Discuss The Salesman
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The Final Minutes of the Movie
posted by ColumbusbuckSTAFFMOD on February 25, 2017 at 2:55 AM
I get the feeling that the play "Death of a Salesman" heavily influenced the final few minutes of the movie. As someone who has never seen nor read the play, can someone clue me in on what the meaning was? With the old man dying and the married couple doing the play?
Reply by svetiev
on April 19, 2017 at 5:13 PM
Well a couple of ideas:
The death in the play may signify that Emad and his wife have "died" a little inside.
The turning off of the lights in the apartment means "the play is over".
And the final scene where they are both in make up and masks sitting in resignation may mean that they have decided to put up an act and never speak of that again at the cost of loosing the life in their relationship. They choose to act like it is all over and it doesn't matter.
Reply by svetiev
on April 19, 2017 at 5:15 PM
Actually I misunderstood your question. I was commenting on the significance in the movie that I understood. I haven't read the play and I only base my ideas on the parts of the play that were presented in the movie.
Reply by svetiev
on April 19, 2017 at 5:26 PM
Here you can find some info about your question in specific:
The Guardian review
Reply by Fergoose
on September 11, 2020 at 6:20 PM
I've not seen or read the play for many, many years. But I really don't get much parallel between Emad in the film and Willy in the play. Its almost incidental to me. I don't think Emad was remotely disillusioned and impotent with the events that unfolded. Uncertain and conflicted yes, but I don't see what that has to do with the themes of the play. The focus of the film was almost entirely on the marital relationship, which is only a minor aspect of the play.