Rating: 
Summary: I fell for it
Review: Last night Being There was on the Television. At first I was not to keen on the movie. However there is something just incredible about it. Once you see it you have to own it. I don't think it should be billed as a comedy though. I found it to be a sheer work of art. I have never witnessed anything like it before. There were a scenes that were humerous but not laugh till I fall out of the chair funny. This movie truly shows what a GREAT actor Peter Sellers truly was. If you rent or buy one movie this year this is it.
Rating:
Summary: Real presence
Review: 'Being There', starring Peter Sellers in perhaps the best performance of his life (he was nominated for the Academy Award for this), and adapted from Jerzy Kosinski's brief but rich novella, is one of the great, under-rated films that fill video-store shelves, rarely to be rented or purchased, but holding great rewards for those who do.Perhaps it was in thinking of 'The Tao of Pooh' and 'The Te of Piglet' that the image of Chauncey Gardiner (Chance, the Gardener) came to mind, as someone who is as close to pure being and a human being can be. Unspoilt by intellect, education, or experience of society, Chance the Gardener has been raised in a protective environment where he main concern is for plants, other living things coming close to simple being, and for a mindless attentiveness to the television that washes over him like a halo, providing him with sufficient information to make others around him believe he is wise and knowledgeable. In the film we come upon Chance as 'the old man' has died, and the lawyers are coming in to close the house. As a man apart from society, there is no record of Chance even existing (which becomes important later). He is a mystery from the beginning, made all the more mysterious by his completely innocent, non-evasive manner. This is rare for Washington, D.C.! Having been turned out of the house, Chance begins his partial discovery of the real world. He experiences hatred, deprivation, and solitude for the first time, but all of this leaves little impact upon him. He continues his solitary journey until stopped by a store display of television sets, at which time he backs up to watch himself being displayed from the video camera, and is injured by a passing car belonging to Benjamin Rand, wealthy financier and kingmaker. Mrs. Rand is in the car (played astutely by Shirley MacLaine), and insists on taking Chance (who, while taking his first alcoholic drink, garbles the words to the degree that she mishears his name, becomes at this point Chauncey) back to the Rand estate, where doctors and nurses are in attendance at the sick-near-dying bed of her husband Benjamin. Chauncey floats effortlessly through this world. Without apprehension and without an image to protect and project, he is simply himself, and in so being, becomes a mirror to project the hopes of those around him. While he speaks in terms of gardening almost exclusively, others, from Mrs. Rand to the President of the United States (who ends up quoting him in a speech) believe he is a master of metaphor, and, much like a mystical text, are quick to assign their own meanings to his words. Because Chauncey is without affectation, well-mannered and, above all, a curious listener, people are charmed by him. The policeman outside the White House respond when he reports a sick tree in the park. The Russian ambassador responds when Chauncey laughs at his Russian jokes. The Rands respond because they both need, above all, hope. Chauncey becomes a cipher for all. Chance is a mystery. The President quotes him in a speech, after meeting him at the Rand estate. But who is he? The CIA and the FBI cannot find any information on him. Thus, both decide he must be an ex-agent who has 'wiped the slate clean'. Ultimately, it is unclear, purposefully so, if Chance is in fact mentally deficient or spiritually enhanced. The disturbing message of the film and novel is that even a little learning can be a soul-destroying force; ignorance is bliss, and enables one to walk on water when one doesn't know one can't. Will Chance succeed, by Chance? Will the Randian consortium in fact propel him into the Presidency? Would you, the viewer, want him as President? Filmed largely at the Biltmore Estate (pictured as if it were in the centre of the District of Columbia), this is a visually interesting film as well as an intriguing story, with superb acting performances and an ambiguous moral at the end. The very last words of the film are 'Life is a state of mind.' Is it really? You decide.
Rating:
Summary: simple and understated
Review: Part Forrest Gump and part Life of Brian, part the fable of The Emperor Has No Clothes and part parody of the story of Christ, Being There leaves a lot of room for meaning in a simple, artful, and seamless script. And the acting is suburb: I consider it to be on par with Dr. Strangelove as Peter Sellers' finest film. Being There is a must-see for anyone who appreciates comic subtlety and dark humor. My favorite interpretation of the film is that of Mr. Sellers' character -- Chance the gardener, or, later, Chauncey Gardiner -- as a Christ-like figure. The film's magnificent ending supports that take, and subsequent viewings reveal more evidence earlier in the motion picture of Chance as a reluctant savior, an increasingly in vogue interpretation of the Biblical Christ. From a different view, I guess it's a stretch as a political metaphor. After all, who would believe that such a simple man with such a limited vocabulary and an inability to grasp even moderately complex issues could find a place in the public's political consciousness? Heh heh. But I think Mr. Sellers, who is best known as the bumbling and hapless Jacques Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies, would warn against taking his work too seriously. Maybe it's best to take the film as it is: a simple and understated story made great by one of the 20th century's acting geniuses. Regarding the DVD, the film quality is fine but the overall package is a little short on extras. I know that few DVDs of films more than 20 years old carry things like behind-the-scenes filming or director's commentary, but it would have been nice for the producers of the DVD to do a little more to take advantage of the medium besides including the original trailer. But this small caveat is no risk to the five stars I will give the film.
Rating:
Summary: Positively Hilarious
Review: 'Being There' is one of the funniest films ever. The storyline is as hysterical as it is original. One might try to make it out to be a funny version of to 'Mr Smith goes to Washington' but there really is no other film like it (that I know of). What makes this film so hilarious is its' dialogue and timing. These elements make the story work, as Sellers character moves from obscurity to celebrity. Peter Sellers gives one of his finest performances as the timid idiot Chance (as opposed to the confident idiot, Clouseau). The misunderstandings that propel Sellers' character to fame are as clever as they are funny. He is better here than in the Pink Panther films. PP films deliver good slapstick, though sometimes predictable. This films humor is far more subtle and less predictable- making this film all the more funny. His ability to seem so simple to the audience, yet also seem profound to other characters makes all the jokes work. Shirley McClain delivers a solid performance as well. This is a work of comedic genius.
Rating:
Summary: Reality follows fiction
Review: During the Bush presidency (sic) this is a must own movie. 'Chauncy the gardener' has now actually fulfilled billionaire power broker (Melvyn Douglas') fictional dream, and become 'Chauncy the President'!!
Rating: 
Summary: Shirley MacLaine is Lovely!
Review: Peter Sellers plays a man who lives in Washington DC. The owner of the big home he lives in has passed away. Peter Sellers has never been in an automobile and has never been outside the front door, out on the street or in the city before. He has only been a gardner for the property of the house and only watches television. In the house, there is a television set in every room, including the greenhouse. When he finally realizes he must leave the house, he enters the world for the first time. He sees a tv set in a window of a shop and just watches it. When a car backs up to him, it pins him between cars. Here he meets Shirley MacLaine. She decides to take him to her mansion to get the hospital care he needs. She is living with the Vice-President. Shirley MacLaine is lovely and delightful in this film. There are lots of old tv clips of shows you will remember. There is a blooper reel during the end credits.
Rating:
Summary: you'll want to be there again!
Review: Peter Sellers best work. One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. A true classic.
Rating:
Summary: Sellers' Finest Hour...
Review: Peter Sellers delivers an astonishing performance in this beautiful film, akin to watching someone like Robin Williams go from comedic mania to a subtle and out of character (or very much 'in' character, due to the great, understated) role, like 'One-Hour Photo', and like Sellers' role as a Gardener named Chance (changed soon, without his reservations, to 'Chauncey Gardiner'). I'm still scractching my head as to why this movie was/is characterized as 'dark comedy'. There are comedic moments, but like many great dramas, this is a film that may stay with you for days after viewing it. I won't go into plot details, as you can read other reviews for this, but it's an overall gorgeous look at a simple man who has been sheltered from the real world for so long that all he can relate to, and relate to others, is what he has seen on TV. The comedic mishaps that result, and the profound statements he makes to the rest of the jaded world (especially in Washington, DC, where the film takes place) are completely unknown to his character. Shirley MacLaine is wonderful in her role as the wife of the bigwig businessman that takes him in, her interplay with Sellers makes both characters take on whole other levels, each adding to the other.
The cinematography and film score really complete the mood, and the ending scene, with Sellers walking off into the water, umbrella (earlier a cane) in hand, it seems an ode to Chaplin as 'The Little Tramp', his signature striding off into the distance, with only our imaginations to help us wonder what will happen to this sad, singular fellow.
Brilliant...understated, subdued, and yet with enough emotional force to really make you think about all the subtexts it carries, like the meaning of life, death, truth, and character.
A really lovely film.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful film and by far Sellers' best.
Review: "Being There" is one of my all time favorites. The film is touching, funny and provides meaningful social commentary all at the same time. It is the story of Chauncey Gardiner, a man of limited intellect who has always worked as the "gardener" for a wealthy older man in NY. When the man dies, Chauncey is put out into the street and meanders his way into power and prestige by "chance" through a series of comic accidents and coincidences. Based on the novel of the same title by Jerzy N. Kosinski, this was Peter Sellers' last film. The ending title sequence includes outtakes from the film, which when combined with the performance, give a nice feel for the true character of this comic genius, who tragically died at the early age of 54.
Rating:
Summary: "As long as the roots are not severed, all is well."
Review: Hal Ashby's "Being There" is often referred to in the same breath as "Forrest Gump" (1994) due to the similarity of each film's lead character. However, close inspection of both films reveal that there is little in common besides the surface similarity. "Being There" is a story of a man who does not evolve as he goes through life. The character of Chance (Peter Sellers) is the exact same person he was when the film began as he is when it ends, and audiences are left with a tantalizing final image as to the meaning of this "stagnant" growth. Is Chance canonized because of his uncompromising purity? Or is Chance beyond evolving further because he is already something much more than the rest of us? Or perhaps the final image is only an illusion - we think we are seeing what we see in much the same way that Chance's words of wisdom were thought to mean something else. It is this open-endedness that distinguishes "Being There" as a film all its own. The film follows the exploits of Chance "Chauncey Gardener," a simple gardener who is thrown out into the street after his employer passes away. Chance is hopelessly ignorant of how the world works and is immediately dumbfounded upon meeting a group of potential muggers. He casually points a television remote at them and tries to click them away and is confused when they refuse to disappear. This incident soon leads to a meeting with a millionaire's wife (Shirley MacLaine) who takes him to meet her husband (Melvyn Douglas). The millionaire becomes mesmerized by Chance's honesty and straightforwardness and soon Chance is moving in powerful circles, rubbing shoulders with the most powerful people in the world. The catch throughout the entire film is that all of the people who come into contact with Chance (except for a doctor who ultimately figures things out) misinterpret his simple remarks as profound words of wisdom. This running joke might seem outrageous and broad but when you consider the volume of "talking heads" and "sound bites" that have permeated the public consciousness in the current day, then this film comes across more as prophetic than satiric. Sellers' single note performance is a wonder to behold. He manages to create genuine affection for his character without resorting to making viewers feel sorry for him. Chance always maintains an air of dignity that prevents him from turning into a sympathetic figure. Watching this master actor apply himself would have been reason enough to see this film, but the added "questions" evoked by its closing image makes watching the film an even more worthwhile endeavor. You'll be thinking about for a few days after seeing it.
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