Being There (1979)

Being There is a satirical commentary on the vapidity that our mass-media culture can induce in the weak-minded lower class -- and how thin the line between vapidity and fame can be among the weak-minded (or wishful-minded) upper class. Chance (Peter Sellers) has lived his entire life in the servants' quarters of his employer's mansion, serving as groundskeeper. His every material need provided for, he does nothing but watch TV in his spare time (and he seems mentally suited to little more). He doesn't even know his last name! One day, "the old man" dies and Chance is put out on the street. A wealthy acquaintance of his former employer dents Chance with a fender and takes him in; prompting himself to assume more than he should, the well-to-do and well-connected gentleman (Melvyn Douglas) hears "Chance the Gardner" and substitutes "Chauncy Gardiner." Soon, everything vapid that Chance utters is taken to be the deep and subtle pronouncements of a wise upper-crust peer of the old man. Talk show appearances, fetes, and receptions ensue. Chance: "The roots go deep..." Those hanging on his every word: "You mean the market fundamentals are sound and will rebound in due season! How wise!" Rumor even enhances his reputation sexually as women's imaginations run amok. The funniest scene in the movie is when the gent's wife (Shirley Maclaine) gets Chance alone in her bedroom and, noticing the TV, he says: "I like to watch..." Peter Sellers as Chance did minimalist humor decades before Bill Murray did it in Lost in Translation. Jerzy Kosinski's Being There is a classic that deserves to be seen and remembered by every generation. It will leave an impression on you. 4 stars. (4-17-09 posted 5-8-09)