salesman

I stumbled upon a wonderful 1966 documentary (thanks Netflix recommendations). For some reason, the idea of a watching men going door-to-door selling Bibles in the '60s interested me immediately. It ended up being even better than I could have imagined.

There are numerous wonderful things about Salesman. The first is how amazingly ahead of its time it is. There is no one narrating the documentary. It is strictly told by what actually happens on camera. The film's creators called it "cinema direct."

Second, Paul Brennan, also known as 'The Badger,' is a great character in so many ways. The aging salesman sings, makes jokes and does a great Irish accent (he is Irish, but a Boston lad) while venting out his frustrations about the job. I immediately thought of Jack Lemmon's character in Glengarry Glen Ross while watching Brennan. In fact, I would find it hard to believe he didn't inspire it.

I could go on, but I won't. Just watch it...

Wings of a Dove - Ferlin Husky