refuses to help him,and pretty much tells him that he is on his own. After getting yelled at by his wife (who won't grant him a divorce) for not paying child support, the last scene has him crying at some stranger's funeral.

Blow Out -- Soundman John Travolta's plan to nab the killer causes Nancy Allen's death. The last scene of the movie is a close-up of his face. Later in a sound studio: He seems to be having a nervous breakdown has he listens to her scream, a scream that he recorded right before she was murdered, and he is now using to dub into a low grade horror film.

Godfather II -- I don't have to go into the details. The last scene shows him as a broken man.

[–] Cobram 11 years ago

I think that it's actually the opposite, Ned did not have a nervous breakdown at the end, but actually came back to reality in that moment when his delusion was completely destroyed. The gravity of it all hits him like a punch in the gut, and the way he goes down in the doorway is like a boxer would go down, putting his arms up in defense of further punches.

That's what makes this movie so unique, you think Ned is sane and he fools you until about half way through when the pieces of his broken life and his deep denial start to slowly emerge the closer he gets to "home."

Although a very different type of film, I'd say something like "A Beautiful Mind" comes closer to this film in that the protagonist goes from delusion to reality.

Man without relatives is man without troubles. Charlie Chan

[–] CanadianBill 11 years ago

I liken this movie to Michael Douglas's "Falling Down". Both male characters are experiencing some form of mental breakdown, both are trying to "get home", and both are obviously longing to get back what they lost that they will cross great distances and endure almost anything to get "home".

And both men meet a disappointing fate and huge dose of reality at the end of either movie.

To me The Swimmer is like Falling Down, sans the violence.

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[–] Adler-99 11 years ago

Maybe a reach, but Christian Bale in "The Machinist"?

[–] rakmjn1 11 years ago

Blue Jasmine