Death of a Salesman (1951)

“A salesman is somebody way up there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine… ” – Charley

Number of Times Seen – 1 (5 Jun 2018)

Brief Synopsis – An aged traveling salesman still strives to find a way to achieve the American Dream despite being tired from the work he has performed his whole life.

My Take on it – I have seen a few versions of this story and it isn’t a story that I can say that I’ve ever enjoyed watching.

This version is ok, but still isn’t as good as the ones with Dustin Hoffman or Brian Dennehey in the leads.

Fredric March does a nice job in the lead and keeps things somewhat interesting to watch.

The story itself moves along quite slowly and in my opinion drags too much.

The play that this film is based on is considered one of the best plays ever written, but I have never been able to find a way to feel some kind of connection to the story or the characters and ultimately get bored watching the events transpire.

The main theme of this story that deal with trying to achieve the American Dream is done quite well and that is the most memorable thing for me.

There is a global misconception by many people that money and fame will make a person more happier, but this film takes that idea to try and show that it isn’t necessarily true.

This will be an issue that will continue to be debated as to whether it is right or wrong and there will probably never be a true answer to such a discussion.

Bottom Line – Not really among my favorite stories and this version is not as good as the ones featuring Dustin Hoffman or Brian Dennehy, but despite this, March does a very good job here. The story drags along in my opinion and despite it being hailed as one of the greatest plays ever written, I just couldn’t find a way to connect to it at all.  The theme of trying to achieve the American Dream is still presented quite well.  There is always a incorrect perception that money and fame will make someone happier and the debate will go on as to whether that statement is right or wrong.

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Arthur Miller disliked this film version of his play because he felt that the flashback sequences made it look as if Willy Loman were literally acting out his past in front of others, and that this made him seem insane. Perhaps because of this, other versions of the play have been shown on TV and video, but the 1951 version has not been televised in more than twenty years, and it has never been issued on VHS or DVD. (From IMDB)

Rating – BAFTA Worthy (5/10)

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