Characters Death Of A Salesman

1985 film by Volker Schlöndorff

Death of a Salesman
DVD cover
Genre	Tragedy
Based on	Death of a Salesman past Arthur Miller
Written by	Arthur Miller
Directed past	Volker Schlöndorff
Starring	Dustin Hoffman Kate Reid John Malkovich Stephen Lang
Music by	Alex N
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Product
Producers	Robert F. Colesberry Michael Nozik (acquaintance producer) Nellie Nugiel (associate producer)
Product locations	Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York Urban center, New York
Cinematography	Michael Ballhaus
Editor	David Ray
Running time	136 minutes
Production companies	Roxbury Productions Dial Productions
Distributor	Shout! Manufactory
Release
Original network	CBS
Motion picture format	Color
Sound format	Mono
Original release	September xv, 1985 (1985-09-15)

Decease of a Salesman is a 1985 American made-for-television receiver moving picture accommodation of the 1949 play of the same name by Arthur Miller, directed by Volker Schlöndorff, starring Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid, John Malkovich, Stephen Lang and Charles Durning. The film follows the script of the 1949 play with only pocket-sized differences and originally premiered on CBS on September fifteen, 1985. The film earned 10 Emmy nominations at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony and iv Golden World nominations at the 43rd Gilt Globe Awards ceremony, winning iii and one, respectively.^[ane] ^[2] ^[iii] ^[4] ^[v]

Plot [edit]

Willy Loman returns home wearied afterwards a canceled business concern trip. Worried over Willy's state of mind and recent car crash, his married woman Linda suggests that he asks his boss Howard Wagner to allow him to work in his habitation city then he will not have to travel. Willy complains to Linda that their son Biff, who is visiting, has nevertheless to make good on his life. Despite Biff's hope every bit an athlete in high school, he flunked senior twelvemonth math and never went to higher.

Willy is decumbent to frequent flashbacks in which he sees events and figures from his past, such as his long-deceased older brother Ben, Willy'southward idol. Unable to distinguish betwixt his memories and present-day reality, he speaks to the people in his flashbacks as if they were real, startling those around him. Biff and his brother Happy, who is also visiting, discuss their father'southward mental deposition while reminiscing well-nigh their childhood together. When Willy walks in, angry that the two boys have never amounted to anything, Biff and Happy tell Willy that Biff plans to make a business proposition the next day in an endeavor to pacify their father.

The side by side day, Willy goes to ask Howard for a chore in boondocks while Biff goes to make a business organisation proposition, but neither are successful. Willy gets angry and ends upward getting fired when Howard tells him that he needs a rest and can no longer represent the company. Biff waits hours to see a erstwhile employer who does not recollect him and turns him downwardly. Biff impulsively steals a fountain pen. Willy then goes to the office of his neighbor, Charley, where he runs into Charley's son Bernard (now a successful lawyer). Bernard tells him that Biff originally intended to become to summer school to salvage his bookish and athletic career after flunking math, but when Biff made an emergency trip to Boston to seek help from Willy, who was then on a sales trip, something occurred in that location that changed Biff's heed.

Happy, Biff, and Willy run across for dinner at a eatery, only Willy refuses to hear bad news from Biff. Happy tries to go Biff to lie to their father. Biff tries to tell him what happened as Willy gets angry and slips into a flashback of what happened in Boston the day Biff came to see him. Willy had been in a hotel on a sales trip with a young adult female named Miss Francis when Biff unexpectedly arrived and realized that Willy was cheating on Linda. From that moment, Biff's view of his father and all of his father's cherished hopes and dreams for him changed irrevocably, setting Biff adrift.

Biff leaves the eating house in frustration, followed by Happy and two girls, Miss Forsythe and Letta, that Happy has picked upwards. They leave a dislocated and upset Willy backside in the restaurant. When they later return home, their mother angrily confronts them for abandoning their father while Willy remains talking to himself exterior. Biff goes outside to try to reconcile with Willy. The discussion speedily escalates into another statement, at which point Biff forcefully tries to convey to his father that he is not meant for anything great, that he is simply ordinary, insisting that they both are. The feud culminates with Biff hugging Willy and crying every bit he tries to get him to let become of the unrealistic dreams that he still carries for Biff and wants instead for Willy to have him for who he really is. He tells his father he loves him.

Rather than listen to what Biff actually says, Willy realizes that his son has forgiven him and thinks that Biff will at present pursue a career as a businessman. Willy—with encouragement from Ben, whom he "sees" and speaks to in i of his flashbacks—kills himself by intentionally crashing his car so that Biff tin utilise the life insurance money to start his business organization. However, at the funeral, Biff retains his belief that he does not desire to become a businessman. Happy, on the other paw, chooses to follow in his father's footsteps.

Cast [edit]

William "Willy" Loman (Dustin Hoffman): A self-deluded traveling salesman.
Biff Loman (John Malkovich): Willy'south older son.
Linda Loman (Kate Reid): Willy's loyal and loving wife.
Harold "Happy" Loman (Stephen Lang): Willy's younger son.
Charley (Charles Durning): Willy'southward wisecracking yet understanding neighbor.
Bernard (David S. Chandler): Charley's son.
Ben Loman (Louis Zorich): Willy's older brother who became a diamond tycoon after a diversion in Africa.
Woman from Boston (Kathryn Rossetter, as Kathy Rossetter): A woman with whom Willy cheated on Linda.
Howard Wagner (Jon Polito): Willy'southward considerably younger boss.
Jenny (Anne McIntosh): Charley'south secretarial assistant.
Stanley (Tom Signorelli): A waiter at the restaurant who seems to be friends or acquainted with Happy.
Miss Forsythe (Linda Kozlowski): A daughter whom Happy picks up at the eating place.
Letta (Karen Needle): Miss Forsythe's friend.
Waiter (Michael Quinlan)

Reception [edit]

On review assemblage website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of viii reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10.^[6]

Domicile media [edit]

The film was released on DVD on Jan 28, 2003 by Paradigm Amusement. A Blu-ray Disc edition by Shout! Factory was released on November xv, 2016.

Awards and nominations [edit]

Won: 1986 Golden World Award for Best Performance by an Role player in a Mini-Serial or Move Pic Fabricated for Television (Dustin Hoffman)
Won: 1986 Primetime Emmy Laurels for Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special (Robert J. Franco, John Kasarda, and Tony Walton)
Won: 1986 Primetime Emmy Accolade for Outstanding Atomic number 82 Player - Miniseries or a Moving picture (Dustin Hoffman)
Won: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Moving-picture show (John Malkovich)
Nominated: 1986 Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated: 1986 Gilded Globe Honor for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Pic (John Malkovich)
Nominated: 1986 Gilt Globe Honour for Best Supporting Extra – Series, Miniseries or Television Flick (Kate Reid)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Volker Schlöndorff)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Fabricated for Television Movie
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) (Alex North)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Honour for Outstanding Costume Pattern for a Miniseries or a Special (Ruth Morley)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special (Robert F. Colesberry, Dustin Hoffman, and Arthur Miller)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Honour for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Special (Tom Fleischman)
Nominated: 1986 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Picture (Charles Durning)

References [edit]

^ Macdonald, Scott. "Decease Of A Salesman". eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 25 Feb 2014.
^ Chessman, Michael Rizzo. "Expiry of a salesman (1985) - starring Mr. Dustin Hoffman". moviesbyrizzo.info. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
^ Travers, James. "Expiry of a Salesman (1985)". filmtravers.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
^ Hampton, Wilborn (14 May 2012). "'Death Of A Salesman': Beyond A Grinning And A Shoeshine". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
^ Haflidason, Almar. "Death of a Salesman DVD (1985)". bbc.com.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
^ "Death of a Salesman".