Death of a Salesman (1985) (TV)

Director:

Volker Schlöndorff

Writer:

Arthur Miller (play)

Release Date:

15 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Its passion cannot be overstated. Its power must not be overlooked.

Plot:

An aging traveling salesman recognizes the emptiness of his life and tries to fix it.

Plot Keywords:

Aging | Problem | Poignant | Kleptomaniac | Psychological Drama

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Willy Loman
Kate Reid	...	Linda Loman
John Malkovich	...	Biff Loman
Stephen Lang	...	Harold 'Happy' Loman
Charles Durning	...	Charley
Louis Zorich	...	Ben Loman
David S. Chandler	...	Bernard, Charley's son
Jon Polito	...	Howard, Willy's Boss
Kathryn Rossetter	...	Woman from Boston (as Kathy Rossetter)
Tom Signorelli	...	Stanley the waiter at Frank's Chop House
Linda Kozlowski	...	Miss Forsythe
Karen Needle	...	Letta, Forsythe's friend
Anne McIntosh	...	Jenny
Michael Quinlan	...	Waiter

Also Known As:

Tod eines Handlungsreisenden, Der (West Germany)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Astoria Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Bioskop Film

Trivia:

In his autobiography "Timebends", Arthur Miller speculates that his unconscious mind picked the name "Loman" for Willy Loman, the protagonist of "Death of a Salesman", based on his conscious experience of being thrilled by _Testament des Dr. Mabuse, Das (1933)_, which featured a character named "Commisioner Lohmann".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Biff and Linda argue in the kitchen, Linda grabs an empty glass and places it under the tap, when she turns the tap on no water comes out but when she picks the glass up, it is full of water.

Quotes:

Biff Loman: [to his father] Will you let me go, for Christ's sake? Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Private Conversations: On the Set of 'Death of a Salesman' (1985)

One can empathize

Superb portrayal of tragic characters. One can sense the futility, frustration, and disappointment of Loman. As we age and our faculties deteriorate along with unrealized dreams, it is easy to grasp for hope even where none exists and transfer our aspirations to the next generation only to have them carry your faults and failings in addition to their own. Profoundly sad but unfortunately that is the reality for countless billions of the human race. 8/10.