Death of a Salesman is a popular classic with themes that still ring true today. The drama was one of the first works of literature to really question and even denounce the treasured idea of the American Dream. The 1985 film adaptation, directed by Volker Schlöndorff, surprisingly stayed true to the original play written by Arthur Miller in 1949. The film omits some insignificant details but still manages to do a decent job of conveying the main theme that Willy’s life is consumed and ultimately ruined by his obsession with the American Dream.
Although the film stays true to the drama, the original play is the better option when it comes to enjoying the story. It is true that dramas read differently as they are intended to be performed on a stage, however in this case, allowing the reader to experience and interpret the story as its written emphasizes the tragedy of Willy Loman. There were multiple times in the film where the music completely overpowered the dialogue and plot of the story. In the written play, the mention of music never takes away from the story in the play as it did in the movie.
Casting also seemed to be an issue that took away from the original play. The main character, Willy Loman is portrayed by Dustin Hoffman. At the time Hoffman was only forty seven years old, which made it hard to relate him to Willy Loman, who is sixty years old. In the play Willy mentions that he is “fat…and foolish to look at” (Miller 1683), neither of which describe Hoffman. In the film adaptation, Willy also seems to be saner than he is in the play. Hoffman still portrays him as delusional and odd, but not nearly to the extremes that the play emphasizes. Reading through the play, one may not realize how much Willy raises his voice. However in the movie, it is hard to miss. Hoffman’s constant yelling grows agitating quickly, to the point where the dialogue is hard to understand. Biff (John Malkovich) and Happy’s (Stephen Lang) characters were simply underwhelming. Miller describes them as “well built” and “powerfully made” (Miller 1674), but neither one of them radiate sexuality as inferred by the drama. Sometimes appearances are better left to the reader’s imagination. One character that seemed spot on was Linda, Willy’s wife. Kate Reid’s worrisome pout and timid voice perfectly depict the caring wife who is constantly verbally assaulted by her estranged husband. Though some characters appeared miscast, each actor tried their best to accurately portray their characters and their dialogue was almost word for word from the play.
When it comes to Willy’s hallucinations and flashbacks, the film wins hands down. There are many times in the play where past and present become blurred together, and wording becomes confusing. One scene is depicted, stating, “Ben is gone, but Willy is still speaking to him as Linda” (Miller 1691). Scenes like these easily become confusing in the play, but are easily distinguished in the film. The edges of the screen become cloudy and light during flashbacks in the film, and the characters are all dressed differently to indicate a different time in their lives. The reader can tell a character is a hallucination simply by looking at the lightened figure on screen, versus rereading stage directions trying to figure out if a character is actually present of not in the play.
Both the film and the play have their strengths and weaknesses. The film left out minor details that accumulated to slightly shift the focus of the message. Though it is still conveyed, the film focuses more on Willy’s emotional demise and insanity, while the play focuses more on Willy’s obsession with being well-liked and successful in the business world. The dialogue remained almost exactly the same and the message was still present. Both depict the “story of a man who failed, as a salesman and [a] father who failed to live up to his own unrealistic dreams” (Cardullo 334). The play and film adaptation of Death of a Salesman focus on how Willy’s life has grown to revolve around his obsession with the American Dream that ultimately leads to his demise.
Works Cited
Mays, Kelly J. "Death of a Salesman." The Norton Introduction to Literature, Shorter 11th Ed. 11th ed. New York: Norton, 2013. 1669-735. Print.
Death of a Salesman. Dir. Volker Schlöndorff. Perf. Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich. CBS, 1985. Hulu. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Cardullo, Bert. "Attention, Attention Must Finally Be Unpaid: Death Of A Salesman And The Reputation Of Arthur Miller." Cambridge Quarterly 40.4 (2011): 328-341. Humanities International Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Although the film stays true to the drama, the original play is the better option when it comes to enjoying the story. It is true that dramas read differently as they are intended to be performed on a stage, however in this case, allowing the reader to experience and interpret the story as its written emphasizes the tragedy of Willy Loman. There were multiple times in the film where the music completely overpowered the dialogue and plot of the story. In the written play, the mention of music never takes away from the story in the play as it did in the movie.
Casting also seemed to be an issue that took away from the original play. The main character, Willy Loman is portrayed by Dustin Hoffman. At the time Hoffman was only forty seven years old, which made it hard to relate him to Willy Loman, who is sixty years old. In the play Willy mentions that he is “fat…and foolish to look at” (Miller 1683), neither of which describe Hoffman. In the film adaptation, Willy also seems to be saner than he is in the play. Hoffman still portrays him as delusional and odd, but not nearly to the extremes that the play emphasizes. Reading through the play, one may not realize how much Willy raises his voice. However in the movie, it is hard to miss. Hoffman’s constant yelling grows agitating quickly, to the point where the dialogue is hard to understand. Biff (John Malkovich) and Happy’s (Stephen Lang) characters were simply underwhelming. Miller describes them as “well built” and “powerfully made” (Miller 1674), but neither one of them radiate sexuality as inferred by the drama. Sometimes appearances are better left to the reader’s imagination. One character that seemed spot on was Linda, Willy’s wife. Kate Reid’s worrisome pout and timid voice perfectly depict the caring wife who is constantly verbally assaulted by her estranged husband. Though some characters appeared miscast, each actor tried their best to accurately portray their characters and their dialogue was almost word for word from the play.
When it comes to Willy’s hallucinations and flashbacks, the film wins hands down. There are many times in the play where past and present become blurred together, and wording becomes confusing. One scene is depicted, stating, “Ben is gone, but Willy is still speaking to him as Linda” (Miller 1691). Scenes like these easily become confusing in the play, but are easily distinguished in the film. The edges of the screen become cloudy and light during flashbacks in the film, and the characters are all dressed differently to indicate a different time in their lives. The reader can tell a character is a hallucination simply by looking at the lightened figure on screen, versus rereading stage directions trying to figure out if a character is actually present of not in the play.
Both the film and the play have their strengths and weaknesses. The film left out minor details that accumulated to slightly shift the focus of the message. Though it is still conveyed, the film focuses more on Willy’s emotional demise and insanity, while the play focuses more on Willy’s obsession with being well-liked and successful in the business world. The dialogue remained almost exactly the same and the message was still present. Both depict the “story of a man who failed, as a salesman and [a] father who failed to live up to his own unrealistic dreams” (Cardullo 334). The play and film adaptation of Death of a Salesman focus on how Willy’s life has grown to revolve around his obsession with the American Dream that ultimately leads to his demise.
Works Cited
Mays, Kelly J. "Death of a Salesman." The Norton Introduction to Literature, Shorter 11th Ed. 11th ed. New York: Norton, 2013. 1669-735. Print.
Death of a Salesman. Dir. Volker Schlöndorff. Perf. Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich. CBS, 1985. Hulu. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Cardullo, Bert. "Attention, Attention Must Finally Be Unpaid: Death Of A Salesman And The Reputation Of Arthur Miller." Cambridge Quarterly 40.4 (2011): 328-341. Humanities International Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.