BEING THERE (1979): WHY DR. ALLENBY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK

[@jamesdrynan]

I always liked the role of Dr. Allenby in the film. In fact, he was the only one who understood who Chance REALLY was and kept it to himself. I really enjoyed when the doctor said, " You really are a gardener " to Chance.

[@charlescummings5893]

Near the end of the film. When Dr. Allenby first refers to Chauncey as Chance. And says "And you really are a gardener. Aren't you." Chance replies. "I am a gardener. Dr. Allenby says "I understand." Then slowly turns sideways to the camera. And repeats "I understand??? As in what do I understand? The audience is left with that same conclusion. Ok. I too understand. But what do I understand? Who is Chauncey Gardner? An alien? A saint? No. It would have been easy to have conveyed this to the audience. But it's purposely left ambiguous. What a great film to watch.

[@rufust.firefly6352]

Brilliant analysis. Allenby seeing Chance with Ben at the end and his dialog with him after Ben's death makes Allenby, imho, realize that Chance is a lot more than "just a gardener" and that taking that away from the Rands, indeed the world, would be a grievous error. I love the Allenby character. He adds necessary tension to the movie that keeps you engaged and rooting for Chance to the conclusion. I like to think that Robert and Chance remain friends later after Chance becomes President.

[@kingsgaurd]

Being There is one of my favorite movies. I agree the doctor plays a key role in advancing the story.

[@dorothyd.6506]

Thank you for exploring and celebrating the subtle nuances of this tremendous movie. It's so satisfying on so many levels . It's brilliance still shines forty+ years since it's creation.

[@youejtube7692]

Such a thoughtful analysis. Thank you. I am as touched by your thoughtful consideration of Dr Allenby as I am by the nature of his character. You come across as a person of integrity and empathy such as he appears to be and this is probably why you have so skillfully been able to see the meaning of his inclusion in the film and the qualities his character possesses. I am very much enjoying each of your videos about Being There. I do hope you are keeping well.

[@cosmicartsastrologicalserv242]

This was a very well laid out and accurate set of insights for any obsessed viewer. Thank you for your curiosity and dedication in making this.

[@petergibson1083]

These are so insightful and so well written. What an outstanding ability you have to skillfully and efficiently describe all the profound moments. Well done!

[@patrickvigil9353]

Better breakdown of this movie than Siskel & Ebert could've ever done. Great job and Thank-You....I understand

[@TeresaDraws]

Dr Allenby was always my favorite character in Being There Dysart did a wonderful job. Enjoyed this video on the movie.

[@manalonedies]

I feel that Dr. Allenby is a surrogate for the author, Jerrzy Kosinski. While reading a book we are given a "view" of the events that plays out in our mind. We like, enjoy, are bored by and dislike books through the author's perception. Movies are very different, they show us what was said, they replace our imagination with solid images, action and sounds. Dr. Allenby stands in for the writer. All in all your discussion was thoughtful, perceptive and logical. I'd read the book several times and liked it and had seen the movie more than once and enjoyed it but I missed how important a link to these events Dr. Allenby was.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Thank you for your kind note. Yes, Dr. Allenby, it always seemed to me, was way more important than people believed. I know what you mean about the authorial angle. I’m not sure that I can convey this effectively here, but I will give it a try. There is an implied audience in any novel which somehow needs a surrogate when it comes time to convert the novel into a film. The humour of the novel is more inherent, but on screen, there needs to be someone who represents the audience (I have heard that said in a different context about Hudson-the character played by Bill Paxton in the 1986 movie Aliens, though that was more about amplification of fear, not humour, though come to think of it, Hudson is also a source of levity, as it dawns on him that the aliens can’t ever be defeated in any traditional sense). In BT, many of the things Chance does and says are actually funny on their own, but much more humorous when there is someone else witnessing the action with us. I have always wondered if this is why many American television programs in the 1970s needed a laugh track, to imply that the viewer was not alone in their amusement. Dr. A. immediately sees something different about Chance that no one else notices. This actually happens a great deal in everyday life (though not to this degree), when we see someone as being a little off, but no one else entirely gets it, for whatever reason. And then there is that human need to immediately discuss it with others, which works well in BT and builds suspense. We keep wondering whether the doctor will want to talk with either Ben or Eve, but somehow he stuns us all with his quiet mercy towards Chance-and to an extent, his kindness towards Eve and Ben as well, since they are so heavily invested in who they think Chance is. Over the years, I have sadly found Dr. Allenby’s behaviour more implausible and unlikely and utterly fictional than anything that happens to Chance. Perhaps the world really is made up of two kinds of people: the vast majority, those who would immediately seek to 'end' Chance's adventure and those (like Dr. A.) who would see him as harmless and perhaps kind of different and quirky and fun and just let him continue on…fascinated to see what he does next and how far he goes. In that context, I especially appreciate Dr. A.’s brinkmanship in moving to block the lawyer, Thomas Franklin, who really could pose a threat to Chance, going forward.

[@petersampson4635]

All jokes to the one side, I enjoyed this so much I'm watching it once more. You approached this as did the doctor. Thank you.

[@emilegeorge6225]

Thank you. I really enjoyed your thorough analysis. Being there is a true gem. It reminds me of Meeting Joe Black. I love these slow pace film with somewhat withheld characters.

[@brianwooton1992]

One of my favorite movies, and as a physician, I am surprised that I never saw it through the doctor's point of view. Thank you for this.

[@mgiorno]

I completely agree with your take on Dr. Allenby. He's necessary for the movie to work as well as the novel.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

I'm glad that you found the video helpful. I think good writers aren't afraid to rearrange elements of their work when they adapt it for the screen.

[@pondelf166]

Fantastic character analysis. Thank you.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Thank you for watching.

[@SharonWienstroer]

Miss Shields would give this reviewer an A+, A+, A+!

[@petersampson4635]

Yes!.....Yes, I agree with you Ben.

[@Ckom-Tunes]

Don’t you think Chance is kind of Christ-like? He brings peace and hope to a devastated world and while not saying a lot he does obvious miracles. I think Ashby went about as far as he could with the walking on water scene-anything more and he would have been storytelling with a sledgehammer!

[@Supakumo]

Being There- I Am, the Gardener, walking on water. Lots of hints there.

[@artandcard]

As others have said, thank you, sir, for bringing attention to some things I had not considered, such as Chance's change in reaction to death, and Dr. Allenby's crafty kindness in dealing with the attorneys.

[@creatinotionchannel2680]

This has been a favorite of mine for decades. I think I saw it first in the 1980s when I was on a Peter Sellers kick. But I really fell in love with it in the 1990s. I have the dvd and have watched this many times. Your insight gave me more depth to the character of the doctor and gave me some things I had not considered or thought about - as I have often wondered what I would do in the doctor's shoes. Also what he chooses to do by not revealing who Chance is - is a more unusual character and choice than one often sees in movies. But maybe the behavior feels more in line with the empathetic choices characters on Mash would have made (not comparing because of the doctor link - but the emphasis on kindness, compassion, and intelligent empathy). This movie is so fantastic and your analysis is fantastic as well. Thank you.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Thanks for your kind words. Such notes invariably lift my spirits. Somehow I never believed that Richard Dysart got proper credit as a character actor. When I started to delve into Ashby's 1979 film, I noted that although Dr. Allenby wasn't on screen as much as other characters, he nevertheless determined the tone of the scenes he was in. You feel his presence. When I see lists of inspirational fictional doctors like Hawkeye Pierce and Dr. McCoy, it's hard for me not to think back to Dr. Allenby. In unusual circumstances, he managed to stay calm and focused, never shirking his duty to do the least harm possible and to protect his patients, Ben and Chance. Sadly, not every professional is so committed.

[@philnmdg1340]

Another excellent summary. That's a great line you used, 'The straw that stirs the drink.' Healing can take many forms; I wish the doctors of today felt the same way. Life is a state of mind. - RIP Ben

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Most kind of you. #HornofGabriel

[@ronmackinnon9374]

'The straw that stirs the drink', as I recall, was Reggie Jackson's description of himself (not known for his humility). : )

[@patriceaqa288]

@@ronmackinnon9374 the doctor realizes who chance really is, comes to understand that chance is giving Ben comfort in his final moments. Therefore he realizes that unmasking him would be not only harmful but meaningless. Him saying "I understand" when he gets the truth given to him is extremely important. He now accepts that chance though a simpleton was a fundamentally good man

[@waynecassels3607]

A wonderful commentary to a wonderful movie and great performances.

[@e-122psi3]

Dr Allenby is definitely an unusual twist on the normal 'only sane guy' of these type of farce plots. I think it would have been easy to take the more formulaic approach and have a cynic like Louise or the lawyer couple trying in vain to expose Chance the whole story, but instead they choose an observer, an audience surrogate who shares their contemplativeness over what is going and whether anyone should intervene. He shares many of the same emotions as the people watching, curiosity, bafflement, and even sympathy for all the characters involved.

[@Leon-zu1wp]

Not only that but his own personality. Thomas Frankin realized it was Chance but due to his political mind he thought he was still Chauncey, Louise knew him his entire life and didn't need to figure anything out. But Allenby, unlike The President, Eve, or Rand, had an inquisitive personality since he was a doctor. While at the same time not exposing Chance because he realizes the good it's doing for his patients Rand and Eve.

[@ceciliamcclay4928]

a great film..good take on the doctor..thanks

[@obsessedwithcinema]

You are most welcome.

[@qstrian]

Chance cultivated his garden.

[@indigohammer5732]

I always thought that Seller's character was called "Jones, The Gardener", and that everyone missheard and calls him "Chancey Gardener".

[@62Cristoforo]

Dr. Allenby and the former maid from the home he worked in are the only people who truly understood how stupid Chauncey Gardener was.

[@nicholasjanke3476]

A rare Sellers film with drama alongside comedy (the only other film I can think of is Lolita where Sellers plays a pimp, but that was a straight drama). Usually Peter Sellers characters were just one note jokes.

[@stevefrayne]

I am a lover of classic films from 1915 to 1970 typically but of course Being There is a favorite. I watch supplementary videos often to improve my viewing experience. I can say with total honesty and commitment that your two videos that I’ve watched so far on this film are the best analytical videos I have ever seen anywhere anytime. Selfishly I absolutely hope that you will find this video essay hobby of yours addictive because I will EAGERLY watch any more you put out. These have helped me understand why Being There meant so much to me and why it works so well. Beyond the explanatory and analytical quality of your work another factor I enjoy is that you’ve stuck to analyzing well-made top 400 AFI material but not the internets usual suspects. I hope you will stay away from those (Apocalypse Now, Goodfellas, THE shining, etc.) and stick to films like Being There. Still I will eagerly await your take on any film you choose. You are part of the high water mark of analysis the Internet has to offer. Thank you for your service.

[@mariodejuliis4493]

I like your analysis but Italian and foreign movies get a short stick at AFI list.

[@leeanthony6101]

Thank you for Being There.

[@62Cristoforo]

I never thought of the title that way. Brilliant. Just be there for someone in their time of need. I see it now. Thank you

[@dazsquirrel1022]

I love this film, open to interpretation as Chancey The Gardener, as a Deity sent to help the Rands in the cups of their marriage needs, giving hope, support & comfort with his seemly innocent comments... Instead of running to shout 'Wolf', D Allenby held back to see if Chance erred or could be seen as a guide to Chance as what was acceptable in the context

[@danielvega71]

Well, it's true that Dr. Allenby is not in the book, but the screenplay of the movie has been written by Jerzy Kozinsky himself, so he might have had his motives to include him. I think that his character adds to the intrigue (for those who watch the movie without having read the book), because you don't really know what is he trying to do. Does he want to expose Chance or is he just trying to understand what's going on? In the book, the lawyer who appears in the first chapter doesn't recognize Chance when he sees him on TV. I think that the Kozinsky's aim was to add, as I said, more suspense about what was going to happen to Chance in the end. It may have been an unnecesary extra turn in the book but, in a movie, the narrative of the book may have felt uninteresting without that "extra turn". In a way the book is written as a series of "connected but separate episodes"; and that doesn't work very well in cinema without a visible and playable "link" or "nexus". Greetings from Argentina!

[@hsatin20]

I really agree with this assessment. I never felt like he was being vindictive toward Chance. He showed multiple times that he is a good medical provider and protective of the Rands. In the end I do not think he was trying to destroy Chance in the least, in fact I think he comes around to Chance. The great thing about this movie is throughout most of it, is it highlights the best in people.

[@jryecart8017]

in film THE THING, alxays remember DYSART line, "ther're not Swedes McReady, they're NORWEIGIAN"

[@autotoyexchangegarage7053]

A thought-provoking movie. I always wondered if anything was filmed/cut out when the OLD MAN was alive & who the actor was? I noted that the average man seemed to know more about Chance than the sheltered rich. Them going by appearance rather than experience. For a long time, I thought that was the point of the movie, but you helped me see it in a fresh light. I've ordered the book & hope to understand Chance's backstory.

[@TappingtheMatrix]

Thank you so much for your insightful videos on Being There.

[@kenelder9615]

thank you for these viewpoints

[@obsessedwithcinema]

It is my pleasure.

[@wk1810]

Thank you for your insights. I really enjoyed this! You seem to me to be a sensitive person.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

This is one of the more flattering comments I have received, I guess because I like to think I am that person...but I suppose others each perceive us so differently. Still, it is pleasing to know that there is at least one soul who sees me as I like to see myself. Thank you for this.

[@Mr.SharkTooth-zc8rm]

Well done sir.

[@terryhammond1253]

What superb commentary. Thank you.

[@SWright1978]

Thanks for the great analysis.

[@DanJohnsonAffordableAviation]

Excellent! My wife and I enjoyed your review having just watched Being There for the umpteenth time.

[@thomasrussell4674]

Brilliant analysis. It's very Sufic.

[@diogocatalano9557]

What a great analisys, I loved it.

[@mmmpotstickers8684]

Thank you for the analysis. One quote from the movie that pops into my mind often is his line "...I understand. I understand?!" And now he understands non-action, maybe for the first time in his career; not administering more medicine, not causing the investigation into Chance to go further, and not exposing Chance.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Indeed, there is a lot of subtext in Being There and the script takes on many different things simultaneously. The movie is rather ambitious in this way. The state of medical care is but one of the places it goes-and how the dying are cared for and the ordeal that each patient endures. Your note raises the fascinating question of whether Dr. Allenby learned more from his interactions with Chance than Chance learned from him? In any event, thank you for your note.

[@gouvyrock]

the doctor knows something's wrong, but i think he doesn't know what!!!!!! the blindness of eve and ben doesn't bother him alot!!!! he's protecting ben and eve while he knows the truth will destroy all!!!!

[@jamestaglia7906]

Well done--

[@obsessedwithcinema]

It is good to hear that you enjoyed the video. Thanks for your kindness.

[@hyennussquatch4597]

Perfect analysis and a great movie!

[@eudaenomic]

Thank you, I once simply thought of the doctor as either a witness or a medling fool. He is much more and his character would have changed the perspective of the book.

[@wurly164]

You were spot on with your thoughts. I have often thought myself that this was a fantastic story, and Sellers best work. So different than all his comedy characters

[@Hovercraftltd]

Wonderful movie.... Dr Allenby cares.... Rather moving are the moments when it appears he must tell Ben what he knows and realises he cannot do that as Ben describes how dying is more bearable with Chauncy around.

[@avromsalsberg4161]

I love the way you have described the perfect role that Dr. Allenby played in the movie. Do you feel he was missing in the book? Or was Kosinski simply able to accomplish his role with more pages at his disposal than a film can do?

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Dr. Allenby, in retrospect, feels like something Hollywood would want to add or need to add to a script like Being There. For the record, Kosinski wrote the script as well, though another writer named Robert Jones was also involved (though the degree of his involvement remains unclear). While the novel is comic (like so much of Kosinski’s work), the movie is a comedy, so it needed to actually get laughs in a theatre. Dr. Allenby’s presence helps achieve this. Where the book presents comic situations that are definitely funny, the movie had to necessarily move above and beyond this-since it is probably harder to get laughs from real people all in the same place at the same time. So it ultimately feels like Dr. Allenby, or a character like him, wouldn’t have added that much to the novel, whereas he is indispensable to the success of the film and gives us something more to ponder while we are watching it. The other thing is that Richard Dysart is such a talented actor that having him sharing the screen with Peter Sellers, Melvyn Douglas and Shirley MacLaine is like adding an all-star pitcher to an already talent-laden baseball team. It definitely couldn’t hurt anything and probably helps. At all times, the character portrayed by Dysart is adroit and professional, to the point that I couldn’t help comparing him to one of my real life physicians. To determine whether I am healing, my current orthopaedic surgeon requires me to remove my pants, whereas Dr. Allenby, at least on the day that the president visits Ben, does not need to actually see Chance’s injury in order to determine that “the swelling’s gone down considerably.” Now that’s a doctor!

[@avromsalsberg4161]

@@obsessedwithcinema Great insights! Makes a ton of sense. Thanks for sharing.

[@patriceaqa288]

​@@obsessedwithcinemaI love your analysis of this film, my favourite or one of them. I don't however as an adult consider being there a comedy anymore. I thought it a comedy as a child, however despite laughing at certain points, when I rewatch it, the film never feels like a comedy to me. I love this analysis. Allenby isn't going to expose chance, at least that's how I see it. Because as the film progresses chance becomes a nicer person to him. What is initially a suspicion, and fear, about chance, changes.

[@AB-ue5pm]

I think there is a reference to human fall from heaven: Chance, by chance literally, is living in a garden where his needs are taken care of (Manna) by the benevolence of an ancient figure that no one knows anything about including the people who are carrying out his wishes (law firm executives/clergy). He is kicked out for a reason he can not fully comprehend to bump into Eve, literally. Walking on water in the movie is a clue, however, I am influenced more by the book - lots of narration, introspection and retrospection. Peter Sellers is a great actor but the book is more juicy. Chauncey Gardiner, a mentally challenged person narrating his experiences with sane, upper echelon folks. The book really makes you confused, which is which? At minute 19:00 into the movie the soundtrack is epic, space odyssey theme with Jazz. Krishendu into his first step out. There is a writing on the wall 'America ain't shit cause white man got god complex".

[@Dragonogrado]

You called him Ashby at the end of your essay, not Allenby. Nice that you did not edit that away.

[@dotsyjmaher]

Wonderful video on one of my FAVORITE movies... Of course, the doctor was terrifying the first time I saw it... Now, he is one of my favorite characters in film...of course he is NOT like any real doctor..but a very lovely person.. He reminds me of my VERY favorite film character.. "Holly"...from "The Third Man."

[@vicschauberger2737]

I've often thought about one of the earlier scenes , where the lawyer who visits the property of the " Old Man " upon his death and subsequently asks him to vacate . During their talk in the garden , Chance talks about a bricklayer , mason named Joe who builds in a hole in the garden wall in 1952 and other dates of his clothier's 1947 etc. . I thought they had occult meaning . The whole idea of Chance leaving the "garden " , which seemed to be somewhat serene, and being forced out into the cold chaotic world always seemed to have some biblical connotations. Does anyone have any ideas along those lines ?

[@csmith1298]

I've definitely thought about Chance getting kicked out of "The Garden" and having to live in the "real world" as possibly alluding to the Biblical Adam and Eve story, though I'm unsure if that was intended. Great movie.

[@patriceaqa288]

​@@csmith1298there is definitely something "spiritual" about chance. Why? Because he's kind, criticizes no one, or anything, and understands what matters in life, even if he doesn't understand "it" himself. He cares for nature, he never insults anyone, and knows nature is the most important thing in the world. Chance is without sin. That's why I think he walks on water.

[@Leon-zu1wp]

When he leaves the old man's house Thus Spoke Zarathustra plays. The song is based on a book by Nietzsche where a hermit descends from his hilltop cave to presch.

[@sergegirard864]

A very big thank you to you and for this take on the Dr. My personal understanding of this character has always been more cynical I saw him as the intelligent but cowandly person who sees the truth but does not have the courage to call foul when so many people mistakenly saw Chance as a genius. He would rather go with the flow, admiring the naked king new clothes, rather than exposing the superchery. But I like you interpretation much better.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

I believe that I might also have shared your view when I first saw the film, but then, over time, I began to see the thoroughness of Dr. Allenby's investigation into Chance and I began to see his kind treatment and indulgence of Chance as an act of great patience and charity--what doctors are supposed to be all about. I saw Dr. A. as having quite a big more depth and conscience than the other characters in Ashby's film. For me, it was really about him sort of marching to his own drummer, I guess. I truly love the fact that people can still debate this kind of question and that it travels around in their brains throughout their lives. I believe Mr. Kosinski, in particular, would be gratified by this. That we are interested in and wish to discuss such things, the motivation of a character in an old movie, speaks to why we all remain so compelled by cinema and by fiction in general.

[@MarkGarver623]

I like your analysis and believe that you are dead on in many ways about Dr. Allenby, however, as an aficionado of this movie, I would point out to you that the author knew full well about the Biltmore estate where the film took place and if you look at the history of the Biltmore estate, you’ll find that a man named Chauncey Beadle was part of the original team of gardeners that built the estate and the beautiful grounds around it. I point this out because I posit that Chauncey Gardener was actually the angel of Chauncey Gardener. Just a thought to ponder, as I enjoyed doing because I actually do work on the Biltmore estate as an Estate Ambassador, and this movie Being There is one of my favorite movies related to the Biltmore Estate out of the 16 movies made either all or in part on the Estate. I believe Dr. Allenby ultimately came to the conclusion that Chauncey is indeed an angel sent to ease Ben Rand’s mind and anxiety about the future of the estate of his affairs. After all, who better to leave in charge of such a huge and influencing estate than an angel?

[@archie6945]

I saw the film before reading the book & had the impression the book had been created from the film. Didn't notice the 'omission' of Dr Allenby.

[@ELECTR0HERMIT]

wow... well done

[@ad2181]

Brilliant understanding.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

I'm glad that you found the video to be informative. Thanks.

[@thedreadtyger]

Chance is a placebo that the good doctor came to administer.

[@danwright1794]

Let’s refrain from over analysis

[@stevestarscream5182]

I know I’m getting old…. I used to think Shirley McClain was just an old lady in this and now I think she looks pretty hot 😂😂😂😂

[@lhs66]

You should see her in 1960s films with the Rat Pack then.

[@nicholasjanke3476]

The one thing about Being There is that everybody always misses the one important fact about Chance Gardner, is that THERE'S NOTHING TO HIM! Everybody thinks that Chance is a scholar but the only character who sees through him is Allenby. Allenby is the only one who understands that Chance really is just surface material. (Peter Sellers said that he based Chance Gardner on Stan Laurel. The quiet, kind, dummy)

[@8_Bit]

Thanks for this, I've subscribed.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Great film.

[@Chris-ut6eq]

I like to watch.

[@steved8053]

did you do an equally in depth commentary on Shampoo? another of my favorites..

[@obsessedwithcinema]

I recently rewatched Shampoo and I found it enjoyable and amusing. The ending seemed especially apropos--like Being There, Ashby once again left me wondering what happens next. Jack Warden (as Lester Karpf) seems to be playing a role not so unlike 'President Bobby' in BT. I'm not really sure that I had a particular take on Shampoo. You are right, though, there is a lot of stuff going on, some political (about the circumstances which somehow resurrected Nixon as a political force for 1968), some about society's changing mores at that moment, something about television itself (which is playing in the background a number of times) and even a little bit on Vietnam. It is like Ashby is getting ready (laying the groundwork, so to speak) to make Coming Home (1978) and Being There (1979) in this 1975 film. As with the first time I saw it, so many years ago, I was a little overwhelmed by the frenetic pacing of the film. The number of women who are interested in George Roundy, I imagine to be a dramatization of Beatty's actual life at that moment...and for decades prior to Shampoo. George's explanation of his infidelities to his girlfriend, Jill Haynes (Goldie Hawn) seemed as real and plausible as any other explanation I've ever heard for such behaviour: he is unfaithful because he can....that's it. He has endless opportunities each day and indulges himself while he is still young and virile--unlike Lester. There is something there which resembles the dynamic between Chance and Ben. On the other hand, it would be hard to imagine any real life scenario in which Warren Beatty somehow ends up alone, while Jack Warden "gets the girl." As concerns BT, I guess people come either from the Ashby side of the family or the Kosinski side. I definitely come from the literary side, that is the Kosinski side of things. Of course, JK was also heavily involved in the preparation of the script as well. I was fascinated by one particular aspect of Shampoo that seemed particularly relevant and important--and moves onto the sad, unfortunate parts of our society--the stuff the Gladwell has written about at length. George Roundy's experience in his chosen field, his training and sense of style and the loyalty of his clientele and the increasing demand for his services does not do anything whatsoever to convince the loan officer (Mr. Pettis--played by George Furth) that his business would be a success--and yet they probably loan a lot of money on far less expertise and certitude. The death of the small businesses was evident even at this early stage. If that business ever gets off the ground, it will be due to Lester betting on George. The merits of George's business plan doesn't really come into it. That the bank officer was so used to being called an "a--hole" right to his face that it doesn't even phase him was particularly humorous to me and a nice twist.

[@RikerLovesWorf]

Great video. I think a great point to hit on is that Chauncey is shown to be the absolute most self-centered man on earth. It's kind of key to how he views his life. He's not in a bubble, but he is the only "real" person that he sees. From his point of view, people might simply be on the level of plants and flowers. There's no interacting with a flower or reason to talk with it seriously.

[@e-122psi3]

I think it's what makes the scene of Chance weeping over Ben so significant, and likely why it is the decider for Allenby to keep quiet. Ben by some miracle managed to mentally develop someone with zero personality of their own.

[@Leon-zu1wp]

Yes. He has no emotion about The Old Man dying or Louise leaving, then he tries to use the remote to get rid of the black thugs. Is perplexed by seeing himself on TV and says that "Cars are like TVs only I can see much further". Both Chance and Rand changed eachothers lives in more ways than one.

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Being There, Big, Forest Gump-the formula of the simpleton confused as a genius.

[@boborrahood]

You could also include the Billy Bob Thornton character from the 1996 Sling Blade. The late New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael was one who had a dissenting view of Being There: " ... that dim, prolonged one-joke satire...to tell us that TV is making such fools of us that we'll accept a moron - as a statesman... Sellers stillness, his unhappy expression ...and the Oriental- sage formality of his speech didn't make much sense - how could these be the effects of a simpleton watching TV? But Sellers did create a solemnly dull character: a baffled, easily hurt, wanting to please moron... A lot of people actually accepted the bit of pipsqueak irony in Being There as a serious warning."

[@matt8151]

What about the doctor’s most important line - “I understand”

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Thank you for your question. I have always viewed this particular exchange as signalling the unofficial end of the film, since the doctor’s question (that he could not be entirely sure of until that very moment), had finally been answered to his satisfaction. (For Dr. A., the film is now over and he’ll soon be leaving the Rand household, since his talents as a physician are no longer required.) Since that first night, he was determined to learn Chance’s origins, and to see if Chance really was as sweetly naive and innocent and simple as he appeared to be (to Dr. A. only, of course). The doctor's query, “And you really are a gardener, aren’t you?” has finally been answered. Dr. A.’s “I understand” also seems to signify that the doctor has accepted Chance-first because one line before, he actually calls him by his real name-Chance, not Chauncey (You’ve become quite a close friend of Eve’s, haven’t you…..Chance?”), and he is now speaking to Chance using a favourite Chance-ism “I understand” (uttered with the doctor’s back to the camera). I have sometimes wondered why the doctor repeats the line very softly 9 or 10 seconds later, in profile, looking down. To me, the second “I understand” feels like there might be a question mark at the end of it, perhaps, as in “I understand?” To me, this second one was not for himself or Chance, but for the audience, since answering the question about Chance’s origins really doesn’t answer anything: he still can’t fathom how or why the extraordinary events of the last seven days have transpired and why everyone else continues to see only “Chauncey Gardiner” while he alone perceives “Chance the gardener.” Thank you again for your question.

[@matt8151]

@@obsessedwithcinema I always took it a step further - I felt his comment suggested that he accepted that there was something preternatural about Chance. I always connected this comment with the walking on water scene.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

This is indeed an original thought, which I haven't come across before. Thank you for opening up even more possibilities with this. It really does redefine what is going on in that final interaction between the two characters.

[@dotsyjmaher]

No doctor like this.....

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Harry and The Hendersons was a kind of Bigfoot Being There

[@frankthespank]

Help me out here…. is Chance really walking on, you know (don’t want to spoil this) or was this some sort of weird garden pond add-on…?

[@obsessedwithcinema]

That is definitely the crux of the issue. People believe a number of different things about that last few minutes of BT. Some of the viewers like to believe that the ending of BT is whatever most suits the viewer...that is, that there is a deliberate ambiguity. Ashby wants you to consider what you have just seen, in an entirely different context. You may (or may not) find the link below edifying, but the viewer comments about this 'Meaning of the Ending' video are truly incredible. There are a lot of different theories, to be sure. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ6zaWeVlMx2mM0

[@Leon-zu1wp]

It's ambiguous but telling. Do we the audience see Chance as a simpleton or enlightened? We could be easily misinterpreting if there's a submurged dock like the rest of the characters do about his other antics.

[@jb-vb8un]

" they're not Swedes, MaCready .... they're NORWEGIAN "

[@obsessedwithcinema]

😂😁This Dysart/Clennon reference really made my day. Thanks for this. The Thing (1982) never gets old and continues to haunt my dreams once in a while. For those unacquainted with John Carpenter's classic sci-fi horror flick, both Richard Dysart (Dr. Allenby) and Dave Clennon (Mr. Thomas Franklin) appear in the film, as Dr. Copper and Palmer respectively.

[@jb-vb8un]

@@obsessedwithcinema and Dysart reunion with David Clennon. D. C. was fantastic in 5 BARNEY MILLER episodes, tv mini series, HELTER SKELTER, even further back to a spot on the iconoclastic KOJAK

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@jb-vb8un I also remember seeing him in episodes of 'WKRP in Cincinnati' and 'Dream On.'

[@mtwhatley3253]

We’re all guilty of assumption. We assume based on external appearance, dress and behavior.

[@obsessedwithcinema]

Yes, very well put. This is a key point and one of the reasons that Being There remains so relevant. I often think about how little I know about those individuals whom I have known the longest. There is so much about them that I will surely never know: the most traumatic events that they lived through, the writers and musicians and teachers who most influenced them as children, the nature of their relationships to their parents and grandparents, their fantasies and dreams and fixations and obsessions--sexual and otherwise. All these things are unknown and unknowable. (And they themselves may no longer remember what exactly ended up mattering in their own lives.) The American psychologist Henry Greenspan wrote that "the great part of what happens to us in life is never articulated to anyone." I think about this a lot, and I try to remember that it works both ways: that I am largely a stranger to the individuals around me. The things which really ended up mattering in my life, they will never know what these things were. In the end, so much of how we interact with others is wrapped up in our personal assumptions that 'misperception' ends up being as consequential as 'perception' in determining how we see and experience and ultimately live our lives.

[@mtwhatley3253]

@@obsessedwithcinema based on you comment you might be interested in Japanese culture and Honne and tatemae. My wife is Japanese and it’s an interesting part of their culture……

[@JohnMarzak-kv8vz]

Yowza?

[@theevilascotcompany9255]

And then Dr. Allenby accepted a position as staff physician for an Antarctic research station. It ended poorly.

[@hyennussquatch4597]

Haha, good point. And Franklin (attorney) was there too :)

[@SWright1978]

The Thing!

[@Outsidecontext]

I disagree. Chance is an enlightened being. We always imagine such a person as wise and learned. Chance shows us that this is not necessarily the case. This is the Buddha Nature in Zen.

[@UUBrahman]

If we are going to say Chance is enlightened, I would tend more toward a Dao (Tao) -ist illumination, going with the flow, perceiving and appreciating seasonal change including beginnings and endings as a natural part of life in the cosmos. Chance has no "baggage" and thus appears appreciative while non judgemental, not unlike a Daoist hermit emerging from isolation.

[@Outsidecontext]

@@UUBrahman I put it to you that they are the same thing. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_laughs_at_Tiger_Brook

[@richardt.buryan832]

CONSIDER THE BIBLICAL THEME: ADAM THE INNOCENT BEFORE EXPULSION FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN, THE REFERENCE TO JESUS WALKING UPON THE WATER.

[@billyjean9484]

In fake Hollywood world he prospers. In real life he lives with his parents.

[@mariodejuliis4493]

This movie is about racism and the great divide within America. The rest is smoke and mirrors for literature structure.

[@dotsyjmaher]

Ben and Chance are both white..Ben was born to wealth and power.... Chance was born to slavery..with no provision for his future.... Louise is black...and treats Chance well as long as "the old man" is alive and paying her.. Even a pet would have been treated better by a GENUINELY kind person ( as Chance saw Louise) He had no way of even feeding himself....like a trusting dog..used to routine..he was abandoned by a black racist...because he was white and male.