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Special Features
- 1968 Jack Kroll television interview with David and Albert Maysles about Salesman
- "The Rabbit" on NPR's Weekend Edition (2000)
- Behind-the-scenes photographs
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Arguably the best American documentary of the 1960s, Salesman was the pivotal film of the "direct cinema" movement championed by such influential filmmakers as Richard Leacock, D.A. Pennebaker, and (in this case) the Maysles brothers and their longtime collaborator Charlotte Zwerin. It catapulted Albert and David Maysles to international fame (later intensified with Gimme Shelter), and it remains the most powerful document of working-class America in the post-Kennedy era. As compelling as any fictional drama, the film follows four salesmen (nicknamed the Badger, the Gipper, the Rabbit, and the Bull, based on their particular on-the-job attributes) from Boston to Florida as they struggle to sell lavishly illustrated Bibles to reluctant, blue-collar customers as desperate to keep their money as the salesmen are to take it.
The film focuses on the anguished plight of Paul "the Badger" Brennan, an aging Boston-Irish veteran of the salesman circuit, weary of his job and unable to hide his exhaustion from customers and colleagues alike. "I don't want to seem negative," he says in one of the film's many dreary motel rooms, but Paul is negative, and meager sales reflect his attitude. The resulting portrait serves as a two-way mirror of hard-scrabble American survival, simultaneously humorous and heartbreaking, and so honestly revealing that no performance (with the possible exception of Jack Lemmon's in Glengarry Glen Ross) could ever hope to match its level of richly nuanced humanity. Door-to-door salesmen became dinosaurs with the advent of telemarketing and Internet retail, but Salesman is a timeless masterpiece of cinematic truth. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
Fascinating documentary that follows four door-to-door Bible sellers on their rounds through large cities, small towns, and at a "sales convention," detailing each man's hard-sell campaign on his clients; directed by Albert and David Maysles. 91 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; theatrical trailer; interview; filmographies.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By Chasemouse
Format:DVD
A few months ago I rented the Criterion edition of Gimme Shelter. The DVD included a fascinating preview for another film by the Maysles brothers called SALESMAN. I had never heard of the film but after seeing the preview I had to see it. Much to my dismay SALESMAN was not available, nor does it appear to have ever had an official release on video. Thankfully, Criterion has seen fit to release this long lost American masterpiece. I was completely won over by this tragic but hysterical documentary about door-to-door Bible salesmen. The Maysles brothers focus most of the film on Paul Brennan aka The Badger. Brennan appears to be the the main inspiration for Gil, the unlucky salesman on The Simpsons. Brennan rarely scores a sale and when he doesn't his fellow (and more successful) salesmen have to endure his bizarre Irish rants and mumbled complaints. SALESMAN is full of strange lingo, strong Irish accents, and tons of smoking. I don't smoke but by the end of the film I felt in need of a light. Most of the banter between the Bible sellers and their prospective buyers is very funny. One woman declared that she was the "literal" person of the household. Criterion's presentation is excellent. The disc includes an interview with the two brothers by Jack Kroll. Kroll's interviewing skills are terrible at best. More than once he cuts off the two filmmakers to plunge the shallow depths of his scary thoughts. Even worse he goes on to tell them what they mean to say. The commentary track by Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin is interesting and informative. Highly Recommended.
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By S. Hutchison
Format:DVD
The Maysles Bros. did a wonderful job with this film. The b/w photography is sharp and smartly orchestrated making _Salesman_ a must see in my book. Shot with a custom made handheld camera and portable boom mic, _Salesman_ is the story of four door-to-door bible salesmen in the late sixties. The film falls in to the documentary category, though the Maysles have coined their own term for their style of filming: direct cinema.
The "salesmen" themselves are unforgetable; their performances in the homes of anyone who will let them get a foot in the door are fascinating and nerve wracking as you find yourself sympathizing both with the salesmen and the prospective buyers at the same time. It's this dynamic tension that gives the film some real drama. Better than what could have been scripted.
I never saw this film on video so I can't comment on any improvements in quality. But I will say this: the film looks and sounds beautiful on DVD. Also, with the DVD is an interview (mostly pretentious banter revolving around the distinction of "direct cinema"), commentary with the Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin (editor) and film trailers.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is fascinating, harrowing stuff -- I remain haunted by these men, these door-to-door Bible salesmen, peddling their wares, themselves, their humanity. It's after "Death of a Salesman," but plenty of Willy Loman stuff going on here, and obviously a wellspring of material for David Mamet, for Barry Levinson's "Tin Men," for so many other tales of salesmen.
This is written pre-release, but I'm sure that the folks at Criterion will do an extraordinary job with this.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Traveling Salesmen in a Bygone America
In 1966, filmmakers Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin hit the road with a group of traveling Bible salesmen. Read more
Published on October 16, 2010 by stoic
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Attention must be paid" (Riding on a smile and a shoeshine)
Some will recognize the words in quote marks as Linda's plea to her sons in "Death of a Salesman" to have compassion for their father, Willie, whose dream of greatness has been... Read more
Published on September 4, 2010 by Samuel Chell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Did they give to Paul Brennan.
I loved Paul Brennan after 5 minutes. He was weary and tired cos of his failed ventures and I think this broke his spirit. Read more
Published on June 18, 2010 by God is Love & Happiness
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Lived It
I love this movie. First it is a time capsule that really takes me back to when I was a kid in the late 60's. Read more
Published on October 15, 2009 by Uncle Chino
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Film on Psychology of Selling and Sales Teams
This movie was listed as an inspiration for Glengarry Glen Ross (according to the plays author, Mamet). Read more
Published on March 14, 2009 by Philip J. Rizzo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Film On Sales People
This is a great documentary film. There's another I'd recommend that explores a different group of sales people -- "Pitch People. Read more
Published on February 22, 2009 by Doc Viewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stark, harsh reality depicted
With grainy photography and no fancy frills, the Maysles brothers present the story of several traveling Bible salesman who target mostly those who cannot afford the $50 price tag... Read more
Published on September 16, 2008 by Viva
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mick Cath'lic Bible-Peddling and the Gnashing of Badger Teeth
Yessir folks, a fine show, rush out and get your dickbeaters on this'n. For four easy payments of $8.99 this dvd can be added to your collection, via the Amazon credit card. Read more
Published on October 16, 2007 by Sal Magnum
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rare look into a world most of us would rather not see
Redemption isn't cheap. In this documentary it costs $49.95. In the 1960s, that was a lot of money for most people. Read more
Published on September 18, 2007 by John Grabowski
5.0 out of 5 stars
The most accurate look at the sales grind. Also the Criterion dvd...
I've been in outside sales for 9 years and this is without doubt as accurate as you can get to the pain of sales as we follow these door to door bible salesman. Read more
Published on August 1, 2007 by Mike Liddell
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