78 - Being There

    A simple-minded gardener has spent his life inside a wealthy man's estate, and is let out into the world upon his employer's death.  People react to his simple statements as being indicative a brilliant mind.
    Although this project pre-dates Forrest Gump by about two decades, it's an easy comparison to make.  However, I believe that this is clearly a superior movie.
    First, Peter Sellers is fantastic.  He manages to play the part in a way that seems understated, but it's remarkably controlled.  He rarely smiles.  He seems a bit unfocused, but remarkably confident for someone who doesn't understand much of what he says.  His speaking is measured in a peculiar way.  He plays mannerisms very well.
    Second, the character is much more interesting.  While Gump is supposed to be a lovable idiot, and we're supposed to admire his homespun wisdom, Gardner isn't out to persuade anyone of his brilliance.  As far as he knows, he's simply repeating what he knows - thoughts about gardening, and phrases that he's picked up, like "I understand."  Gardner has picked up a lot of what he knows from watching TV, but I can't quite say that he understands it.  He sees things, and occasionally he will imitate things that capture him in a certain way.  This is shown primarily with a handshake technique that he imitates.  But he gets absorbed into exercise routines too.  We get a window into Gardner's being, but it's hard to say that there's actually anything there.  Not that it's a bad thing.
    Third, the approach that the movie takes is much more nuanced.  Gump pushes a comedic angle to almost everything, and manipulates the audience with a handful of sad moments.  But the message seems to be that it is superior to have these kinds of down-home perspectives.  This movie makes no judgments about the quality of Gardner's wisdom - or lack of it.  It's easy to understand how people misinterpret his statements.  If anything, it seems like the movie is more about the willingness of people to assume that people well-dressed are knowledgeable.  That wealthy appearances seriously influence the way that people react to them.

    While my wife and I watched this, there were at least two mentions of The Emperor's New Clothes.  It's a fascinating comparison, since it's easy to watch the movie waiting for someone to point out that Gardner is just an idiot.  But… he's got the clothes to play the role.  Maybe the message is that without the clothes, the Emperor is just a man?

    The ending of the movie seems a little strange, but it leaves things open to interpretation.  Does it mean that we're dealing with Jesus?  Does it mean that Jesus was an unintentional fraud?

    A great movie.  I'd encourage anyone to see it.  I have no idea if it's worth watching more than once, though.