Superb portrayal of tragic characters. One can sense the futility, frustration, and disappointment of Loman. As we age and our faculties deteriorate along with unrealized dreams, it is easy to grasp for hope even where none exists and transfer our aspirations to the next generation only to have them carry your faults and failings in addition to their own. Profoundly sad but unfortunately that is the reality for countless billions of the human race. 8/10.
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perfectbond17 November 2003
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Mort-313 August 2001I had to read Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman` for my English class this year. Our teacher was a very industrious woman and let us analyze every character's every word several times, until we couldn't hear the words Willy`, Linda`, Biff`, American Dream` and stockings` any more. It was terrible! She didn't show us any theater or film version, so we began to utterly dislike the text as a whole: a sentimental play where you already know the ending when you read the title.
A few days ago, I spotted Volker Schlöndorff's film version on television, a German dubbed version, but that doesn't matter because I already knew the lines and Schlöndorff hardly changed them.
Fortunately, Schlöndorff didn't make any effort to put his own special style into the movie, he just left the play the way it was and the way, I suppose, Arthur Miller wanted it. So some of you might claim that this version was too stage-drama-like, not cinematic. For me, this was ideal because I could see the REAL, lively Death of a Salesman`, played by an ideal cast: Dustin Hoffman: a little over-acting, but enthusisiastic; Kate Reid: so authentic that she could be taken for my mother; John Malkovich: silent, thoughtful, self-confident`, great! How shall I put it? This film sort of opened my eyes towards this great, merciless work of Arthur Miller. This play is something you can orientate your life to. At many important turning points of your life, you can remember Willy Loman and his fate that is fictitious but and believe me, I know some people who are exactly like him definitely could be the fate of a real person, and not only of an American. I found the Salesman` important, not as much as a criticism of the American Dream but an account of what must happen, if lives are built upon lies lies to others and lies to yourself. Those people who think Death of a Salesman` is rubbish are those who suppress cruel truths just as Willy Loman does.
So, when I saw this movie, I was completely stunned because its hopelessness became clear to me and I noticed how crucial this American classic really is. I give Schlöndorff 8 out of 10 stars because there are some flaws in his way of directing (e. g. letting Malkovich and Lang play their young alter egos was stupid because no one believes that they are 17).
Another sad example how bad teachers can destroy a masterpiece. Shame on you, Mrs. H.! -
JamesHitchcock16 September 2005The salesman of the title is Willy Loman, a man in his early sixties, approaching retirement. Despite his long service, travelling from his New York base all over New England in the service of his employers, he has never enjoyed great success in his job. He is in financial difficulties, struggling to pay the mortgage on his house and the instalments on the consumer goods- refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, car- which were becoming popular in the forties but which represented a major commitment, even in middle class households. In order to make ends meet, he has taken to borrowing from his old friend Charlie.
His sense of failure, however, does not derive solely from his unsuccessful career. He also sees himself as having failed in his private life. Although his marriage to his loyal wife Linda has survived, despite the fact that he has on occasions been unfaithful to her, his relationships with his two sons are strained. Biff, the elder, showed promise when young in both the academic and sporting fields, but failed to win a place at university after failing a maths exam at school, and since has become a rootless drifter, alternating between dead-end jobs and petty crime. Biff has been particularly alienated from his father since discovering one of Willy's affairs. Happy, the younger, has been more successful than Biff in his career, but in his private life is a selfish, cynical womaniser.
Willy is much given to violent mood swings, alternating between exuberant over-optimism and despairing pessimism. The younger Willy's optimism was largely focused on his own career, believing that he had a talent for making himself "well liked" which would lead to a brilliant career. The older Willy's hopes are mostly focused on his sons, especially Biff, whom he still believes (in the teeth of all the evidence) to be capable of great things. When his son disappoints him, Willy turns on him fiercely, accusing him of being a "lazy bum". Biff's lack of success in life does indeed derive partly from his own weaknesses, but Willy's unrealistic expectations are also partly to blame; Biff would probably be happiest working with his hands, but Willy tries to pressure him into taking a white-collar job.
The film follows the play in that on a number of occasions the action switches abruptly from the present into the past, as the characters act out episodes from earlier in Willy's life. Some of these episodes, in fact, may exist only in Willy's imagination, particularly those involving his wealthy older brother Ben, who is now dead although that does not prevent him from making several appearances. Ben, in fact, is not really a character in his own right, but rather functions as a symbol of the failures and missed opportunities in Willy's life.
At one time filmed versions of stage plays were done in a similar way to theatrical productions (the Marlon Brando/Vivien Leigh "A Streetcar Named Desire" from the early fifties is a good example), but in the seventies and eighties the general tendency was to "open them up" by filming on location as well as on studio sets, by taking liberties with the playwright's text, often making significant changes to the plot and even introducing extra characters. "Death of a Salesman", although it was made as late as 1985, has a very old-fashioned feel to it. It not only keeps Arthur Miller's plot unchanged, but also follows his text almost literally to the word. There is no attempt to open it up; it is filmed entirely on stylised, deliberately artificial-looking sets similar to those that would be used in a theatre.
Normally I would take the view that the cinema and the theatre are two different media and that one should not try to imitate the other. This film, however, was originally made for television and based on a Broadway production, and works better on the small screen than it probably would do on a big one. It is, in fact, a very good film, despite its old-fashioned, theatrical look. The main reason, apart from the quality of Miller's original play, is the quality of the acting. Dustin Hoffman called the role of Willy Loman his favourite acting experience; it is certainly one of his best, although not in my view his very best. (That remains "The Graduate"). He brings out all the complexities and contradictions in Willy's character, a man who is certainly difficult, perhaps even impossible, but at the same time also tragic and pitiable.
The play has been seen as a critique of the capitalist economy or of the American way of life. That is one possible interpretation, but there is more to it than that. It also deals with the plight of the elderly, especially those whom society no longer seems to value, with the human need, too often disappointed, to aspire to a better life, and with the gap between appearance and reality. On a more personal level it is also a character study and an exploration of the relationships within a family, especially father-son relationships. This means that the supporting cast has to be strong, and Hoffman certainly receives strong support, especially from Kate Reid as Linda, Charles Durning as Charley and above all from John Malkovich as Biff. The result was an excellent production that brought out the various levels of meaning in Miller's play as well as the tragedy of its central figure. 8/10 -
namashi_114 November 2011'Death of a Salesman' is a well-made, well-told story, but above it's merits as a story, it's the performances by it's actors, Dustin Hoffman & John Malkovich, that stand out & shine the brightest.
'Death of a Salesman' Synopsis: An aging traveling salesman recognizes the emptiness of his life and tries to fix it.
Based on the 1949 play of the same name by Arthur Miller, 'Death of a Salesman' succeeds by becoming an absorbing cinematic tale as well. It efficiently structures the story of an aged man, who is on the verge of killing himself. The Writing Material is engaging & very human, if I may say so. Volker Schlöndorff Directs this story, with maturity.
Hoffman & Malkovich, as mentioned before, stand out with their performances & shine the brightest, they overshadow the narrative, to a large extend. Hoffman is astonishing as an aging traveling salesman, while Malkovich is magnificent as his troubled son. They both deliver legendary, unforgettable performances, that deserve immense praise. Among other performers, Kate Reid does exceedingly well as the wife of the salesman.
On the whole, A story worth watching, with 2 impeccable performances coming in-tact with it. -
ILuvFlix7 January 1999Arthur Miller's compelling work is deftly translated to the small screen here, with riveting performances by Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman, Kate Reid as Willy's wife Linda, and John Malkovich as the prodigal son Biff. This work touches my soul on several levels: sympathy for the fallen man Willy, understanding of the difficulty of both hating your father and wanting him to be proud of you as Biff shows, and the ever-protective enabler Linda, who defends Willy even as she sees him failing before her eyes. Miller took a simple American family struggling to make life work, and made each character in their own way extraordinary.
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bkoganbing20 January 2019A generation after Lee J. Cobb originated the role on stage and Fredric March did the big screen version, Dustin Hoffman does a really great job as Willy Loman in Death Of A Salesman in a made for television version. It's a bit more surreal than the others but Arthur Miller's message about misplaced values certainly gets across.
All poor Willy Loman wanted to be was be liked and that to him became a creed. It's how you sell your product, it's how you sell yourself. He loved his family, but he was always 'on'. And forever envious of brother Ben who went out and took risks but saw the world.
Hoffman was years younger than March or Cobb, but with makeup he certainly looks the part. Kate Reid plays the wife and John Malkovich and Stephen Lang are sons Biff and Hap. They really function well as the Loman family unit and the chemistry is real.
Seeing how much purchasing is now done on line, I wonder if a lot of the message of Death Of A Salesman will be lost in the future. An audience in the future might not know what a salesman is or does as personal contact in buying and selling becomes less and less.
I certainly hope not. -
On the age of sixty and something years, the salesman Willy Loman (Dustin Hoffman) realizes that he is a loser and his empty life was a worthless fraud. The disturbed and deranged Willy becomes delusional, mixing fantasy and reality, and disclosing secrets of his family.
"Death of the Salesman" is a very depressive and tragic theatrical movie with awesome performances, mainly of Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid and John Malkovitch. I have never read Arthur Miller's novel or seen the movie or the play; therefore I did not expect such a sad story with so complex characters. The story, in the 40's, shows the evil face of the capitalism (and the American Dream), and the character of Dustin Hoffman becomes insane when he sees that he is a loser and his life a complete failure: he is paying the last installment of his old house after thirty years of sacrifice; his sons have not been successful in life; his old car is broken; his old refrigerator needs repair; he does not have any money after more than thirty years working for the same company and in the end he is treated like a street dog and fired. For a viewer that does not know this drama (like me), I recommend to see this movie in a happy day, otherwise he or she may become too much depressed with such heart-breaking story. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Morte do Caixeiro-Viajante" ("Death of the Salesman") -
didi-55 December 2004This TV adaptation of Arthur Miller's most successful play benefits from the serious playing of Dustin Hoffman in the lead as failing salesman Willy Loman. Miller's play takes the plight of the common man within the confines of the 'American dream' and then kicks him down.
Loman's sons are played by John Malkovich (Biff, memorable) and Stephen Lang (Happy, irritating); while his wife is played with tact and resignation by Kate Reid.
The stagey feel of this production comes across in every scene (the famous ones especially with Howard, Loman's boss; and Bernard, the successful son of Loman's colleague; and the final scenes with Linda) although they are handled very well. It would be a temptation to dismiss Willy Loman as loopy and in the throes of a breakdown and to ignore everything he says, but his words strike a chord and stay with you. 'Death of a Salesman' still has something to say to us, and a warning to give, even six decades after it was written. -
A thought-provoking, heartfelt and tragic story that is based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play, Death of a Salesman is a very compelling character study of an aging man who is blinded by his pride, integrity and overly-ambitious goals he carries for his eldest son. The film expertly evokes themes of work, love, family and fatherhood, as an old salesman struggles to cope with the emptiness of his life, while also constantly being tormented by his own personal frustration and disappointment. Dustin Hoffman gives an outstanding performance in the leading role and is accompanied by a strong supporting cast, with John Malkovich and Kate Reid being particularly noteworthy, as all the characters are key in contributing to the overall moral of the story. However, perhaps the most interesting aspect presented in Death of a Salesman is that it does not seem to invite one to sympathize with the characters and their fate, but rather hopes for the audience to observe the struggles of life and use the film's profoundly touching story as a tool for learning and reflection.
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Strategoi30 May 2005I would have to agree with all of the previous analyses of this modern tragedy. I have studied this play in my Grade 12 English course for the past month and a half and was amazed at how it truly captivates the struggles of the modern day. Although it could be argued that this novel/movie is not so much a tragedy at all and just the story of a broken man. Miller himself argues that a tragedy does not necessarily have to be in the classic aristotelean nor the Shakespearian form where the tragic hero falls from grace. In the Aristotelean and Shakespearian tragedies the tragic hero is always above the reader, a monarch or the like, and falls from his grace due to his hamartia aka tragic flaw. Miller contends that a tragic hero can be any man of any status who in his quest for his perceived rightful position falls because of a misinterpreted identity. The question "Who am I" is asked of oneself and for the tragic hero they follow the incorrect path. In the case of Willy Loman his hamartia is his blindness to his true identity. He believes he is a salesman and cannot let go of this dream and accept that "he's a dime a dozen." The reason that Willy IS a tragic hero is that in his mistakes Biff comes to the realization that he and his father have both been chasing the wrong dream their entire lives. Unfortunately Willy dies without realizing it himself and Happy is prepared to step back into the vicious cycle created by false perceptions of ones rightful position. Happy says "I'm staying right here in this city, and I'm gonna beat this racket." He steps into the same world that his father suffered through. Biff on the other hand realizes his true entelechy and the teleos (end) to which he aspires.
This story is so ripping because it is so representative of the sophist and materialistic world we live in today. I'd say the line that hits the deepest chord with the audience is that of Willy in Howard's office: "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit!" Unfortunately for Willy the business world back then and now is a harsh world which strives only for material goods. Biff is the only one who escapes by realizing his true entelechy, he loves to work with his hands, get dirty (no not a porn star), he's meant to do some form of labor whether it be farming or as a construction worker. Though his aspirations to get higher in the chain of being are lowered to a "mere" laborer he has realized his vocation. In all the tragedy he is an example of the way to really live life, do what you love not what rewards you best with material goods. -
rbrb29 July 2013Famous play which has had several film depictions. I understand this movie was filmed in a theater.
Aging salesman who is delusional and suicidal cannot cope with his failed life.
The main character Willy Loman is played by Dustin Hoffman. I did not see Willy Loman;I only saw Dustin Hoffman playing that part. I understand there are far better portrayals of Loman elsewhere. In this movie I thought Kate Reid stole the show closely followed by John Malkovitch.
This film succeeds as an intense and compelling drama not because of Hoffman but despite him.
7/10 -
StevePulaski14 November 2012Because of its complex nature, its many morals, its non-linear flashbacks, and its over-the-top characters, I express extreme doubts when believing that Arthur Miller's renowned Death of a Salesman was meant to be read. The iconic play has won several awards, was performed in the 1940's over seven-hundred times resulting in four revivals on Broadway, and has continued to be translated and performed in countries other than the United States, where it originated. For a play, the story of Willy Loman's dysfunctional family has had unprecedented success. As a film, it has had its share of setbacks.
To my knowledge, never has a theatrical production of the film been made, which is depressing to note, seeing as directors like Roman Polanski have proved that they can transition a play to a screen-production with little to no constraints. What we were fortunate to get were not only several low-budget, TV renditions of the story Death of a Salesman, but we are grateful to get a telling of the story on film, written by the original author, Arthur Miller, made for the CBS network in September 1985. The story is kept the same, albeit some metaphorical and symbolical changes, as it revolves around Willy Loman, a naive, broken man who has failed at the game of life and business and has halted his family's growth because they are so committed to either boosting their leader's confidence or keeping him from sinking.
Willy's long suffering wife is Linda, played by Kate Reid, a miserable, shell of a woman so determined to help her husband through uncertain times she's forgotten how to help and better herself. Their two sons are two equally broken men living at home well into their thirties. They are Biff (John Malkovich, a gifted actor, who gave a terrific performance as Lenny in another acclaimed novel, Of Mice in Men in 1992), a football star brought down by the weight of his failure of a father, and Happy (Stephen Lang), a cocky ladies man replicating who Willy the characteristics Willy once gleefully held; brashness, confidence, and the ability to strike a deal.
The main problem with Willy is his naivety towards the business world and to himself; he continues to convince himself that the only thing necessary to succeed in business is a firm handshake and a high likability factor. By doing this, he convinces himself that by possessing those very important traits he can do anything, and yet he hasn't. He is roadblocked by not only that, but by his falsifying sense of optimism, telling himself and everyone around him that he is "not a dime a dozen" but Willy Loman, a unique individual. He is only more upset when he sees how his best friend Charley (Charles Durning) and brother Ben (Louis Zorich) have gone on to lead happy, successful lives with limitless wealth and opportunities, and he is confined to his cramped apartment, told to be himself which does nothing but let everyone down.
Willy is portrayed by Dustin Hoffman, a character actor with a barrage of films under his belt. Hoffman's performance of Willy is definitely admirable, but it isn't as layered as one would hope. He is written efficiently as a character victim by his own delusions, but several times does Hoffman seem like he is teetering on the lines of self-parody rather than seriousness, almost the equivalent to a Woody Allen archetype. Nonetheless, he is completely capable in this role, and when he hits the right notes, specifically in Charlie's office and during Willy's final monologue with the family (more commonly known as his "dime a dozen" speech), he truly shows what power and strength he brings to the table.
But perhaps the film can be known for not just taking a complex, theme-driven play and creating it into a very, very intriguing film, but also for bringing more style to a made-for-TV movie than anyone ever expected. The replication of the inherent seamy, humidity-soaked New York atmosphere is stunningly portrayed, with Willy Loman's listless agenda to only heighten the gloomy setting. The other aspect is the way the filmmakers constructed the environment. I've read that the set of Death of a Salesman is mainly composed of an old play setting, most likely from a version of the play, meaning several buildings don't have roofs, several backdrops are artificial, and several background buildings are one-dimensional cutouts designed to only give the look of the environment. This isn't as disconcerting as it sounds, but it livens the film to a new height, making it closer to the feeling of an actual play rather than abandoning the stage-feel to favor a more polished cinematic feel.
Schlöndorff's directorial efforts to make Death of a Salesman a functioning film and playwright Arthur Miller taking his personal material into his own hands to give fans and newcomers the version he wants on screen have both worked wonderfully. This is a complex picture, doing different things for different people and showing each person a different theme or meaning. Whether it be a commentary on the business world, a tragic story of a once-successful businessman who was never "once-successful," a picture showing an American's tragic existence, a failed American Dream, an insight into the tragic hero, or how one man can collectively bring down his entire family by his own delusional self, this is a gripping story made into a surprisingly efficient film with performances of impact and style to laud.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid, John Malkovich, Stephen Lang, Charles Durning, and Louis Zorich. Directed by: Volker Schlöndorff. -
Perhaps I shouldn't say it was annoying, but it certainly seems an awful bore to me after all the buildup many people I know who said it was a damn good picture! Well, what am I to do but complain about all the bickering and yelling Dustin Hoffman, the husband, gives to his whole family because he is a retired old and completely paranoic about his whole life situation, and treats his two sons the same way. It was a life story told in a few unneeded flashbacks, which to me confuses the issues. The poor soul dies and leaves his legacy which is nothing. I will admit the acting was super though.
Will Ramsdell -
cyclerrollie26 March 2014This movie is just plain awful! Sure it moves from scene to scene seamlessly, but there's a crap load of what seems like unnecessary information stuffing it to the gills. Most of the last hour or so of the movie is the characters screaming at each other until Willy starts hallucinating, sending his life downhill and further out of control until he takes his car and kills himself.
It was a chore to watch this movie, and it was very disappointing. The only things that lighten it up are John Malkovich's acting and the occasional funny scene. Other than that, it's just a bunch of yelling, fighting, and general dementia. Don't waste your time watching this movie -
Tommy-198614 October 2001While there were a few odd choices in the casting of this TV-movie (Or rather, the then-current BRoadway revival this film preserved), overall the powerful realism and tragedy of Arthur Miller's classic play still shine through. Dustin Hoffman has some very good moments as Willy Loman, but overall his odd physical and vocal mannerisms are a bit too distracting. Still, those good moments are really, REALLY good and enough to almost make you forget everything else. John Malkovich mumbles his way through the role of Biff. It is Kate Reid who gives the greatest performance as Linda. She feels the most like a real person and her "Attention must be paid" speech and her final "Free and clear' monologue are heartbraking. Stephen Lang is suprisingly excellent as Happy, and the supporting cast is good. Tony Walton's sets (Which won him an Emmy) are interesting- not quite "stage-bound," but not really cinematic, either. The whole film has that feel but it's hard to imagine a more haunting and effective score than the one Alex North composed for the original stage production, and which was used in the film. Overall, the play is so good that it really cannot have less than a strong impact, even in a flawed production like this one. But perhaps other film versions (Such as the recently re-released 1966 TV-adaptation with the original Willy and LInda, Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock) are stronger overall than this one.
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paulwattriley5 January 2020Really good remake of the original and just as good.
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Volker Schlondorff's adaptation of Arthur Miller's bed-rock of an American tragedy, Death of a Salesman, is one of the best made-for-TV movies of the 80's (odd how it never got a theatrical release though). It gives the star power of Dustin Hoffman in the iconic role of Willy Loman, and for a great theater actor-turned-screen star (though mostly low-key through his career), John Malkovich, and some fine character acting as well. If you've read the play, you might envision something else entirely, and if you've seen it on stage it might bring more disappointment. It is the sort of play you end up going through whether you want to or not in English class(es), particularly in college. It is an important film to see/play to read when you're around this age bracket, as the struggles of Willy and Biff collide alongside each other, and some kind of catharsis needs to come for both- one who's life has almost gone up in smoke, and one who needs to figure it out.
It's not worth talking about much of the actual plot or story of the film/play, although it is of note that one of the very best (or at least most effective) scenes for me comes when Willy visits Howard at the office. This exchange, and the drama that unfolds, is a truly heart-breaking little moment, among some others in the film, where you see a collision of "old-school" salesmanship and the always now recycling form of BS that goes with the salesman/business world. Really, what's worth talking about is the acting, and certain things with the style, for if you are wanting to check out the film before (or after) seeing the play, it's worth it to know what you'll be in for. In short, Hoffman is quite powerful and true in the film, though in ways that aren't really expectable.
An image from reading the play of Willy (that he might be bigger than life, though perhaps little in the mind, and out of shape) might go against a low-energy actor like Hoffman. But somehow, it seems to work, because there's heart and fire in the performance. Same goes for Malkovich, though on a different level. Their scenes together, or on their own, are like watching pro boxers have a go at each other, old timer versus a new champ; there is one other scene, when Biff catches Willy in the hotel room with his 'lady friend' that is likely one of the best scenes either actor has ever done (even if it's questionable if overall the performances are among their best).
As far as stylistics go, Schlondorff usually does the right thing: let these actors have their way around, and just try to film it without too much getting in the way. He does this, and at the same time is clever with certain camera sweeps and timing in the narrative (Miller's play was one of the first to jump around, like a novel or even a some films). The music by Alex North is one of my least favorite aspects to th film, as it chimes in some emotional cues that aren't right at all (though when it gets to the jazzy 40's style music then it's not bad). This version of Death of a Salesman is definitely recommended by me, but it may not be the absolute definitive version for some. -
Chase_Witherspoon1 March 2024Surrealist adaptation of Arthur Miller's famed play about ageing travelling salesman Willy (Hoffman) struggling to come to grips with generational change, who feels betrayed by his sons who've failed to live up to the unrealistic expectations he has for them as captains of industry.
Malkovich is the highlight playing Biff an underachiever desperate to find his own path, Lang too is effective as his less assertive brother Happy, and veteran Canadian actress Reid excels playing Willy's long suffering wife trying to keep her fragile family from falling apart, loyal to her husband's anachronistic ways and also her children who are starting to embrace more contemporary lifestyles. Linda Kozlowski also appears in a small role as a restaurant patron, holding her own in little more than five minutes of screen time.
Makeup and props gets Hoffman into the role, but unlike Lee J. Cobb who was in his late-30s when he originated the role, he still seemed too young to transform into Willy Loman, his movement stilted and appearing unnatural, the light in his eyes defying the rigours of a tired life now coming to an ignominious end. I was glad to see him tackle a more dramatic role considering his move away from more serious themes by the mid-80s, notwithstanding, he's not right for this part.
An ensemble effort to translate the 1949 stage for the 1985 screen and still manage to captivate an audience, but certainly not the best of its breed. -
MarieGabrielle17 August 2006This film counts as one of those that are uncomfortable, well-acted, and disturbingly real.
John Malkovich and Gary Sinise are very real, as well as Dustin Hoffman. It is an initial shock to see him as an aged man.
The cinematography is stark and unforgiving. Willy Loman has lived in ineffective and meaningless life. He will die as a salesman, bragging about sales which mean nothing, building up his sons into something they never were.
Anyone who has read or seen the play will feel the desperation of Biff, and Happy, young men who witness their father's depression, and cannot alter the outcome.
Arthur Miller has touched the reality of American life in the depression. A brilliant playwright, he addresses issue of the family, and struggling economy which today are still avoided. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that America is a prosperous nation because the poor will never admit they are poor, and therefore the elite classes have had less social responsibility since the Napoleonic era. A brilliant insight that has been perpetuated since WWII. 9/10. -
capone66611 March 2017Death of a Salesman
The upside to being a salesman in the 1950s was that people would actually open their doors to you.
But even that can't help the pathetic peddler in this drama become a success.
Still on the travelling sales beat despite his age and deteriorating health, Willy (Dustin Hoffman) heads home after a failed business trip to spend time with his concerned wife (Kate Reid) and his sons Biff (John Malkovich) and Happy (Stephen Lang), who are both failures like him.
During their visit, Willy fades in and out of the past, confusing people and divulging secrets on the event that destroyed Biffy's football prospects.
The Golden Globe and Emmy award winning made-for-TV movie of Arthur Miller's lauded play, this rare film adaptation of the Loman family is stacked with solid actors who bring the pathos to this patriarchal performance.
Incidentally, when a salesman does die they retire his bar stool.
Green Light
vidiotreviews.blogspot.ca -
bernarde13 December 1999This is a truly outstanding perfomance of what may be the most important american play ever written. Hoffman and Malkovich seem to become the characters they play in what may be their greatest performances. This is an incredible drama that can be interpreted many ways... it's subtle and powerfull. Death of a salesman is about a man's realization that he isn't living the american dream he once thought he was. It's about self-deception. It's about trying to keep up with the Jones's. It's about pursuing your dreams, or regretting that you didn't. The plot is nothing special because it's simply a device that Mailer uses to explore these themes.
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It's rare when a writer creates characters as real, deep and engaging as Arthur Miller did here. It's sad, I feel, to see him throw a lot of that out the window because he wants a tragic ending more than anything else.
I feel Miller does that in "Death of a Salesman." In Willie Loman, he creates a very believable character we care about. The portrayal here by Dustin Hoffman is excellent.
I will not to spoil the end for anyone who hasn't seen it, but the conclusion is my chief objection. It does not feel believable for the character. It does feel imposed by the author, and it smacks of a young writer wanting to make a name by amping up the drama. History shows he succeeded; unfortunately, for me, somewhere along the line the point of truth is passed.
But there is a lot to like here. This production makes the bright red walls of encroaching apartments feel like more claustrophobic weight crushing the Loman family. Kate Reid and Stephen Lang are totally in character as the wife and son. John Malkovich turns in a bravura performance during the scene where Biff catches his father a little too unexpectedly in a Boston hotel room; it's hard to imagine anyone playing the scene more powerfully. At other times, curiously, Malkovich's Biff feels less a part of the family than the other characters.
That discovery scene between Biff and Willie is really enough tragedy for any one play; Miller didn't need more. -
Petey-1024 July 2008Willy Loman is a salesman, who gets no salary anymore and works with mere commission.He's 63 years old and he's tired of traveling around the country.His wife Linda understands him and loves him.His sons, Biff and Happy are visiting home.Willy has a troubled relationship with Biff.His son once loved and admired his father very much.It all changed when he found out about his father's crime, of committing adultery. Loman is losing his mind.He can be living two times at the same time.He steps from today's world into the past, mostly those joyful times of his life.He speaks with his now deceased brother Ben, who went to Africa and became a wealthy man.I read the original play by Arthur Miller that was published in 1949 pretty recently and liked it very much.Volker Schlöndorff's Death of a Salesman (1985) is a movie version of that.It was seen on Broadway a year earlier.All of the actors are remarkable.There's not one weak performance.Dustin Hoffman, what a perfect choice to play Willy Loman.He's always great but this time he really tops himself.Kate Reid gives a strong performance as Linda Loman.John Malkovich and Stephen Lang are great as the sons, also as the younger versions of them.Louis Zorich is really brilliant as Ben Loman.Charles Durning is excellent as Willy's neighbor and only friend Charley.And so is David S. Chandler as his son Bernard.Jon Polito gives a good performance as Willy's boss Howard.Linda Kozlowski is wonderful as Miss Forsythe.And so is Kathryn Rossetter as Woman from Boston.The strength of the play is in the characters.You care about many of them. you hope something good would happen to Willy, despite his flaws.The title of the play gives away the ending but it's intriguing to find out what events led to that.Death of a Salesman is a great American play and this a great movie made of that play.
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FairlyAnonymous26 April 2013Death of a Salesman is one of those plays that some people love and consider it a classic and others hate because it isn't entirely accurate with history and doesn't seem to quite work. I honestly don't mind the play BUT the movie... that's a different story.
The movie decides to be a little too accurate to the play... and by a little too accurate I mean it is almost word for word exactly the same as the play and virtually scene for scene the same. I actually watched it with the script of the play in front of me and found only a few minor things altered. Now Romeo+Juliet did it and that movie didn't turn out half bad, but what do I find so annoying about the way this movie does it? Maybe it is because the movie is literally on stage-set...
I'm not even joking, when the characters look at the ceiling there is NO CEILING! Just an opening of the set! There aren't even walls to the house, they are just movable pieces so there are huge gaps in them. While some people might find this "unique" that a movie decided to make a stage adaptation and make into a film, I can only say this: Why in the world would you make it into a movie with this format? I mean seriously, I watch a movie to watch a movie and to break the realm of a play. A movie is simply a play with more freedom and more opportunity to tell a story. But this movie restricts the freedom that is given to a movie and tries to limit the power of the story and make it just a play. I still have no idea why someone thought that was a good idea! Plays are plays and movies are movies. You might as well go on youtube and just watch a video of someone recording the actual play. There is no reason for this movie to pretend that it is a play.
Now how is the acting? Well... pretty darn good. Dustin Hoffman gives a solid performance and all of the actors do pretty well. All of the acting is done well and I think everything the play was trying to portray was portrayed in the "movie". If there was one problem I had with the play and with this film is that the son is too much of a coward to tell his mom why his father and him are arguing. Pretty much every problem that occurs in this movie could be easily resolved if everyone was just a tad bit smarter. It makes me mad when there is a conflict only for the sake of conflict. I find it a bit unrealistic that the conflict didn't get resolved, because it is evident that if everyone knew the truth then everyone would be at equal grounds and a resolution would take place. But alas, that is not how the story goes.
Overall, the Death of a Salesman isn't a terrible movie, but it isn't really a movie. It is a play. That is why I don't really consider this a good movie because it isn't a movie. In all honesty, if someone were to film the play A Death of A Salesman and release it in theaters I bet it would get extremely low reviews because it isn't a movie. I feel like if this "movie" would've attempted to transfer the play into a movie format I would've been able to enjoy it a bit more, but all of the glaring mistakes of a play are still obvious in this movie. I'm sure it was a cute "joke" when this movie was made, and at first it was kind of funny that there was no ceiling, or no walls, but it quickly wears away at the movie once you realize the movie is just being cheap. -
Dr_Coulardeau10 June 2010I will not insist on the plot which is so well-known that to ignore it is a proof of incompetent a-social behavior. I will insist here on the performance of Dustin Hoffman, hence on the particular rendition of this play that is kept as a play with real sound stages like in the old days of the thirties or forties. Dustin Hoffman makes this Willy Loman a lot worse than I was used to read it. He is shown, and as soon as his prime, at least, when his sons are in high school, some seventeen years before, he is shown was I saying as a completely paranoid and deranged person. Not deranged because of some kind of gene. But deranged because first of all he got and kept a job even when he was failing, though he was not done for that job. A salesman has to be a born hypocrite and has to be a conqueror: any argument is good provided it brings in the proper signature. So he is rather misplaced and his derangement comes from that misplacement. What's more he was discovered in his total hypocrisy, though in no way commercial and hence unacceptable from the salesmanship point of view since this woman was bringing him nothing but was costing him a lot, by his own son who was coming after him to get the help he needed, but a help that could only be effective if it were based on the truth, truthfulness, confidence, trust. And Willy Loman was lower than low at that moment. It threw his son into some totally absurd and paranoid a-social attitude, a derangement of its own due to the misplacement of his trust in his own father. When that trust was placed back where it belonged, that is to say in the trashcan, the son only had his eyes to cry, his fingers to steal, his flesh to suffer, in prison if necessary. This film pushes the character of Willy Loman slightly too far and his derangement explains then his suicide: he completely lost control of himself. But I would assert the idea that this is not true of that character who in fact commits suicide when he discovers and finally understands that he had not forgotten that silly episode of his son discovering him in the cradle of the revolution with another woman than his mother. I would like to believe that this last act in his life is not the result of his derangement but of his last flash of guilt for having failed and cheated so many people, in a word a suicide of divine justice coming from the last flash of consciousness of that man who might have been able to be anything but a loser. Even if I disagree with the vision of Schlondorff, I must say the rendering of the character, the acting of the actor and at times the overbearing-ness of the over-acting of the actor is absolutely remarkable and logical and of one piece from beginning to end. That man is not old. That man is not worn out. That man is not vain. That man is not a perambulating lie. That man is sick in his head, crazy, deranged to the extreme point of insanity and thus extremely dangerous since he projects his hatred of that unbearable situation onto everyone around him, even, and particularly, those who love him.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID