Genres

Visitors Review

paul feldman 2012-05-25 04:54:27

Brilliant performances in the classic American tragedy

Stands with the best of Lee Cobb or Frederic March. An importantwork.

2012-05-24 10:45:45

The Lone Masterpiece of Motion Picture

I first viewed this film in a college class of mine. It was just another boring, uninspired day of studying and curriculum until the teacher used this video for coursework. First off, the performances Malkovich and Hoffman give are absolutely superb, and the performance of the wife of Willy Loman has got to be considered one of the greatest of all time. Although I am unfamiliar with the official praise or criticism of the film (i.e. if it won any Oscars), months later I was discussing if there ever was such a thing as a masterpiece in American film. My friend suggested Citizen Kane - which I have not seen. Then I remembered this film, and it was clear to me that this must be considered proof that film is an actual Art form. I haven't taken the time to read the screenplay or view other interpretations so I'm not sure if it's the story of Willy Loman itself, or this specific retelling that is so great. Nonetheless, a film in deserved praise of 5 stars.

Bill Robertson 2012-05-23 23:14:58

WoW!!!

My thoughts go back to the powerful performance Dustin Hoffman gives inperforming the role of Willy Lomak. His best ever, even tops "Rain Man"...just too bad it was not a commercial movie as it was a Hallmarkrelease...

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU 2012-05-23 14:29:25

So extreme and so fascinating

I will not insist on the plot which is so well-known that to ignore itis a proof of incompetent a-social behavior. I will insist here on theperformance of Dustin Hoffman, hence on the particular rendition ofthis play that is kept as a play with real sound stages like in the olddays of the thirties or forties. Dustin Hoffman makes this Willy Lomana lot worse than I was used to read it. He is shown, and as soon as hisprime, at least, when his sons are in high school, some seventeen yearsbefore, he is shown was I saying as a completely paranoid and derangedperson. Not deranged because of some kind of gene. But deranged becausefirst of all he got and kept a job even when he was failing, though hewas not done for that job. A salesman has to be a born hypocrite andhas to be a conqueror: any argument is good provided it brings in theproper signature. So he is rather misplaced and his derangement comesfrom that misplacement. What's more he was discovered in his totalhypocrisy, though in no way commercial and hence unacceptable from thesalesmanship point of view since this woman was bringing him nothingbut was costing him a lot, by his own son who was coming after him toget the help he needed, but a help that could only be effective if itwere based on the truth, truthfulness, confidence, trust. And WillyLoman was lower than low at that moment. It threw his son into sometotally absurd and paranoid a-social attitude, a derangement of its owndue to the misplacement of his trust in his own father. When that trustwas placed back where it belonged, that is to say in the trashcan, theson only had his eyes to cry, his fingers to steal, his flesh tosuffer, in prison if necessary. This film pushes the character of WillyLoman slightly too far and his derangement explains then his suicide:he completely lost control of himself. But I would assert the idea thatthis is not true of that character who in fact commits suicide when hediscovers and finally understands that he had not forgotten that sillyepisode of his son discovering him in the cradle of the revolution withanother woman than his mother. I would like to believe that this lastact in his life is not the result of his derangement but of his lastflash of guilt for having failed and cheated so many people, in a worda suicide of divine justice coming from the last flash of consciousnessof that man who might have been able to be anything but a loser. Evenif I disagree with the vision of Schlondorff, I must say the renderingof the character, the acting of the actor and at times theoverbearing-ness of the over-acting of the actor is absolutelyremarkable and logical and of one piece from beginning to end. That manis not old. That man is not worn out. That man is not vain. That man isnot a perambulating lie. That man is sick in his head, crazy, derangedto the extreme point of insanity and thus extremely dangerous since heprojects his hatred of that unbearable situation onto everyone aroundhim, even, and particularly, those who love him.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, UniversityParis 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID

MarieGabrielle 2012-05-23 10:04:39

Disturbing and real...

This 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 DustinHoffman. It is an initial shock to see him as an aged man.The cinematography is stark and unforgiving. Willy Loman has lived inineffective and meaningless life. He will die as a salesman, braggingabout sales which mean nothing, building up his sons into somethingthey 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 cannotalter the outcome.Arthur Miller has touched the reality of American life in thedepression. A brilliant playwright, he addresses issue of the family,and struggling economy which today are still avoided. Kurt Vonnegutonce wrote that America is a prosperous nation because the poor willnever admit they are poor, and therefore the elite classes have hadless social responsibility since the Napoleonic era. A brilliantinsight that has been perpetuated since WWII. 9/10.

Michael Aaron Flores 2012-05-22 20:07:51

Praise For Hoffman

Many people seem to bash Dustin Hoffman for his choice of character forWilly Loman on the simple basis that it is different or not how theyenvisioned the character. What would our world of theatre be like if allproductions of a play were done the exactly the same? I too was surprisedatthe way the character's in this movie were portrayed, but I was pleasedthatall of these brilliant actors created something new and powerful. Peopleneed to stop being so close-minded about their visions and expectationsandrealize that these actors have thought a lot more about their charactersthan any audience, and it shows through in their vibrant characters. AlexNorth does a great job at creating the mood with a passionate score thataccents the utterly amazing script by, in my opinion, one of the greatestplaywrights of all time. This is a must see drama which makes the audiencethink about the false "American Dream" we hold so dear. Watch this moviewith an open mind and you will love everything about it.

Tim Cox 2012-05-19 23:14:35

Death of a Salesman

Reid is stand out in this adaptationof the famed Arthur Miller play with Hoffmannot fully conveying the torment of Willy Loman andMalkovich giving a dense performance as Biff. Theperformances of Durning, Lang and Jacobi are fine, butHoffman suffers greatly...concentrating too much onturning Willy Loman into schtick comedy rather thantragic heroism.

2012-05-19 11:37:01

Hoffman/ Malcovich personify the tragedy of...

...hollow/go-through-the-motions convential living. Dustin Hoffman displays the desperate drama a soul goes through when realizing the futility of a wasted life VERY well. Malcovich (as usual)leaves his distinctive mark as a true actor and assists all who were involved in creating this film in sending one of the most important messages one can offer the world...a message concerning true living.

2012-05-17 15:44:20

Obviously a collective dvd.

Death of a salesman is the show, which is being put on somewhere in the world almost every day of the year. It's so multi-dynamic and close to real life that it can hurt you for real. Beside the genius playwriting, this movie is an excellent performance of that. Dusting Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Stephen Lang they all have done superb job portraying their characters. Although I am not into literature, capable enough to pay homage for a play like this one, I for certainly recommend this movie for everyone to collect. A must have movie.

Max W 2012-05-17 05:09:24

Almost Good

This movie was pretty good in a sense that it portrays life back in the '40s. I watched this movie in my English 112 class in college and had to write a few responses on it. Wow Willy has a screw loose but shows more dreams for Biff than most fathers today have for their children. Of course Willy's dreams for Biff are just that, dreams. I would give it a thumb and a half up. Great movie for showing a sociosemiotic approach to understanding film texts and codes.

sddavis63 2012-05-16 06:30:20

Well Done TV Adaptation Of Arthur Miller's Famous Play

Like many people, I suspect that my first exposure to Arthur Miller'sgreat play "Death Of A Salesman" was studying it in high school Englishclass. It's a great story of a sad life - the ageing travellingsalesman Willy Loman having big dreams to the point at which he's notentirely in touch with reality, perhaps going a bit senile, failing athis job, dealing with sons who haven't accomplished much either and awife who tries against all odds to hold everything together, andbecoming increasingly desperate as time goes on.Dustin Hoffman played the part of Willy Loman to perfection. The anger;the sadness; the frustration and desperation - it was all there and allvery real. The supporting cast more than held their own, including JohnMalkovich as son Biff, who - as he himself finally admits - is littlemore than a bum and a thief, Stephen Lang as womanizing and under-achieving second son Happy and Kate Reid as long-suffering wife Linda.Translating a stage play to television isn't always easy, but this onewas very well done. Anyone who's a fan of Miller's play would take anyopportunity to watch this. (8/10)

2012-05-15 16:41:08

This is an utterly classic dramatic work

Sparse sets set-up the huge dramatic energy of this deceivingly simple story. Every actor and actress is outstanding andthe power, range, and depth of the performance is incredible.Bristling with raw force, the drama digs through the layersof mid-america near mid-century, creating a powerful historicaltestament. The stars were aligned for Miller, Hoffman, Malkovic and the rest for this dynamic theatre. Pathos.

Frank Reese 2012-05-15 02:08:37

An interesting movie.

This is a movie about a man, who is not sure what to do. He is a man wholives in the past, and because of this, he scares everyone. This is athinking man's movie. This movie has deep meaning that needs to be thoughtabout to be appreciated. It is at times sad, and also exciting. You canreally connect to the sad life of Willy Loman.

2012-05-14 06:44:11

Willy Loman - a common man like most of us

Seeing the filmed version of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman left me with an intense feeling of sadness. It is a real-life story without any "decorations." It a story about the choices we sometimes make and their consequences. Willy Loman is a common, fallible man, who realizes that in spite of his high hopes and efforts he has not achieved anything real in life. His sons are not what he wanted them to be, especially Biff. Willy made some major wrong choices and he is definitely not the "winning-type" of a man but he loves his family.I personally saw something of my father in Willy Loman, and probably that is why it was so appealing for me. But I do not think I can see the movie again. I will simply not be able to.Volker Schlondorff did a wonderful job, in my opinion. The actors' playing is more than excellent. I think Willy Loman's role is the best one Dustin Hoffman has ever played. John Malkovich also makes a remarkable performance as well as all the other actors

2012-05-13 05:41:49

Great transition from play to film, awesome resource for the play!

This review is from: Death of a Salesman/ Private Conversations (DVD) Director Volker Schlondorff's version of the Arthur Miller play really hits on all cylinders. The mood, pacing, characterization and accuracy of Death of a Salesman are masterfully blended into a well-thought production. One underappreciated aspect is successfully incorporating a play into a film. Many times we have read a play only to watch a film version seem trite, forced or disappointingly unable to make the transition; Death of a Salesman doesn't have this problem, as many significant scenes, such as Biff's epiphany and confrontation with Willy, keep their power. Also, the key quotes from characters are given their moment. Unlike many other reviewers, I haven't seen the Broadway Production of Death of a Salesman, so I can't compare this one to any other production, but I think this version will hold up nicely to other successful versions. As far as the story itself, Death of a Salesman is a classic case for the failure of the American Dream. Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman, is a tragic hero who loses touch with reality as he wavers between the present, 1942, and the past, 1928. Willy's tragic flaw is that he has false values that he takes as the proponents to success. Not only this, but he pushes these values onto his two sons, Happy and Biff. Willy's false belief that success in life can be attributed to personal appearance, being liked, and connections lays foundations for present day failures. We come to understand that Willy's glowing vision of the past is only an exaggeration for his idealistic hopes. Willy not only has visions of the past, but seeks the answers to life from his dead brother Ben, who, unlike Willy, was a success early in life. Much of Willy's success as a salesman is exaggerated; his false pride gets in the way of any transformation. Happy and Biff, because of Willy's outlook, are also lost in the world, lack identity, and represent failures. Willy has inflated Biff's ego to the point where Biff lacks responsibility, and, as a result, Biff can't hold down a job. The film investigates the negative aspects of having wrong values, and how it can destroy hopes of the American Dream. Although Willy's state of mind is quite fractured, Linda (his wife) and the two sons, for the most part, do not attempt to confront him or his suicidal tendencies, ignoring the problem and thus emphasizing false perception. Biff, however, is the one character who finally wakes up and challenges Willy's views, and "sees the light" about the lie he's been living. Death of a Salesman proposes that having the wrong dreams can lead to tragic results. A great job was done assembling a cast that really made this play come to life. Dustin Hoffman really gives the edginess to Willy Loman, yet he also makes Willy a sympathetic character, one who you feel sorry for by the time the credits are rolling. The other actors also do solid work. A young John Malkovich does a commendable job as Biff Loman, the one who Willy has high hopes for. Also included within the DVD is Private Confessions, a documentary which sheds some light on background into the play and the idea of the traveling salesman. If you haven't read the play, this might be a good way to begin before viewing the film. Over all, this is an excellent job of bringing Arthur Miller's play to life. This is also is an exceptional resource for either a teacher or student who wants to use the film to help with the study of the play, which can be confusing to read with the various time shifts. Fantastic production! Definitely recommended!

Shaye Hanratty 2012-05-12 19:37:00

Genius

I saw this movie my junior year of high school in my contemporaryliteratureclass. We were reading the play, and I have to say I am glad our teacherhadus watch this particular version of Death of a salesman. Being a big fanofDustin Hoffman, and John Malkovich, who are fine actors, I felt this moviein my soul, as I did in the book. If you like depressing movies, I suggestyou see it.

joliet-jake 2012-05-11 05:35:46

great rendition of a superb play

This is a film version if Arthur Millers' play of the same name. we seedustin Hoffman as the lead Willie Loman. He does a good job portrayingthe aging salesman who cant seem to do his job as good as he was ableto in years past. This movie was filmed during a performance while theshow was touring. It portrays Millers work in a fantastic way. If youhave read this play or are planning to check out this movie along withit. They are both fantastic. John Malkovich is also in this as theolder son of Willie named Biff. He does a good job of portraying theanger that Biff has towards his father. All in all this a very well puttogether piece. Great adaptation of an excellent work 8 out of 10stars.

Claudio Carvalho 2012-05-10 17:20:30

Depressive and Tragic Theatrical Movie With Awesome Performances

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 aworthless 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 theatricalmovie with awesome performances, mainly of Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reidand John Malkovitch. I have never read Arthur Miller's novel or seenthe movie or the play; therefore I did not expect such a sad story withso complex characters. The story, in the 40's, shows the evil face ofthe capitalism (and the American Dream), and the character of DustinHoffman becomes insane when he sees that he is a loser and his life acomplete failure: he is paying the last installment of his old houseafter thirty years of sacrifice; his sons have not been successful inlife; his old car is broken; his old refrigerator needs repair; he doesnot have any money after more than thirty years working for the samecompany and in the end he is treated like a street dog and fired. For aviewer that does not know this drama (like me), I recommend to see thismovie in a happy day, otherwise he or she may become too much depressedwith such heart-breaking story. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Morte do Caixeiro-Viajante" ("Death of the Salesman")

didi-5 2012-05-10 20:58:26

Hoffman as Loman does it again

This TV adaptation of Arthur Miller's most successful play benefitsfrom the serious playing of Dustin Hoffman in the lead as failingsalesman Willy Loman. Miller's play takes the plight of the common manwithin the confines of the 'American dream' and then kicks him down.Loman's sons are played by John Malkovich (Biff, memorable) and StephenLang (Happy, irritating); while his wife is played with tact andresignation by Kate Reid.The stagey feel of this production comes across in every scene (thefamous ones especially with Howard, Loman's boss; and Bernard, thesuccessful son of Loman's colleague; and the final scenes with Linda)although they are handled very well. It would be a temptation todismiss Willy Loman as loopy and in the throes of a breakdown and toignore everything he says, but his words strike a chord and stay withyou. 'Death of a Salesman' still has something to say to us, and awarning to give, even six decades after it was written.

Mr. Pulse 2012-05-09 23:36:39

Very Well-Made Film Version of Classic

How do you review a film of a play? Especially a play like Arthur Miller's"Death of a Salesman?" It's not easy, so for once in my life, I'll bebrief.The play, is a classic, and I actually agree that it deserves to be regardedas such (unlike such dreadful works as Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"). Thisfilm version is done on pretty obvious sets but not on a stage, and featuresan excellent cast, especially Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich as Willy andBiff Loman. They are absolutely incredible in their roles. Totallyimmersed to the point where you forget that they are famous actors. TheyARE Willy and Biff.Often plays-come-films are very wordy and too boringly filmed. Here thedirection is pretty good; only static and flat in a few points, and Miller'sdialogue is so haunting that you really don't notice. I had seen the playbefore and I was totally engrossed by this version when I watched it for adrama class. Very well made adaptation.