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Death of a Salesman (1985)

TV Movie  |  PG  |   |  Drama  |  16 August 1985 (USA)
7.3
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Ratings: 7.3/10 from 7,285 users  
Reviews: 47 user | 11 critic

An aging traveling salesman recognizes the emptiness of his life and tries to fix it.

Director:

(as Volker Schlondorff)

Writers:

(teleplay), (play)
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Title: Death of a Salesman (TV Movie 1985)

Death of a Salesman (TV Movie 1985) on IMDb 7.3/10

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Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations. See more awards »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
...
...
...
...
Charley
...
Ben
David S. Chandler ...
Bernard
...
Howard
...
Woman from Boston (as Kathy Rossetter)
Tom Signorelli ...
Stanley
...
Karen Needle ...
Letta
Anne McIntosh ...
Jenny
Michael Quinlan ...
Waiter
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Storyline

Salesman Willy Loman is in a crisis. He's about to lose his job, he can't pay his bills, and his sons Biff and Happy don't respect him and can't seem to live up to their potential. He wonders what went wrong and how he can make things up to his family. Written by Eric Sorensen

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Its passion cannot be overstated. Its power must not be overlooked.

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

16 August 1985 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Der Tod eines Handlungsreisenden  »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

4:3
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Dustin Hoffman called this his favorite acting experience. See more »

Goofs

When Willy is playing cards with his neighbor, the cards he's holding change between shots. See more »

Quotes

Biff Loman: [arguing with Willy] Pop, I'm a dime a dozen and so are you...
Willy Loman: [shouting] I am not a dime a dozen! I'm Willy Loman and you are Biff Loman!
See more »

Connections

Version of Tod eines Handlungsreisenden (2001) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Disturbing and real...
17 August 2006 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

This film counts as one of those that are uncomfortable, well-acted, and disturbingly real.

John Malkovich and Gary Sinise are very real, as well as Dustin Hoffman. It is an initial shock to see him as an aged man.

The cinematography is stark and unforgiving. Willy Loman has lived in ineffective and meaningless life. He will die as a salesman, bragging about sales which mean nothing, building up his sons into something they never were.

Anyone who has read or seen the play will feel the desperation of Biff, and Happy, young men who witness their father's depression, and cannot alter the outcome.

Arthur Miller has touched the reality of American life in the depression. A brilliant playwright, he addresses issue of the family, and struggling economy which today are still avoided. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that America is a prosperous nation because the poor will never admit they are poor, and therefore the elite classes have had less social responsibility since the Napoleonic era. A brilliant insight that has been perpetuated since WWII. 9/10.


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