In 1979, director Hal Ashby presented to the public a magnificent black comedy about an ordinary gardener who, by coincidence, becomes an “oracle” in American high society, since there is no one able to distinguish a sage from a simpleton. The film "The Effect of Presence" (in other translations of "Being There", "Gardener") takes 26th place in the top 100 of the best US comedies according to AFI, its IMDb rating: 8.00.
Briefly about the plot
The plot of the film “The Effect of Presence” encourages everyone to recall the well-known trends in European satirical literature, initiated by Swift in Gulliver's Travels and Voltaire in Candide.
The main character is the gardener Chance Gardner, all his life he lived in the owner's Washington mansion. He faithfully fulfilled his professional duties and only through television broadcasts did he get an idea of modern society, its political and economic trends. After the death of his elderly master, he was literally thrown out into the street. And immediately fell under the wheels of an influential person who brought the unfortunate to his home to show the doctor. So, Chance got a chance to get into the "high society". At social events, he began to share his thoughts and advice with politicians, oligarchs, and even the US president with characteristic directness. Everyone around us perceived the reasoning of the gardener as revelations about the true essence of being.
Satirical tragicomedy
Such a movie as “The Effect of Presence” should be noted first of all for the script; film critics hit the mark by honoring the BAFTA Screenplay Award. Hollywood movie experts have chosen to nominate two main actors and award an Oscar for the role of elderly tycoon Benjamin Rand to actor Melvin Douglas in the nomination for Best Supporting Role. Indeed, the image of the protector of the protagonist was a brilliant success for the performer. Maximum drama and pressure with limited screen time.
Admirable Shirley MacLane participated in the creation of the effect of presence . The American actress perfectly revealed the image of her heroine Yves Rand. The performer began her career as a Broadway dancer. Her film debut is the film A. Hitchcock's "Troubles with Harry." Talent McLane was immediately awarded the Golden Globe Award.
Dedication to talent
Unfortunately, the remarkable satire Hal Ashby, based on the novel by Jerzy Kosinski, was the last creative success of the director and the final demonstration of the triumph of the talent of the British actor Peter Sellers, who masterfully embodied the image of a gardener on the screen. The world-wide fame performer brought the role of an eccentric inspector Clouseau in the project of B. Edwards "Pink Panther". The film was released in 1963, when there was no mention of cinemas with the effect of presence. The artist’s creative career developed rapidly until the end of the 60s. After that, he preferred to play not characteristic and comic, but exclusively heroic-romantic roles. Because of this, a series of failed pictures appeared on the screen, the Royale Casino being considered the most notorious failure.
Peter Sellers for participating in the tape "Effect of presence" was not marked. He blamed the producers on everything, which included comic episodes of various scenes in the final of the film, contrary to his objections. A year after the premiere of "Effect of Presence", the actors involved in the project learned about the untimely death of the leading actor. Currently, it is perceived as a dedication to the unique talent of Peter Sellers, who was unparalleled in various comedy subgenres: from political farce to eccentricity.