In one of his most finely tuned performances, Peter Sellers (The Pink Panther) plays the pure-hearted Chance, a gardener forced out of moneyed seclusion and into the urban wilds of Washington, D.C., after the death of his employer. Shocked to discover that the real world doesn't respond to the click of a remote, Chance stumbles haplessly into celebrity after being taken under the wing of a tycoon (Oscar winner Melvyn Douglas), who mistakes his new protege's mumbling about horticulture for sagacious pronouncements on life and politics, and whose wife (The Apartment's Shirley MacLaine) targets Chance as the object of her desire. Adapted from a novel by Jerzy Kosinski, this hilarious, deeply melancholy satire marks the culmination a remarkable string of films by Hal Ashby (Harold and Maude) in the 1970s, and serves as a carefully modulated examination of the ideals, anxieties, and media-fueled delusions that shaped American culture during that decade.

after 'being there' was published, author jerzy kosinski got a telegram from its lead character chance the gardener: "available in my garden or outside of it." kosinski dialed the accompanying telephone number and peter sellers answered. sellers indeed got the part and gave an indelible performance (winning national board of review and golden globe best actor awards and an academy award nomination) in this modern comedy classic.
isolated all his life in a washington, dc townhouse, chance knows only what he's seen on tv. cast into the world, he stumbles into the inner circle of governmental power brokers (including melvyn douglas in his second oscar-winning role) eager for "sage wisdom" as chance might say, you'll like to watch.

Product details

Actor	Peter Sellers, Melvyn Douglas, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Warden
Director	Hal Ashby
Label	Warner Home Video

Languages	English
Content	DVD
FSK / age rating	from age 0
Publication date	03.04.2001
Genre	Comedy

Length	130 minutes
Audio	English (Mono), French (Mono)
Subtitles	English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras	Additional information, Theatrical trailer
Screen	16/9
Year of production	1979
Region code	1
Version	US Version

Customer reviews

..and I like to watch Sellers

Written on 18. March 2006 by Stomack & Womack.

Quotes:
Ron Steigler: Mr. Gardner, uh, my editors and I have been wondering if you would consider writing a book for us, something about your um, political philosophy, what do you say?
Chance the Gardener: I can't write.
Ron Steigler: Heh, heh, of course not, who can nowadays? Listen, I have trouble writing a postcard to my children. Look uhh, we can give you a six figure advance, I've provide you with the very best ghost-writer, proof-readers...
Chance the Gardener: I can't read.
Ron Steigler: Of course you can't! No one has the time! We, we glance at things, we watch television...
Chance the Gardener: I like to watch TV.
[...]
Vorletzter Film

Written on 05. October 2010 by jerry.

This customer review refers to a alternative version.

Danach kam noch Fu Manchu. Peter, wir vermissen Dich.
Sehr empfehlenswert

Written on 26. July 2008 by his.

This customer review refers to a alternative version.

Tiefsinniger und sehr satirischer Film, vor allem in Bezug auf die US-Politik. Auch heutzutage noch aktuell. Wer macht die Politik, die sog. Graue Eminenz. Grandiose Besetzung. Tragisch ist nur, dass es der letzte Film mit Peter Sellers war.
poetisch

Written on 28. July 2006 by andif.

This customer review refers to a alternative version.

toller unspektakulärer film - sehr tiefsinnig und poetisch
meisterwerk

Written on 07. September 2005 by mike.

This customer review refers to a alternative version.

sehr genialer film !
super

Written on 08. July 2003 by vortex.

This customer review refers to a alternative version.

exzellent, bitterböse satire. wie sich eigentlich intelligente leute vom einfachsten und selbstverständlichsten blenden lassen können, wird hier herrlich umgesetzt. peter sellers wie immer top.

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Being there (1979)

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