Contrast Film and Text: Death of A Salesman
Differences in Linda's "Attention must finally be paid" Soliloquy
Dec 20, 2008
Reading a script varies greatly from watching the performance of that script. The same even goes for timeless classics. Reading Shakespeare and watching it, are two completely different experiences. The same goes for anti-Aristotelean Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman.
There is a great difference between Linda's calm, text soliloquy and Kate Reid's film performance in Volker Schlondorff's film version of Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman.
On page, Linda is docile, perhaps even introspective. This is not out of the ordinary, since the conversation in this drama is primarily made up of monologues spoken at others and not with others.
There is a severe lack of communication—no one is listening to anyone else. This passage seems to be in the same vein, as though Linda were talking out loud, and Biff just happened to be there.
Bring the Text to Life
However, seeing it on screen—Kate Reid makes Linda connect with Biff, played by John Malkovich—she is almost begging him in the kitchen scene to understand where Willy is coming from. She holds his hands and pleads with her eyes. There is a passion and hysteria on film that is not there in the text.
This is not only because of Kate Reid's performance, however. John Malkovich portrays Biff as a wounded soul. A grown man trapped in the insecurities caused by his father when he was a teenager. The many layers of this character's struggle are worn in Malcovich's weathered stance, and the way he looks at Rein with pity and disgust throughout Linda's soliloquy.
Staying True
Fortunately, the filmmakers do not trail too far from the text.
The dialogue and dynamic are true to the script. Linda on film says what Linda on paper says, and Biff remains sweet and understanding towards his mother, with an unavoidable sub-layer of bitterness towards his father.
Only the presentation differs—but because the presentation differs, the characters (or at least the audience’s—as opposed to the readers’—view of the characters) are changed too.
We finally understand Linda's love for Willy—as well as Biff's pain at seeing that love, and knowing it has been cheated.
The more complex portrayal of this scene on screen is much more engaging than the detached soliloquy of the text.
The filmmakers’ version is able to touch upon, not only Linda’s feelings for Willy or Biff’s feelings towards Willy, but the dynamic of the relationship between mother and son—the love which is the ultimate reason Biff despises his father as much as he does.
