Tod eines Handlungsreisenden: Kritiken

Dustin Hoffman won awards for both the film version and the stage version of this Arthur Miller book and you can absolutely see why. This is full-body acting like I’ve never seen it. Admittedly, the performance is very theatrical, but so is (intentionally) the whole production.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the film was the simple set and costuming which never pretends to be the real thing, rather like you’re watching the play in a theatre. The walls end without a ceiling, the skyline is intentionally flat and the actors remain the same even in flashbacks. You have to buy into the same pact you buy into when you go to see a play, the pact to suspend your disbelief for those few hours and sink into a make-believe world even when the cracks are clear to see.
The acting on all sides is tremendous and, despite some pretty foul character traits, you feel empathy for every single character. The story definitely has the power to depress, but if you look beyond the individual situation and observe the piece from a theoretical perspective, it gives you a lot to think about. One could even argue that the DIY nature of the set and costumes is there to draw us out of the story, make us consider critically what we’re seeing, to see the falsity of our society.
All in all, Death of a Salesman is an important take on an age-old theme, beautifully written, acted and staged in this 1985 film. I would give it 4 stars out of 5. See my full review at https://chloesfilmsandbooks.blogspot.com/