Death of a Salesman

Dustin Hoffman's work in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is a piece of stunning theatricality--a rigorously mannered and detailed turn from a thespian who once prided himself on his realism. In director Volker Schlöndorff's purposely artificial mounting, the paired demise of beleaguered salesman Willy Loman (Hoffman) and the limitless faith in the American Dream are explored through flashbacks and masterful storytelling on a stage with open-roofed sets and sepia-toned painted backdrops. John Malkovich essays one of his trademark portraits of abused and betrayed masculinity as Willy's vagabond son Biff, while Charles Durning is perfectly sympathetic as Charlie, the successful, but benign relative and neighbor. The true standout, however, is Kate Reid as Linda Loman, Willy's long-suffering wife, a woman whose faith in her husband and family is eroding before her eyes. A fine complement to the Lee J. Cobb version (VL-9/02), which many consider to be the definitive portrayal, this is definitely recommended. [Note: The DVD also contains a feature length documentary about the making of the film entitled Private Conversations.] Aud: H, C, P. (D. Fienberg)