Though many productions of Death of a Salesman are adequate interpretations of the text, some improvements should be made in an attempt to preserve Arthur Millers vision of his works initial structure. The sets, costumes, and music will all evoke a sense of nostalgia for the 1940s era. The rework of the production will bring the play to the generation of today through a careful choice of contemporary actors and actresses. However, the intended sense of the times will not be lost, as I have a plan to communicate the age to our audience at present.
In an attempt to communicate the times to an audience that was not alive during its conception, a black and white film medium will be used. By putting the play into a film medium, Willys hallucinations will unfurl more clearly to the audience. By including the ability to cut and edit film, we have given ourselves the ability to eliminate any confusion that arises. Director Josh Logan, aware of this potential quandary, believed that No audience, [Logan] felt, would follow the story, and no one would ever be sure whether Willy was imagining or really living through one or another scene in the play (Miller, Echoes 271). The sets for the movie should correspond to the trying times that followed the Great Depression. The Lomans home will seem somewhat disheveled in outward appearances to further communicate Willy Lomans failure in life. The home projects will only be halfway complete to promote Millers theme that everything Willy has done for his home and family are unappreciated as evidenced by his sons failure to offer help with such jobs around the house. The costumes also reflect the times. Willy, Charley, and older Bernard will all adorn the standard suit, tie, and hat of a standard businessman of the era. Miller states, If a salesman can be ruined, as Charley says in the Requiem, by a couple of spots on his hat, a scraggly haircut would have sunk him without a trace (Echoes 201); thus, the men will be clean-shaven and well dressed so as to uphold the appropriate standard of dress for the 1940s. Linda will sport a housewifes dress and apron, while Biff, Happy, and young Bernard will be dressed in slacks, sweaters, and sneakers to emphasize their youth and immaturity, though the latter will be somewhat more studious in his appearance.
The music for the production will be devoid of lyrics, though very expressive in its melodies. The rise and fall of the music will correlate to the characters and their current dilemmas. Modernizing the play to fit the times of our current generation would be devastating to the text. Incorporating items from our popular culture today would not resonate with future generations, thus will be omitted from this production.
Success of this production is dependant upon the selection of the cast. Playing the role of Willy Loman will be James Cromwell. He is a definitive choice to occupy the position of Willy Loman, a 68 year old man whose world is crumbling both mentally and financially. In past productions of Death of a Salesman, directors have chosen to portray Willy as an inept man who is not a good salesman and never was. They have taken the position that Willy has always been a disheveled man who is incapable of supporting his family and maintaining a successful career. However, in this production, Willy is an extremely capable man who, in his prime, was a confident salesman. He maintains a commanding presence even in the face of rejection. As Willy is getting fired, he essentially attempts to put Howard in his place by reminding him that Im talking about your father! There were promises made across this desk! You mustnt tell me youve got people to see -- I put thirty-four years into this firm (Miller, Death of a Salesman 61). Not only will Cromwell master Willys confidence, he will also convey Lomans befuddled counterpart. By understanding Willys mental decline, Cromwell will accurately portray his mental loss of stability.
As a young and athletic Biff, Ryan Gosling must fully comprehend the weight of every situation in which he is placed. Biff is a young man full of restricted frustration towards himself as well as his father. He views himself as a failure. He blames his shortcomings as a man on his father. Biff believes that Willy inflated his head with the notion that if one is well-liked, then one will be successful. This approach to life has stunted Biffs growth into a mature and responsible adult.
Gina Rowlands, playing the role of Linda Loman, will fulfill the position of the supportive wife of Willy. At face value, Linda appears to be a simple yet supportive wife and mother of two boys; however, upon closer inspection, one realizes that she is in fact very intelligent and intuitive to the situations that her family finds itself. She is concerned with the declining health of her husband and has the foresight to convey her concerns to her sons. Rowlands will express these emotions effectively to an audience of different generation.
Happy Loman, to be played by Kevin Connolly, is a character of very little substance. Though he claims to want to help his mother and father, he never articulates these feelings through his actions. Happy is a bit of a parasite that fancies himself as a playboy. As an audience, we are never fully aware of this ability due to the fact that the only women we see him court are referred to as lousy rotten whores. Happy is not categorized as a free thinker in the context of this play. Happys interjections into conversations are usually the result of his necessity to please everyone and fix negative situations quickly. Considered only mildly handsome in comparison to his brother Biff, Happy is desperate to obtain attention from his parents as he has always been in Biffs shadow.
Uncle Ben is a well-traveled man who has created a fortune for himself in Africa. His character will be cast to Fred Dalton Thompson. Thompson will be responsible for giving Ben an air of confidence at all times. His self-assurance will never waiver, thus he will remain true to the vision that Miller had when he wrote this play. He must maintain the mindset of a cultured man who knows what is best for his younger brother. To assist Thompson in his journey to appear as a wealthy and cultured man, he will be dressed in a more ostentatious suit than that of his brother.
Jack Lemmon will be cast as Charley in this production. He is a dear friend to Willy even in his time of need. Hes a father who, unlike Willy, does not place great importance on being well-liked by everyone. This contrast creates juxtaposition between their respective sons. Based on their final outcomes as given in the text, Charleys son Bernard appears to be the more successful of the two. Charleys ability to protect Willys pride by giving him money every week shows his compassion as a friend. Charley is a good friend and father and Lemmon will convey these personality traits to his audience efficiently. Bernard is a book worm that grows up to be a successful lawyer. He will be played by John Turturro. He is a focused individual who maintains the same sympathy for dear friends in times of crisis as his father. Though he is unpopular in his teenage years, Bernard grows up to be a distinguished character.
Due to his adolescent appearance and ability to control a stage, Jeremy Piven will be cast to the role of Howard. He must have the ability to be in command of a situation despite his youthful exterior. Howard is a man that recognizes Willys decline as a salesman, but is still infantile in his assumptions of Willys abilities of the past. He assumes that Willy was an unproductive salesman even in his prime, though as an audience, we have evidence of the contrary as previously stated. Though there are other roles to be cast, they are easily filled with actors and actresses who may not have much experience at this point in their careers. It is not necessary for these remaining roles to be cast with someone of great ability. It will not detract from the overall acceptance of the play.
Certain scenes have been interpreted different ways over the years in past productions that have not kept close to Millers original intentions of his work. Where these have failed, we will succeed. During the scene where Willy appears to be having an affair with a woman in a hotel, we will follow Millers dialogue consistently. I believe that Miller placed these lines of dialogue and stage direction in the play for a reason and we will respect his decisions. Initially, when Biff shows up at the hotel seeking his fathers assistance, he truly believes that his Willy will be able to help him with his situation. When Biff discovers that a woman is in the room with his father, the entire weight of this situation hits Biff all at once. He comprehends the events that have just transgressed and is devastated. Based on Willys reaction to his discovery, we can conclude that Willy was in fact a confident man despite Howards views of him. Rather than pity himself or apologize, he immediately tries to take control of the situation by ordering Biff to stop crying and do as I say, I gave you an order. Biff, I gave you an order! Is that what you do when I give you an order? How dare you cry? (Death of a Salesman 94). However, his commands are in vain since the implications of this encounter are too great and their relationship is tarnished beyond repair. At this moment in the play, Biff loses all respect he has for his father and sees him for what he truly is, a failure.
Through the Requiem, we gain insight into Lindas character. Her statement at Willys funeral speaks volumes about her understanding of his situation. Linda says, But where are all the people he knew? Maybe they blame him (Death of a Salesman 110). In this statement, she reveals that she is not necessarily surprised by the fact that no one came to his funeral, she is showing that she was aware of his plight all along. At the conclusion of the Requiem, Miller states that Biff comes to his mothers side and leads her away in his arms. Some productions omit this detail from their versions, but that decision is harsh and unnecessary. By putting his arm around Linda as they leave the cemetery, Biff is communicating to the audience as well as to his mother that despite their differences of opinion, he still loves her and cares for her. At this time in our history, it was the proper thing for a son to do. Miller is thus emphasizing that this play communicates a historical period in time.
In an effort to follow the text as closely as possible, the sets and costumes should stay true to the 1940s era. To connect with our audience of today, it is important to cast actors that appeal to them, but to film in a grayscale format so as to communicate the true nature of the play and to uphold Millers vision.
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