Loved spotting all the 'Hey,isn't that....' people in the cast!

Lots of folks have already done great posts on how powerful, emotional and gut-wrenching this film is...all true.
But the only "fun" to be had while experiencing "The Swimmer" is noticing the incredible line-up in the supporting cast....young Joan Rivers, no less! That final nasty encounter at the kid-mobbed pool...wasn't that the woman who played
Madge the Manicurist in commercials? This film drew heavily on the gifted community of New York City-based actors, as well as Hollywood vets....and sadly, as Gilbert Gottfried just pointed out in the TCM screening.....the Hollywood film-making system of today would never support, finance or tolerate a film like this..these kinds of films are unique to the 1960's and 1970's.
And just for the record (cause this has already stirred many arguments) I
personally love the over-wrought Hamlisch score...okay, it's way over-used throughout, the film derives a lot of its power from that sad, sweet unforgettable main theme.