Those of us who have read, studied, and taught Miller's play for a number of years understand that Frederick March is not now nor was he ever Willy Loman.
First of all, Miller goes to great pains to describe Willy as a large man, a physical presence on the scene, overwhelming not only Linda, but Biff and Happy as well. His tirades demand the thrust not of a Napoleon but of a Goliath. Thus, in terms of sheer physical presence, Cobb, Scott, and Dennehy are much more in keeping with Miller's original intention.
Secondly, Hoffman, though physically incorrect, gives one of the great performances of his career. Linda's comment about Willy to her sons that "a terrible thing is happening to him," that "he must not be allowed to fall into his grave like a dog...so attention must finally be paid to such a person" is the heart and soul of Hoffman's performance.
Miller's play is a modern take on Greek tragedy--and March just doesn't get it. That fact that Hoffman's performance doesn't work for some says more about them than it does about Hoffman's brilliant work and his intelligent understanding of the terrible things that are happening to Willy.
It is too bad that the Dennehy version of the play is not available. Having seen the New York stage production, I am even more a Dennehy fan than I was after I had seen him in Brecht's "Galileo" at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.
First of all, Miller goes to great pains to describe Willy as a large man, a physical presence on the scene, overwhelming not only Linda, but Biff and Happy as well. His tirades demand the thrust not of a Napoleon but of a Goliath. Thus, in terms of sheer physical presence, Cobb, Scott, and Dennehy are much more in keeping with Miller's original intention.
Secondly, Hoffman, though physically incorrect, gives one of the great performances of his career. Linda's comment about Willy to her sons that "a terrible thing is happening to him," that "he must not be allowed to fall into his grave like a dog...so attention must finally be paid to such a person" is the heart and soul of Hoffman's performance.
Miller's play is a modern take on Greek tragedy--and March just doesn't get it. That fact that Hoffman's performance doesn't work for some says more about them than it does about Hoffman's brilliant work and his intelligent understanding of the terrible things that are happening to Willy.
It is too bad that the Dennehy version of the play is not available. Having seen the New York stage production, I am even more a Dennehy fan than I was after I had seen him in Brecht's "Galileo" at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.