Bob Swaim
About
Biography
Biography
The American-born Bob Swaim first established himself in France with several short films in the early 1970s, including the award-winning "Le Journal de M. Bonnafous" (1970) and "L'Autoportrait d'un pornographe/Self-Portrait of a Pornographer" (1971). Abandoning his graduate studies in anthropology, he turned to filmmaking and his most successful films have effectively been American-style crime movies shot in Parisian locales. Swaim made his feature directing debut with "La Nuit de Saint-Germain des Pres" (1977) and scored both critically and at the box-office with the terse, uncompromising crime thriller "La Balance" (1981). "Half-Moon Street" (1986) was a muddled effort that had Sigourney Weaver cast as call girl while "Masquerade" (1988) was an above average thriller marred somewhat by a miscast Rob Lowe in the lead. More recently, Swaim turned to family fare with the well-crafted "The Climb" (1997), about a young boy determined to reach the top of a radio tower, and the coming-of-age period piece "Through the Heart" (1998).
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Life Events
1970
Made first short film, "Le Journal de M. Bonnafous"
1978
Directed and co-wrote first feature, "La Nuit de St. Germain"
1985
First film appearance, "Spies Like Us"
1988
Directed the noirish "Masquerade"
1990
Appeared in the Italian spoof of film festivals "Visioni Privati"
1997
Helmed the family film "The Climb"
Family
