Being There

BEING THERE (15)
D: Hal Ashby
Lorimar/North Star/CIP (Andrew Braunsberg) 
USA 🇺🇸 1979
130 mins
 
Comedy 
 
W: Jerzy Kosinski [based on his novel]
DP: Caleb Deschanel
Ed: Don Zimmerman
Mus: John Mandel
PD: Michael Haller
 
Peter Sellers (Chance), Shirley MacLaine (Eve Rand), Melvyn Douglas (Benjamin Rand), Jack Warden (President Bobby), Richard Dysart (Dr. Robert Allenby), Richard Basehart (Vladimir Skrapinov)
 
Capra-esque fable about an illiterate gardener who rises to political power and becomes a national celebrity, much in the vein of Mr Deeds Goes To Town, but carrying an even greater innocence with its lead character.
Fondly remembered for one of Peter Sellers last and greatest performances as Chance the Gardener. It drags in parts but the final scene is a rather iconic cinematic moment.
7/10

Peter Sellers in Being There
Peter Sellers in Being There
Did You Know:
Peter Sellers prepared for the role of Chance by recording his voice over and over again, experimenting with different styles and tones. He ended up patterning the voice after his comedy idol, Stan Laurel.