
The Pullitzer prize winning
work of Playwright/Noted Director David Mamet
This is a brilliant work by David
Mamet in what is a Pullitzer Prize winning script of great insight
into the world of high pressure sales environments - where strictly being paid
by "commission" takes
its toll on the individuals involved.
David Mamet is well known for his work in somewhat esoteric circles of taste in
this respect -
as he was director in "House of Games" the other such great movie starring in
this case, his former
lovely wife Ms. Lindsay Crouse, and starring as well the talented Mr. Joe
Mantegna
It is clear that Mamet has his mind well tuned to the brilliantly insightful
nuances through
well scripted
glimpses into the human psyche around such situations as are similarly themed to
some extent
across such of his works as I mention here.
His genius is done justice with the brilliant acting too of Al Pacino, Jack
Lemmon
and a nice show as well by Alec Baldwin and the rest of the crew in this great
movie
offering. This script would be a great idea for a permanent run on Broadway too
perhaps!
If you want to learn more about the sort of people who are the sorts often drawn
into
the high stakes game of "large ticket" commission sales such as real estate and
fancy cars
and what have you, or in any event want to gain more insight into the human
condition
with this well acted well scripted play, you wont want to miss out. By the way
it certainly
does in my opinion, fall
into the category of deserving a "cult following" of sorts - as did
"The house of
Games" a
movie that is also one of my favorites too.
Michael Rizzo Chessman
michael@moviesbyrizzo.com
Updated Review with 2160p moviesbyrizzo conversion
version posting:
One of the two best movies ever made dealing with the people of
the Sales profession - the other being "Tin Men" my other greatest
favourite of this genre of tale
Stars Al Pacino Alec Baldwin Jack Lemmon Alan Arkin and Ed Harris
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) (Remastered) 1hr 40 mins (uses standard
subs for full 100 min version)
The work of Pullitzer Prize winning playwright Mr. David Mamet
(see as well: The House of Games -1987 with Joe Mr. Mantegna and
the real nice Ms. Lindsay Crouse)
(moviesbyrizzo 2160p conversion - we'd be waiting forever for the
studios to put one out and probably find a doctored HDR image no
one ends up happier that way that are our folks I assure you!)
DTS-HD Master English audio with Dolby AC3 tracks additionally for
ENG and ITA
Being is commissioned sales is no way to live. Everyone should have
a steady assured source of income with bonuses based on
performance that are reasonable in order to make the model
economical to sustain. Feast or famine is no way to exist and in fact
it drives many to acts of desperation in all it is that they get involved
in whether at work or relationships at home.
Then of course there is the predatory mindset that teaches the
derogation of the human spirit so as to spawn a devourer of sorts
bent on feeding his own needs of ego gratification and monetary
gain at the expense of good folk that they might end up preying on.
Alec Baldwin's Character in speaking to a salesman under his
command says "you are nothing - as my watch costs more than your
car". Many shallow superficial leadership types think this works and is
a valid way to look at people. How sad. as a formidable former Sales
Trainer and Human Relations coach, I can tell you intuitively that this
guy is out to lunch in the business of keeping his people rightly
motivated. Fear itself never motivates - it deters and it degenerates -
but its never rational in comparison as an approach to making people
perform when better tactics are available. As such "the bottom
of the list gets automatically fired every month" is a stupid way to exist
equally as some of the best do have an off month too now and then I
can say from first hand experience of what I saw while in the
Computer industry PC Corporate marketing sector in particular. (I
earned my licence potentially to sell Real estate at the age of 19 -
however didn't follow through back then despite an offer from a
Commercial Real Estate firm who offered a draw against commissions
to get me to leave my job as manager of a Stereo store).
This movie is the best look at such issues and since the plot revolves
around high-roller Real estate sales types, it certainly should be of
interest to many millions of people around the world caught up in the
life of sales that often has no real meaning to it when there is nothing
there in the way of secure other than last months sales as nothing
means anything until you sell again. The movie "death of a salesman"
similarly speaks to this illness that it breeds in feeling mainly exploited,
exploitative and not truly a valued member of the community
outside from being a commodity as it were.
There are many great people drawn to sales, and many get very rich at it. More
power to you! few are well motivated around the likes of the character in this
movie of Kevin Spacey as his human warmth is suspect of being only a gimmick as
it were. As such, you should pick who you work with and work under with care as
all you do will be affected by it in all aspects of your life.
Jack Lemmon gives us the clearest idea of a poor salesman in what is his
complete lack of genuine care in his approach to customers as "an easy enough
mark every time". This approach deserves to be a dismal failure and that is
mainly what is the result as we see in the show.
Making men desperate drives them to desperate acts potentially and that is what
we see occurs when some of the men decide to resort to outright theft to bring
down their abusive employer and earn a better living elsewhere perhaps - as
naive as that is to think could occur after such a false start.
The most magnificent performance in this movie and the bulk of the kudos belong
most sincerely to Al Pacino's character. He is the most intelligent and humanly
warm and caring of the crew with intuition and wisdom second to none. He is the
best of men here as it were. That is clearly so despite a script that often
doesn't seek to do justice top what are his real ideas views attitudes and
feelings on matters at hand being discussed. Then again the wicked always seek
to win at the expense of their betters and man hasn't yet overcome this fault of
nature in a clear enough victory so as to change this truth forever
more in what remains of human existence on this earth potentially.
There is a reference to the failings of multicultural bliss as Pacino
rejects being given a lead bearing the name of "Patel" as he ribs
Spacey's own character in the movie
No to belabour, Enjoy the show and please seed to everyone you know in this
great profession of ours along the way!
Michael Rizzo Chessman
(moviesbyrizzo)
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