Death of a Salesman (1985)

Directed by Volker Schlöndorff. Starring Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Stephen Lang, Charles Durning, Louis Zorch, Kathryn Rossetter, David S. Chandler, Jon Polito. [PG]

Faithful adaptation of the Arthur Miller play of aging, contradictory salesman Willy Loman (Hoffman) facing a personal crisis when examining the emptiness of his life. Miller scripted himself, which may explain why the cautionary editing points are ignored time and again (hard to see the forest for the trees when you’re the Mother Creator). Fidelity-demanding completionists, however, will be left watching a filmed play at nearly every turn, while the few attempts to open things up with cinematic effects (often involving visions in mirrors and windows) are clunky beyond belief. The strength of Miller’s prose and some of the performances—even John Malkovich playing against his strengths as the unsuccessful kleptomaniac, Biff—make it worth watching, of course, but filmgoers who enjoy the play would be better served with the László Benedek picture from the 1950s. Originally produced for television, airing on CBS as a three-hour event (with commercials).

64/100