Salesman (1968)

Directors:

Albert Maysles
David Maysles
(more)

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 | Catholic | Door To Door | Homesickness | Customer

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

Directed by
Albert Maysles
David Maysles
Charlotte Zwerin

Produced by
Albert Maysles	....	producer
David Maysles	....	producer

Cinematography by
Albert Maysles

Film Editing by
David Maysles
Charlotte Zwerin

Sound Department
Dick Vorisek	....	sound mixer
Maurice Schell	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ellen Giffard	....	contributing film editor
Barbara Jarvis	....	assistant editor
Maurice Schell	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Other crew
David Maysles	....	development
David Maysles	....	researcher

Production Companies

• Maysles Films

Distributors

• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Maysles Films

Other Companies

• Mid-American Bible Company  appreciation

Also Known As:

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:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | USA:G

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:

Featured in These Amazing Shadows (2011)

Essential

"Salesman" isn't quite the Maysles Bros.' (and Charlotte Zwerin's) crowning achievement, although it comes close. I personally feel that "Gimme Shelter" is their best film, but that might have something to do with it being a more enjoyable, if still harrowing film. "Salesman" is an uncomfortable examination of human emotions, and provokes a strong reaction of guilt and sympathy. Some may insist that a documentary has to be somewhat relevant to have any real value, but "Salesman", a film on the lives of door-to-door salesmen, the product of a mostly by-gone era, is pure contradiction of this claim.

A landmark 'cinema verite' film, "Salesman" does not feature any sort of narration or writing, allowing the viewer to take the images presented in the film and interpret them as they wish. There are statements that the Maysles Bros. are probably trying to make with this film, statements about suburbia, statements about the ties between business and organized religion, and more, but the beauty of the film is that it is up to you if you see this in the film or not, because really it is simply a document of an average day for a salesman at the time.

"Salesman" is funny in parts, but taken as a whole it is one of the saddest films you will ever see, a document of the quiet desperation of this lifestyle. The directors of the film make powerful statements, but do so subtly, almost unobtrusively, allowing the viewer to fully engage themselves in the almost routine feel of the film. It is a crime that, despite its strong reputation, relatively few people have seen this essential film from possibly the very best documentary filmmakers there have ever been.

10/10