1968 Cinema Memorabilia: The Swimmer

Newly arrived in the mail this afternoon...  A cool eBay purchase.  Lobby card (size 11" x 14") showing a production still from the 1968 Burt Lancaster film The Swimmer.  Filmed in the Summer of 1966 and based on a John Cheever novel (which I have, but have not yet read) it wasn't released until 1968.  

The film is an oddball favorite of mine... A bit of an expensive rarity to find on DVD, but one that I've watched over and over again.  Upon seeing it for the first time, I was drawn to its dark tone, sweeping orchestral score (which I have on vinyl) and story of a man who decides to swim across his affluent Connecticut county by going pool to pool through the backyards of friends, acquaintances and (as it turns out) some folks who are less than pleased to see him.  

1957 Times Square: The Sweet Smell Of Success

Several stills from another NYC film great: Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis' dual-star vehicle called "The Sweet Smell Of Success".  The Times Square we see here (1956 - 1957) is decidedly less grimy than the one depicted in later film fare, but the latter-day film noir touches used here create a moody foreshadowing of the dark times this district would see a decade later.

1957 LP Cover: Lancaster & Curtis

A recent addition to my collection: The beautifully illustrated LP cover for the soundtrack to the film "The Sweet Smell Of Success".

Amber, Caesar, Sinbad, Carmen & Friends

Nine more from the vintage movie ad collection: 1940s and 50s illustrated full-page explosions from Life and Look magazines.

Curtis Lancaster Lollobrigida