The “Cinema Verite” focus at the recent AFI Silverdocs festival in Silver Spring, MD included a showing of the 1968 film “Salesman” by Albert and David Maysles (link). The film was originally distributed by Janus Films and now is part of the Criterion Collection. The DVD includes a long interview of the Maysles brothers, who call this film an example of “direct cinema” (or “see it now”) which they distinguish from “cinema verite”. Perhaps they are talking about the “fact or fiction” style of docudrama of which the 1998 film “The Last Broadcast” about a hunt for the Jersey Devil is a good example (maybe even “The Blair Witch Project” is another).
The now somewhat famous black-and-white film “Salesman” follows four Irish catholic Bible salesmen (Badger, Gipper, Rabbit, and Bull) as they go door to door selling to low income Catholic families, under quota. The opening sequence, where Rabbit “sells” a housewife on the “greatest literature ever written” and tries to offer a color illustrated Bible, takes leave as the little boy starts playing random descending figures on the upright piano. Later, another customer reacts to the sales pitch with “I hope I get around to reading it.” The families would have to pay only a few bucks a week.
Early in the film there is a sales meeting, where the boss berates them into producing, in a job that is about manipulating others. I am reminded of the comedy by Brent Huff, “100 Mile Rule”, where salesmen are implored “Always Be Closing.”
That does become a career, which leads to a section of the Maysles interview called “every con man is a poet.” The filmmakers even say “most of life is selling” and “we are more salesmen than filmmakers.” But some people – all they do is hucksterize the work of others.
I remember the visit from the World Book Encyclopedia salesman around 1950, and then from Sherwood Music School for my piano lessons.
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