Death of a Salesman (2000)
An aging salesman is fired from his job after a long career in it. Broken, without much to look forward to, he tries reconnecting with his wife and kids who he had always put down as he dedicated himself to work.
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I think over time this play will only become greater in its importance. This is an excellent adaptation/performance, Dennehy and Franz are magnificent, in fact the entire cast except for......Ted Koch as Happy. He is awful! I can't believe how much so. He is supposed to be an oily "philandering bum", yet Koch garbles and gruffs out his lines so that he comes across as an actor playing Popeye trying to act like Robin Williams. It sorta ruins the whole thing, as Haps character is so darn critical to the entire story. I will never be able to get past the Lee. J. Cobb performance anyway, but this is very very good. If you saw Dustin Hoffman back in the 80s almost ruin this play, you will be pleased at this revivial.
just secreted a copy of this from ebay (ka-ching) and the direction, heck, the everything, about this production of this american classic is (insert emphatic swear word here) divine...this is the only version i've seen that holds the humor, the madness, the horrifying irony involved in this story...it is just perfect!...Dennehy Rocks (duh!); Franz Rocks: the whole thing is just WOW!!! so good, man...beauty, art, life--showtime? believe it!!!
Poor photography, at least as seen on Showtime, and a rather coy use of close-ups are the only things that spoil this photographed stage presentation. It is faithful to the spirit and letter of Arthur Miller's original script, and it is acted with sincerity and feeling. Willy Loman as victim is presented in straight-forward manner with no attempt to excuse the "system" by hints of madness.
I saw this play on the Showtime network and I loved it! The performances are great especially by Brian Dennehy and Elizabeth Franz (who won Tony Awards for their brilliant performances). Arthur Miller wrote an excellent book and this play is a story of a family battle, with an aging salesman who still wants to provide enough money for his wife and two sons. Sadly, it's not available on video, but if you see it, you're in for a treat!