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Being There
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Editorial Reviews:
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Based on Jerzy Kosinski's satirical novel about an illiterate gardener who has lived his entire life behind the walls of a Washington, D.C., house, his only knowledge of the world coming from the TV programs he watches. When his employer and protector dies, he is catapulted into the fast lane of political power.
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Thanks to an extraordinary, delicately balanced performance by Peter Sellers, Being There received mixed reviews during its theatrical release in 1979, but has since become a celebrated comedy with a loyal following. It's one of the most unusual black comedies ever made, simply because it stretches a simple premise over 130 minutes of straight-faced, strangely compelling commentary on politics, media, and celebrity in media-savvy America. Adapted by Jerzy Kozinsky from his own novel, the movie's about a simple-minded, middle-aged gardener who, after a lifetime of seclusion and safety in a Washington, D.C. townhouse, gets his first exposure to reality beyond the walls of his sheltered existence. His only reference to the world is through his childlike addiction to television, and when a chance encounter brings him into the inner fold of a dying billionaire (Melvyn Douglas), he suddenly finds himself the toast of Washington's political elite. His simple phrases about gardening are misinterpreted as anything from economic predictions to sage political advice, and under the sharp direction of Hal Ashby, Sellers has the audacity to take this comedic conceit to its logical extreme. Being There is not for all tastes--especially not for those who don't appreciate comedic subtlety. But as a showcase for the daring genius of Peter Sellers, this is a classic movie in a category all its own. --Jeff Shannon
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Being There
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User Comments About Being There
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Slow Moving But ...Ain't It The Truth?
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it takes life and personal interpretation to the extreme; people will always make their own assumptions of what they think they hear and or experience. This movie is uniquely funny and in my opinion the funniest Peter Sellers movie ever. Too funny yet sadly so true.
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Very comical film about a simple gardener who is misintrepreted by others who assume he is offering allegories on the economy when he is simply stating gardening facts. Hysterical at points.
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A cursory look at some other reviews tells me others were not. I recall seeing "The Sixth Sense" years ago when it came out. Personally, I thought it was simply more parody only this time it was of us. At times we see the parody of lifestyles, at times the parody of philosphies, at time the parodies of relationships, and at times the parodies of something else (we may not fully grasp what the parody is of.but we know it must be a parody).
(My pragmatism often works overtime). I now understand the reputation it has accrued and I must say that I really did enjoy it. In "Being There" we never need to concern ourselves with such pragmatic issues because we know that Chance Gardner is usually going to be off by himself watching TV. We just aren't prepared for the places he goes, the people he meets and the things he does. I was insulted not by the movie but by a trailer in which the writer and director reviewed scenes in which a deceased character was able to believe that he was actually alive based on his perceived interaction with living persons. Right from the beginning we are aware of who this character is and why he is so out of place.
OK, I thought, that proves your point for those 7 or 8 scenes but they took place over several days at least and you don't account for what this character did the rest of his time. The ending is a bit peculiar and left me reviewing what I had seen. Although everything that takes place in "Being There" seems to be normal, I never knew what to expect next. There is an opportunity to elevate the meaning of "Being There" depending on how you react to that final scene. Although I am often too pragmatic for my own good, I found it easy to be drawn into "Being There".
You doubted that this could happen but we just showed you how it could. I think the way this movie succeeds is the way the character was set up for us. The movie, will draw you in if you let it. I can't see my way to rating it with "5 Stars" but "4 Stars" is certainly an indication of my respect and appreciation of this quality film. That's because, in the midst of all these characters who play their expected roles, there is one person who is completely out of place.
We can accept that the only scenes with him interacting with others were the only ones that actually occurred. We can accept him as he is which enables viewers like myself to then accept everything else that happens as well. I laughed out loud on several occassions but the more common reaction I got was one of curiosity. I missed "Being There" when it came out and I never seemed to find it later on TV so I finally rented it to see what all the excitement was about. Their contention was; See.
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So painful to watch that I
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I like movies that are long, with character development, but this isn't one of them. I can't believe how many people gave this movie 4 or 5 stars.
This is a movie/plot that could have been cut down to 90 minutes and STILL have been way too long of a movie. My family and I sat there and stared at each other blankly when the credits started rolling, then had to watch another movie to try to erase the painful memories of that one.
Lastly, what the heck was up with the ending.
Ugh. wanted to burst into tears.
I didn't get that at all.
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It is obvious that some portions of the movie were cut out on the dvd version of Being There which was disapointing to me. I don't know if the vhs version is the complete film or not, but I would have opted for vhs if it was a complete version of the film.
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