THE SALESMAN/ FORUSHANDE
Iran, 2016, 125 minutes, Colour.
Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi.
Directed by Asghar Farahdi.
This is a very fine film, a portrait of two ordinary people, a married couple, difficulties that they encounter, the effect on each of them and how they deal with these difficulties.
This reviewer has been following the films of the director, Asghar Farahdi for over 10 years, a strong director in Iranian cinema. His early films were social dramas focusing on marriage and relationships, on criminal behaviour. In 2009, he broke through to an international audience with a complex drama about friends, interactions, disappearances, About Ellie, screening at the Berlinale that year and winning awards.
Two years later, Farahdi won the Golden Bear Berlin, the ecumenical award and many others and, finally, the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, 2011. And this impressive film was called A Separation. It was the first Iranian film to win and Oscar. Two years later he made another very fine film about marriage and relationships, set in France, The Past. And then, three years later, The Salesman – and the winning of his second Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. With President Trump’s ban on travellers from some Islamic countries, including Iran, Farahdi was not present at the Oscar awards but a strong statement was read on his behalf.
But that is background to the release of the film.
The title refers to a husband-and-wife and their putting on a play in Tehran, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. During the opening credits, we see the stage being prepared for the various sets for the action of the drama. And, there are several scenes of rehearsal as well is performance throughout the film. While there are no immediate parallels between the central characters and the play, the elderly man who sells goods on the street and appears at the end of the film is, in fact, a salesman – offering a reflection on the title of the film and the Miller connection.
The film opens ominously with residents having to abandon immediately a building which seems to be in a state of collapse, with images of a building site adjacent and the equipment there shaking the earth and foundations – thus giving a symbolic image of the action of the film and the possibilities of all kinds of collapse.
The film is very well written, strong dialogue, fine delineation of characters, not only the central couple but also the actors and the director involved in the performance of the play. The husband also teaches at school, trying to interest young men in literature. As he travels home in a taxi, an anxious woman sitting next to him becomes upset and wants to change places with one of the students in the front seat. This is a device to set audiences on edge with a woman feeling threatened by a strange man.
This comes to the fore when the couple have moved into a new apartment, have discovered that the previous resident used to have clients visiting, to the disgust of the neighbours. When she thinks she is letting her husband into the apartment, it is actually a stranger who attacks her. And this has strong repercussions on the wife, her becoming instantly apprehensive, continually fearful, trying to act in the play but being overcome and unable to continue performance. This has an increasingly dark effect on the husband, his moods and frame of mind, caring for his wife, puzzled at her behaviour, then becoming more and more angry at the unknown assailant and determined to find out who he is and to confront him.
While this does happen, it has different repercussions from what we might have been expecting, both on the part of the wife and on the part of the husband and the identity of the assailant.
Not only is the film will-written, but it is beautifully edited, the director may making fluid transitions between characters and situations, continually involving the audience, immersing them in the experience emotionally and morally.
This film serves as a strong reminder that the Iranian film industry has been one of the best for many decades and one of the best in exploring stories with basic human values.
1. Acclaim and awards, the reputation of the director, impact of his films at home? Internationally?
2. The city of Tehran, the setting, homes and apartments, the theatre, the school, the action of the drama, streets? The detail of the city? The musical score?
3. The work of Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman? Rehearsals, performance, the excerpts? Some parallels with the characters? Their insertion throughout the film? The setting up of the stage and the variety of rooms during the credits sequence?
4. The image of the building, the collapse, the panic, people leaving, Emad and his helping and carrying the invalid man? Not being able to take possessions? The adjacent building site, the machinery, the damage? An image of the fragility of the city and society?
5. The introduction to Emad and Rana, the marriage, their age, no children, rehearsals and performance, Rana at home, Emad at school, teaching literature, the reaction of the boys in the class, their interactions?
6. The search for the new apartment, Babak and his place in the play, his help in finding the new apartment, going to the variety of rooms, the locked door, the previous resident, the explanation about her and her behaviour, the concealing of the truth, the revelation from the neighbours? Her possessions, locked, brought downstairs, the rain and the tarpaulin? The issue of parking, the couple selling their car? Settling in?
7. The episode in the taxi, the woman afraid of Emad, foreshadowing the sex and aggression issue? The boy in the car, changing places? Asking about what happened? The boys, the discussions, the story of the Cow, Emad bringing the film, his going to sleep, student taking the pictures on the phone, his being upset, the boy wanting his camera, his father dead? The run performance of the play and their being moved?
8. The episode of the assault, Rana at home, allowing the intruder in, thinking it was her husband? The clothes on the bed, going into the shower? The entry of the man, the attack, the injury to his foot, bleeding? The issue of whether to go to the police or not, his leaving his pickup, the keys and the money at the apartment? The cleaning up of the blood, the opinions of the neighbours, their help with the wife, saying the man should be punished, publicly humiliated, issues of revenge? The effect on Emad?
9. Rana, in hospital, her head bandaged, her nerves, at home, leaving the light on, in bed? The director and friends all coming and helping? Her being upset, unsettled? Emad and his having to cope, his becoming more and more upset and preoccupied about the assailant? Her decision to go to the performance, her being upset, having to improvise, the cancelling of the performance, the neighbours telling the cast and crew about what actually happened?
10. The various scenes of the play, the character of the prostitute, in red, her black hat? Her bringing her son to the performance? The actor portraying the son and his laughing during the rehearsal, her going off in a huff? Later with the boy, Rana offering to take him home? Going shopping, the meal at home, the payment – and Emad reacting, because his wife had used the money of the assailant and it was contaminated? The scenes of the play, Linda with Willy Loman, the boss, his death scene?
11. The pickup, Rana moving it, the neighbours, their support, the disappearance? The information, email visiting the suspected owner, in the shop? Majid as the suspect? Emad employing him for a move from the old house? The father turning up, driving the pickup, his age and illness, up the steps, leading to Emad and his suspicion, removing the shoes, the injured foot? The man apologising, upset about his family finding out the truth and his liaison with the woman? His being locked in the rooms? Rana coming, upset, telling Emad that he must not wreak any revenge? The confession, the situation, Emad calling his wife, daughter and prospective son-in-law, the wife and her illness, getting up the stairs? Getting the pills, fearing that he was dying? The family and their dependence on him, the effect of each on Rana, with the man? Emad taking him into the room, slapping him, giving him the money? The family, calling the ambulance, his desperation?
12. The final performance, Linda and the scene, Rana getting made up, Emad getting made up, the focus on their faces – and the future?
