Salesman (1968)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

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)

"Death of a salesman" without death but with real life.

A tragic summary of a job that demands a very cynic and indoctrinated person. Brilliant fun at times, but what you, as a viewer, are laughing at, are indeed real people, with real emotions.

The "direct cinema" style of the film is very convincing, though not without leaving doubts about real truth in documentaries. The problem with the "missing body" is not there, but problems about representing people and reality still creeps up on you during the film. However, there is little evidence in the film that the filmmakers are interrupting anything, none of the people in the film ever react to the camera.

Certainly a worthwhile documentary film for those interested in the subject per se. Interesting also to notice that all the classic sales-tricks are in place as early as 1969.