Maysles_fan^
"IMO, no documentary ever "just" shows a slice of life, because no documentary is simply a videocam running unedited on a scene. Scenes are selected and then further manipulated in the editing room. In a great documentary such as this one, viewers get a coherent, meaningful and more intense appreciation of their world. Sometimes it's so powerful that it alters the way they view that world."
This is true.
"Salesman is not just about any salesmen but about American salesmen pursuing the heavily touted American dream and finding its attainment just as elusive as the dream they sell their customers."
So far as a 'dream' they sell their customers, in reality they are selling Bibles. Books. My mother bought a wonderful Catholic Bible around the same time period portrayed in the film (and, not in the much touted 'Bible belt' region of the country, but in the SF bay area of California), and we children absolutely loved that book -- it was beautiful with remarkable illustrations. Golden gilding, nicely engraved durable thick covers and binding which have held up remarkably well over all these years, and even the interior pages are of a quality that you don't find in many more current books. Included a fantastic, interesting concordance. And, I am not even a believer! But, after my mother passed away, all we grown kids wanted that Bible. I don't think these salesmen are selling religion, per se -- they are selling Bible books, and some of the Bibles that were sold door-to-door back in the day were rather quite nice.
Nowadays, I get 'door-to-door' salespeople who represent themselves as young college students from other countries, saying that they are trying to finance their stay in the US by selling educational books for children. These books are not cheap, and I actually bought two of them from a young man who said he was from England. I have quite an extensive library and these two books were wonderful additions. I wouldn't have bought them if I didn't think I couldn't use them (and did with my children), and I am going to pass them on to my future grandchildren if I ever have that pleasure.
I must say that I was impressed by what some may call a 'pitch', and, if this 'student' was telling the truth (I was given a website to check out the program he said to be representing before buying the books if I had any doubts, but even that could have been a 'scam'), I am one who likes to help students, especially those from other countries who are working for the pleasure of being in the USA, but that is not what ultimately sold me on the books. It was the quality of the books. The young people were very polite and were not hard sell by any means. Their company did, however, have my name and address after that, and once a year I get a new 'student' from another country stopping by to see if I want to buy any additional volumes, which I don't have any need of now, so I don't.
So, bottom line, for a good many folks, American or otherwise, the product won't be bought if it isn't worth the price to them, despite whatever 'pitch' is thrown at them. For people who DO pay for items that aren't worth it, that's their choice. I would rather have a country in which adults are treated as adults and are free to spend their money as frivolously as they want than a country where there is no such choice. And, people who are easily 'preyed upon' in overt 'business transactions' are the types who likely will be 'preyed upon' in all kinds of other 'transactions', such as giving their time or energy or money to a cause that is a scam or to a false lover or to the lottery or whatever. So be it....
"It's about Christian American hypocrisy, in which the "blessed" meek are not so much the favored of God as the favored of salesmen because they're so easy to prey upon."
Where is the Christian American hypocrisy here? I think you are reading too much into this. Yes, I believe this film has many levels to it, but a person buying one of these Bibles does not necessarily consider themselves 'blessed' or is 'meek' or has been 'preyed upon.' The salesmen, with all their chit-chat and brio and individualized sales methodologies, etc., never hide the fact that they are selling Bibles.
"It's about what cut-throat competition in the marketplace can do to the human soul, making liars out of otherwise decent people."
Although not everything these salesmen said in the film was necessarily the 'truth', that's on them. ALL people tell little white lies, and many times when there is no financial reason to do so. And, whose to know how 'decent' some/all of these men were PRIOR to being in sales? They each have their own 'pitch' and many human interactions are 'sales' of a sort. For example, you are 'pitching' your point of view, right here on IMDB, as am I.
"It's about the culture of spin, in which the leaders of corporate America, modern-day PT Barnums, attempt to dress up predatory schemes in sanctimonious garb."
Same as above. And, 'spin' did not originate with corporate America or even with modern-day living. As soon as a person does NOT tell the other person that the dress she is wearing really does make her look fat OR does not claim every last cent on their tax statement OR told Mom that they didn't take the cookie that they did OR says ANYTHING that is not totally honest, even if for altruistic purposes, that person is engaging in 'spin'.
"Finally, it's about the fundamental gullibility of the American public, when it comes to Bibles (or wars, or anything else) they don't need and didn't ask for."
Firstly, most, if not all, of these potential customers did fill out cards at their churches -- these were not 'cold calls.' So, in fact, they were asking for 'something'. And, I don't think that their filling out the cards or opening their doors to salesmen or buying these Bibles is necessarily from some sort of 'fundamental gullibility'. As I stated, our family owns a Catholic Bible such as what these men were selling and it really is quite a nice piece of work, much of it quite artfully done.
"More than just a slice of life, it's the resonant quality of these themes that makes Salesman a cult classic."
I agree that Salesman is a cult classic, although the themes that you are pitching I don't necessarily agree with.
But, that's just MHO!
"I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than..a rude remark or a vulgar action" Blanche DuBois
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