I have seen several versions of "Death of a Salesman" and although this first one is very good, it is slightly abridged (the original play runs longer). Additionally, the playwright's complaint that this version makes the leading character, Willy Loman (Fredric March), look like he's insane is valid...and so the film has a few flaws.
The story is about the disintegration of a working man. He clearly is experiencing a nervous breakdown and after years of acting as if he's a big and important man, he's come to realize that he's a real nothing...with no job, no retirement, sons who are irresponsible and a wife he does not love. While you MIGHT feel sorry for Willy at first, through the course of the film you begin to realize that he's living in a hell he created for himself. And, after a while, he cannot keep lying to himself and others...he is an abject failure. What he does next is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
To some, this might be seen as a story decrying the evils of an unfeeling capitalist system. The studio sure worried that this might be the case and they created a short film to be shown before the feature...saying, essentially, that the market system and being a salesman is great. While this certainly wasn't necessary, it was during the height of the Cold War and the Red Scare so it makes sense. To me, the story is not necessarily such an attack...and more an attack on a small man whose life is a lie. After decades of pretending he's a big man, ultimately he must face the reality of his broken life.
So let's talk about the aspect of the film Arthur Miller disliked about his play being made into a movie. The movie is filmed like a play and often Willy has flashbacks when he thinks of the past and his mistakes. But the problem is that he talks to the people in these flashbacks and everyone around him sees and hears him at the present time...and they think he's lost his mind. Having March yelling out loud when he reminisces did make him look like he was schizophrenic...not a man in the midst of a mid-life crisis...which he was. I agree with his complaint...the flashback scenes could have been handled better.
Despite a few complaints, you can't fault the story itself. Miller's play is brilliant and it can't help but be sad and very compelling. As for March, he's one of my favorite actors, though I think Lee J. Cobb did the part a little bit better....as Cobb was amazing at playing a blowhard (both here and in "12 Angry Men"). Overall, well worth seeing but a slightly flawed filmization of the play.
The story is about the disintegration of a working man. He clearly is experiencing a nervous breakdown and after years of acting as if he's a big and important man, he's come to realize that he's a real nothing...with no job, no retirement, sons who are irresponsible and a wife he does not love. While you MIGHT feel sorry for Willy at first, through the course of the film you begin to realize that he's living in a hell he created for himself. And, after a while, he cannot keep lying to himself and others...he is an abject failure. What he does next is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
To some, this might be seen as a story decrying the evils of an unfeeling capitalist system. The studio sure worried that this might be the case and they created a short film to be shown before the feature...saying, essentially, that the market system and being a salesman is great. While this certainly wasn't necessary, it was during the height of the Cold War and the Red Scare so it makes sense. To me, the story is not necessarily such an attack...and more an attack on a small man whose life is a lie. After decades of pretending he's a big man, ultimately he must face the reality of his broken life.
So let's talk about the aspect of the film Arthur Miller disliked about his play being made into a movie. The movie is filmed like a play and often Willy has flashbacks when he thinks of the past and his mistakes. But the problem is that he talks to the people in these flashbacks and everyone around him sees and hears him at the present time...and they think he's lost his mind. Having March yelling out loud when he reminisces did make him look like he was schizophrenic...not a man in the midst of a mid-life crisis...which he was. I agree with his complaint...the flashback scenes could have been handled better.
Despite a few complaints, you can't fault the story itself. Miller's play is brilliant and it can't help but be sad and very compelling. As for March, he's one of my favorite actors, though I think Lee J. Cobb did the part a little bit better....as Cobb was amazing at playing a blowhard (both here and in "12 Angry Men"). Overall, well worth seeing but a slightly flawed filmization of the play.