This documentary about Salesmen is simply awesome. Set in the 1960's, this film brings to life the reality of four Bible Salesmen. We have Paul "The Badger" Brennan, Raymond "The Bull" Martos, Charles "The Gipper" McDevitt and James "The Rabbit" Baker. These drummers pitch the reverence, serenity and beauty of their gaudily illustrated and over- priced goods, but there is no peace for the figidity, knuckle-gnawing, chain-smoking and desperate men in this documentary, especially for "The Badger". Failure, fear and despair was written all over his face as he has lost his touch, mostly because of his own soured attitude, and there will be no stopping this decline because he just cannot close any more.
The sales targets, as you might guess, are people who can afford it the least, poor Catholic families in middle to lower middle class neighborhoods. "We're from the Church" is the first lie that comes out of their mouths as these hucksters use Jesus and guilt to try to separate money from those who cannot afford, and do not need yet another Bible. After a gut-wrenching and intimidating Sales Meeting, they move their dog and pony show from snowy Massachusetts to Florida, but nothing really changes for the desperate salesmen.
I mean, why mince words, these guys are creeps and no one is more creepy than the inevitable Sales Manager, a wide-eyed gunslinger who ghosts their every activity. This asshole is the very embodiment of micromanagement by intimidation, and nothing was more disgusting and revealing than the fraudulent "role-play" in which he showed his uncanny ability to NOT LISTEN. I mean, this was ROLE PLAY using professional salesmen, but even there the tension was electric, it was just an amazing scene.
As a successful Salesman for 25 years, this documentary was depressing as hell and the misery showed on the faces of everyone involved. The body language was stunning, especially from the hapless prospects, with arms folded in defense. No one is happy here and these are pigeons who did not want to buy the goods from totally eviscerated salesmen. The last scene with the visibly defeated Badger was excruciating to watch and the mere fact that this ancient documentary has had such an impact on me is a testimony to its excellence. This is one of the greatest films on Salesmen ever, just watch it.
9/10 Stars, magnificent!
The sales targets, as you might guess, are people who can afford it the least, poor Catholic families in middle to lower middle class neighborhoods. "We're from the Church" is the first lie that comes out of their mouths as these hucksters use Jesus and guilt to try to separate money from those who cannot afford, and do not need yet another Bible. After a gut-wrenching and intimidating Sales Meeting, they move their dog and pony show from snowy Massachusetts to Florida, but nothing really changes for the desperate salesmen.
I mean, why mince words, these guys are creeps and no one is more creepy than the inevitable Sales Manager, a wide-eyed gunslinger who ghosts their every activity. This asshole is the very embodiment of micromanagement by intimidation, and nothing was more disgusting and revealing than the fraudulent "role-play" in which he showed his uncanny ability to NOT LISTEN. I mean, this was ROLE PLAY using professional salesmen, but even there the tension was electric, it was just an amazing scene.
As a successful Salesman for 25 years, this documentary was depressing as hell and the misery showed on the faces of everyone involved. The body language was stunning, especially from the hapless prospects, with arms folded in defense. No one is happy here and these are pigeons who did not want to buy the goods from totally eviscerated salesmen. The last scene with the visibly defeated Badger was excruciating to watch and the mere fact that this ancient documentary has had such an impact on me is a testimony to its excellence. This is one of the greatest films on Salesmen ever, just watch it.
9/10 Stars, magnificent!