Salesman (1968) review

Desperate men look desperate in this documentary by the Maysles Brothers and editor Zwerin, and you know the irony of it isn't lost on them (like with Grey Gardens): men sell Bibles for the intended 'salvation' of others, and yet are unable to save themselves. The picture's effectiveness is based on how much you are willing to read into the men's downtrodden looks, aimless wandering (they prowl the streets for a long time trying to find the right addresses) or the strained conversations they have with each other - if you see the silence and downbeat nature to represent the 'truth' of their predicament, this film may work for you. It has its strong points - the lost art of Bible sales, curiously enough, is shown to be as competitive as any other business - but I wasn't totally convinced by the directors' approach; the one scene where a potential buyer puts on an instrumental version of the Beatles' Yesterday must have made them ecstatic in the editing room (it's so perfect it feels forced). Non-religious types will relish the hypocrisy.