Being There
Chance (Peter Sellers) is an uneducated and, what we might call, a simple man. As a young child he was taken in by a well-to-do gentleman and cared for by the maid.
Chance spends all his time tending the small, walled-in garden beside the house and watching television. He dresses in the gentleman’s hand-me-downs that were “hand made by a tailor in New York.” Chance has never ridden in a car.
The gentleman grew old and has now died, having neglected to make provisions for Chance‘s future. Failing to produce identification or a claim against the estate, the lawyers inform Chance that he must vacate the house. With only one suitcase, Chance walks out the door and into another world.
In order to survive, humankind has developed the ability to judge a situation based on previous knowledge. We’ve learned to pick the tastiest fruit and avoid the thorns when smelling the roses. Few of us possess the scientific mind that enables one to suspend all judgment and accept the situation solely on its own merits.
More likely, we err in the other direction. Sometimes we go too far and stereotype another person based on minimal information. Such is the exaggerated case of those who meet Chance in the bewitching tale of Being There.
When Chance, the gardener, steps back into the path of a car driven by the chauffeur of pretty, rich Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine), he is invited to the large mansion of a very powerful man. Eve offers Chance a drink, an unfamiliar hard beverage. Through the ensuing coughing fit, Eve interprets Chance’s name as Chauncey Gardiner.
Chance is a man of few words. He possesses the qualities of genuine kindness, good manners, and the ability to mimic with uncanny accuracy. This causes others to mistake him for one with deep thoughts, great intellect, and extreme humbleness.
Eve’s husband, Benjamin Rand (Melvyn Douglas) takes an immediate liking to Chauncey. Ben, an elderly man with a terminal illness, finds peace in Chauncey’s consoling remarks and, what he perceives to be, profound wisdom.
When Bobby (Jack Warden), the President of the United States, visits this king maker seeking advise, Ben invites Chauncey to the meeting. Later, when Bobby paraphrases the words of Ben’s “close friend and personal adviser,” Chauncey’s popularity soars.
The press calls. Chauncey is invited to a late-night TV show. While accompanying Eve at a reception for the Russian Ambassador, the rumors grow. He is said to speak eight languages and hold degrees in medicine and law. Washington politics take a turn.
Being There reminds us not to exaggerate our fears, to give ourselves the encouragement we need to relax and enjoy life, and to peacefully let go when our time is up. Let’s not forget to add that people from the humblest beginnings have something to offer us, even if it’s only a few gardening tips and a comforting disposition.
The surprising last scene asks an important question. Can an attitude of assured confidence extend our sphere of influence so that we can overcome the impossible or will our failing to accurately assess our place in reality, the here and now, lead us into deep water?
Being There takes place in the wintertime with its barren branches, gray skies and necessity for upturned collars. The story plays out against the shadow of accident, illness, and death. And yet, the rich essence of life shines through. Life’s reassuring companions of empathy, compassion, and tenderheartedness make this satirical comedy a classic not to be missed.
Tagged in Peter Sellers