Salesman (1968)

Directors:

Albert Maysles
David Maysles

Release Date:

1968 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Four relentless door-to-door salesmen deal with constant rejection, homesickness and inevitable burnout as they go across the country selling very expensive bibles to low-income Catholic families.

Plot Keywords:

Bible | Door To Door | Travel | Traveling Salesman | Disillusionment

Awards:

1 win

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Paul Brennan	...	Himself - 'The Badger'
Charles McDevitt	...	Himself - 'The Gipper'
James Baker	...	Himself - 'The Rabbit'
Raymond Martos	...	Himself - 'The Bull'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melbourne I. Feltman
Margaret McCarron
Kennie Turner

Runtime:

85 min | Argentina:85 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Maysles Films

Trivia:

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1992.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Das Leben der Anderen (2006)

Brilliant

Salesman(1969) Quite possibly the best documentary ever made. The Maysles' Brothers( Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens) mesmerizing story follows four bible salesmen pounding the turf selling over priced bibles to poor catholics and the tactics that they use to pull off these sales.One salesman in particular, Paul "the Badger' Brennan is the central character of the documentary and it is heart wrenching to watch his decline from a once successful salesman to an also-ran whose heart and soul just aren't into it anymore. One unforgettable scene has another salesman humiliating Brennan in front of a customer. This documentary is a real slice of Americana and a film worth watching time and time again.