The film Glengarry Glen Ross
The film Glengarry Glen Ross directed by James Foley is a dramatic film based on the lives of four salesmen. The salesmen have not been successful in closing deals which leads to them being termed as the low-ranking salesmen thus being denied good leads. In a bid to change the structure of things in the office, the leaders Mitch and Murray send Blake to deliver the news of reward and loss of work for the salesmen who fail to close. The first and second winners of the context are promised presents as the rest will lose their jobs. Unfortunately, the office is broken into during the night hence causing tension and altercations. The narrative is intriguing as it offers different understandings of the character based on their acting and support elements on the screen. Different elements applied in the narrative allows the intended and implied messages to be passed to the viewers. The analytical successes and failures in the film as discussed by Goffman are illustrated in the film. the frontstage of acting and setting as well as the interactions of the backstage elements illustrate a working consensus.
The frontstage elements of sincere acting and setting offer a clear working census. Different elements expressed in the screen illustrate prowess in the characterization and understanding of the roles for the actors. As Goffman explains, “Front, then, is the expressive equipment of a standard kind intentionally or unwittingly employed by the individual during his performance. For preliminary purposes, it will be convenient to distinguish and label what seem to be the stand aril parts of the front” (13). In that, these are the elements that a viewer sees as a presentation of the final product. In the film by Foley, the characters are well executed as the salesmen take on the role of the distressed working class that hopes to make it in the industry. for instance, in the opening scene, Dave Moss talks to the boss and reprimands him for failure to offer them with the right leads to make closes. the different actors including Blake execute the roles interestingly thus drawing the attention of the viewer. Similarly, the use of setting allows the intended message of each scene to be understood by the viewers. The main setting is the office where the salesmen work and develop strategies. The office is set such that the viewers can understand the middle-class working culture. the office seems like a lonely and sad place thus illustrating the struggles of the characters. The different elements expressed by the writers and directors are brought to light by the use of characters and settings. the different elements used on the screen create a consensus where the intended message is passed with ease. apart from the frontstage, the backstage elements are also effective in telling the narrative.
The backstage elements such as plot and editing elements allow the entire narrative to be understood better by the viewers. The creators of the film by Foley make use of background elements to create a comprehensive and interesting narrative. According to Goffman, “somewhat different routines and so is likely not to fit completely any particular routine; sufficient self-control is exerted so as to maintain a working consensus; an idealized impression is offered by accentuating certain facts and concealing others” (43). The working consensus is achieved in the film through the idealized impression expressed in the backstage elements. The background expressed in the narrative style allows the viewers to have the beginning, climax, and closing elements thus easy to understand. Similarly, editing and the addition of sound elements allows the viewers to have a broader understanding of the main narrative. for instance, in the film, the background is characterized by rain and disruptions which illustrate the overall struggles of the salesmen (Foley 17:40). The additional elements such as lighting also work to offer an idea of struggling real estate salesmen. The elements applied in the background enhance the characterization illustrated in the front.
The movie is intriguing as it is in working consensus in the background and front interactions. The interaction is made possible in the combination of the foreground elements such as setting and actors which is supported by background elements. The director of the film makes use of the experience in production to develop a narrative that makes extensive use of both the front and back to tell the narrative. all the elements applied in the film are interesting as they allow the intended and implied messages to be visible to the viewers. Different elements are critical in creating a working consensus which as applied in the film. overall, the actors and director in the film have essential skills that show their ability to tell a story. The critically acclaimed movie capitalizes on different elements of the film to present one of the best dramatic films of the early 1990s. the quality of the film is also intriguing as it seems to be ahead of its time. despite several elements being in need of change, the general presentation of the film offers an interesting perspective of consensus as illustrated by Goffman.