Reflections on "Being There"
Directed by Hal Ashby
Written by Jerzy Kosinski
Starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn
Douglas et al.
I saw
this film when it was first released and well remember being very taken with it
as a whole, but especially the thought-provoking "twist" at the end.
I was particularly struck by the deceptively gentle pace which reflected
Chance’s vision and approach to life, and served to underline what I took to be
one of the central themes or "messages" of the film.
"Being
There" contains very pertinent observations about life and society. It has
been criticised by some for being too "arty" and for not being more
overtly entertaining, but this is not a biting satire trying to take a rise out
of political or social absurdities. At its core it is making serious points
about life, the meaning we give it, and the society we are creating.
As
gentle simpleton Chance is evicted from his life-long home (indeed his entire
world, as he has never left the grounds), he is launched into a series of
adventures propelled by a variety of misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
Of very limited intellectual ability, Chance’s two areas of knowledge and
interest are gardening and television.
A key
element in the misunderstandings which advance the storyline is the way in
which his interlocutors impose their own interpretation on Chance’s utterances.
This applies to virtually every conversation Chance has, and the audience is
party to the joke as we are aware of the genuine situation and the true import
of Chance’s remarks (generally containing references to gardening, his only
real area of competence). Thus, as various characters have conversations at
cross purposes, we can see and understand how this happens, and feel superior
to the wealthy and powerful characters as they impute significance to Chance’s
banal gardening "metaphors".
Jerzy
Kosinski (author of the novel and script) appears to be mocking the way we need
and seek wisdom and inspiration to the point where we impose metaphoric meaning
and symbolism on what may be no more than "normal" conversation. Man,
and by extension, society, may be getting "too big for his boots" in
that he tries too hard to be clever to the point where, by over analysing and
intellectualising, he actually creates problems which need not be there. It is
in this context, which leads to anxiety and overreaction, that man seeks wisdom
and knowledge from others. It is also in this context that Chance’s gardening
metaphors offer reassurance and comfort, and are seized upon by those in
positions of responsibility in the film. As those in authority seek to control
everything, and panic when they fail, Chance appears to offer hope in the form
of calm confidence and a metaphoric return to nature.
Since
we know that Chance’s remarks are nothing more than a desperate attempt to
engage in conversation using his only source of knowledge, we may interpret the
film as saying that words have no meaning other than that which we choose to
give them, and that society is shaped by the chance meeting of minds, of being
in the right place at the right time, and by the interpretation of what is
said. Chance has exercised considerable influence simply by being there at the
right time – it is only as the result of a series of accidents and
misinterpretations that he reached a position of influence, and perhaps the
same can be said for many such people and events which have influenced history.
This
might have been a "straight" comedy, even a farce, if the authorities
had ended up with egg on their faces, but they don’t. In fact, Chance’s words
actually offer solutions, or at least others’ interpretations of his words
offer solutions and reassurance, emphasising that what is important is not what
is said, but the meaning taken from it by the interlocutor. Here Chance has
managed to free people’s minds from intellectual clogging and emotional
involvement to allow them to see a solution. However, the ending of the film
put an entirely different slant on things for me.
The
final image of Chance walking on water suggests (in my opinion) that Chance is
a messenger from God and that perhaps credence should be accorded to his
utterings and credit given to the effect he has had. God moves in mysterious
ways, so they say, and Chance has indeed had a beneficial effect on those whose
lives he has touched (and who put their faith in him). He managed to put them
in touch with themselves by cutting through complications and intellectual
argument to find a simpler and more natural solution. Chance may be regarded
not so much as a vessel of knowledge but as a vessel of approach and attitude.
He encourages us to appreciate simpler things and nature, be more accepting,
and not to seek to control.
In fact,
Chance may even be regarded as wise since he has no perception of the problems
he helps to resolve. Problems, then, may be seen as largely of our own making.
It
seems to me that a worthy point of reference is Voltaire’s "Candide".
At the end of that story the idealistic Candide has become thoroughly
disillusioned with life and the various philosophies he has encountered. His
solution is "Il faut cultiver notre jardin." (We must develop our
garden). His
friend Martin agrees and adds with even greater clarity, "Travaillons sans
raisonner – c’est le seul moyen de rendre la vie supportable." (Let’s work without thinking – that’s the
only way of making life bearable). Candide’s solution is to return to nature
and the simple life, unquestioning, undoubting – this is the way to happiness
as opposed to his worldly wise adventures which led to unhappiness and
cynicism.
It
could be suggested that Chance has cultivated his garden, and through the
gardening metaphor hopes to help others cultivate their (simpler) garden of
life.
My
thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some
value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
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