MovieChat Forums > The Swimmer (1968) Discussion > Why was that older lady so angry with hi...

Why was that older lady so angry with him?

posted 15 years ago by noveltylibrary
6 replies | jump to latest

Kicked him out, told him not to mention her son...what was the story with her son? Tx.

[–] UBSeveningnews 15 years ago

****SPOILER ALERT****

After the townspeople he met at the public recreation center pool mention the car accidents his daughters caused, I formed an impression that her son—who had been in the hospital, you'll recall—was a victim of those accidents.

But that's just my inference. Nothing was ever established.

[–] mamanoooooooo 15 years ago

I got the impression that it was her husband and he was more of a friend to Merrill than Merrill was to him. I thought her husband had gotten ill and Ned never went to visit him in the hospital. She says "This is my house now, and I don't want you to come here anymore. Got a feeling Merrill burned a lot of bridges.

[–] JavierBoredom 15 years ago

"You know me, don't you? I'm a friend of your son."
"A friend? How dare you use that word. You never came to see him. You never even called him at the hospital."

[–] karchad 15 years ago

Just saw the movie last night, and this was my interpretation too.

[–] ShiraxManji 14 years ago

It seemed pretty clear that Ned had been a friend of this woman's son. The son became ill, but Ned never bothered to go visit him in the hospital. Ned asked about his condition, but was met with silence, leading us to realize the son has died. Obviously she is offended that Ned was not a true friend to her son, because otherwise Ned would have visited him. Ned seems like he has always been too wrapped up in himself to see what was really going on with those around him.

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

That's exactly right. Her son died, Ned didn't know it, and he was oblivious to her pain.