Salesman (1968)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Directors:

Albert Maysles
David Maysles

Release Date:

1968 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Four relentless door-to-door salesmen deal with constant rejection, homesickness and inevitable burnout as they go across the country selling very expensive bibles to low-income Catholic families.

Plot Keywords:

Bible | Door To Door | Cinema Verite | Motel | Loneliness

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Paul Brennan	...	Himself - 'The Badger'
Charles McDevitt	...	Himself - 'The Gipper'
James Baker	...	Himself - 'The Rabbit'
Raymond Martos	...	Himself - 'The Bull'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melbourne I. Feltman
Margaret McCarron
Kennie Turner

Runtime:

85 min | Argentina:85 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Maysles Films

Trivia:

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1992.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Four (2005) (V)

Desperation is painful to watch...

From the Maysles Brothers (Gimme Shelter, Monterey Pop, When We Were Kings) comes this unsettling portrait of door-to-door salesmen. In this case, the film is especially interesting since they're selling Bibles to Catholic families. All the sales tricks are there, with a special dose of guilt. Most interesting is the portrayal of Paul, one of the older salesmen, who is realizing he may have "lost it." His desperation is painful to watch. (9/ 10)