Political Commentary in Cinema: Review of Peter Seller's 'Being There'

Rogert Ebert Review ^ | 1979 | Roger Ebert

[JacksonCalhoun]

I just turned 35. The Biltmore is something else. It costs $36 just to get in and tour the house and walk the grounds. It is 250 rooms, only a fraction of which you can see. Rare art, restored tapestries, and other priceless artifacts. That George Vanderbilt sure knew how to live. There is also a winery on the estate and some great restaurants.

Funny, I saw "Rockin' Fu" as well. What a dreadful movie, I hope it didn't cause Sellers' death due to overwork.

[HitmanLV]

The Biltmore House sounds awesome, I'll have to visit it! I have good friends in NC and will make it a stop on my next visit - it sounds spectaculat!

"Fiendish Plot of Dr/ Fu Manchu" was a poor film, certainly a bad note to end a career on. Sellers is one of the greatest actors/comedians who always gave a great performance, even in otherwise average or poor films. A shame - his death deprived us of about 10 or 15 more years of Sellers movies.

As for Sellers and death being caused by overwork, one of my favorite pieces of Sellers trivia is his first heart attack in the 1960s. Though still a relatively young man, he got a heart attack while on honeymoon with his gorgeous young bride, Britt Ekland. Talk about death coming from overwork - what did that leggy, fit, buxom Scandanavian vixen do to him??? Oh man, what a way to go! Luckily he was rushed to a hospital in time!

Anyway, I always said, I'f I'm going to have a heart attack, I think that would be the way it should be done!

The heart attack kept him from completing the seldom seen Billy Wilder film 'Kiss Me, Stupid.' About 30 mins of finished film exists with Sellers in the Ray Walston role, though I don't think it has ever been seen. A shame.

Of Sellers, I think Wilder is quoted as saying upon learning of the ehart attack, "Impossible - you need a heart to have a heart attack." Sadly, most of what I hear of Sellers the man depicts a moody and mean man, unpredictable and dry in his own way. He regardless is one of the all time film greats!

[exDemMom]

I saw a commercial tonight featuring a lot of brief (less than one second) clips from various movies; two were clips from "Being There" (one from the last scene). I loved that movie, and it is one of the few I have watched several times, since I can find some new detail or meaning in it every time. I didn't know Sellers made one more movie before he died. Since "Being There" was not a typical Sellers movie, I always thought he had done this as a kind of farewell statement before he died. Chance the Gardener might have been profoundly retarded, yet he possessed great wisdom. And the ending! How many ways can that be interpreted? I think I'll have to go get it on DVD now.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

"Britt Ekland...what did that leggy, buxom Scandinavian vixen do to him?"

In her book "True Britt", she tells how Sellers would use "poppers" while making love, and that brought on his first heart attack.

[HitmanLV]

In her book "True Britt", she tells how Sellers would use "poppers" while making love, and that brought on his first heart attack.

That would explain it! It's a great story, though. I confess, I looked upon the lovely Britt with a fascinated and slightly frightened admiration ever since I learned of the episode!

Sellers was a gem - a true classic! I miss him!

[HitmanLV]

All is well in the garden.

[ozaukeemom]

Just an FYI. "Being There" is on television this evening! I think it is at 6:30PM CDT on WGN.

[HitmanLV]

Nice! Thanks!!!