Being There

1979
PG
2h 10m

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

79K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer2:46

After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in... Read allAfter the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

79K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

4,290

691

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 14 wins & 15 nominations total

Trivia
It took Peter Sellers nearly nine years to get this movie made by a studio, mainly because by the 1970s Sellers' career had hit rock bottom and no studio in Hollywood would work with him. After the revival (and success) of the Pink Panther movies, Lorimar Pictures finally greenlit the project.

Goofs
While at dinner for the first evening with Ben and Eve, Chauncey's wine glass fills and empties within seconds.

Quotes
[last lines]
President "Bobby": Life is a state of mind.

Crazy credits
Under the end titles of the theatrical release are outtakes of Peter Sellers as Chance recounting the encounter with Abbaz. Sellers breaks character and laughs during each attempt. The lines do not appear in the movie. Certain versions of the film have credits with white text on a black background without the outtakes.

Alternate versions
In different versions, the credits are either shown over retakes of Chance saying a line that was not in the movie, or (for TV and video) shown over TV white noise.

Connections
Featured in The 37th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1980)

Soundtracks
Basketball Jones Featuring Tyrone Shoelaces
Written and Performed by Cheech Marin (as Cheech) & Tommy Chong (as Chong)
Band: George Harrison (lead guitar), Carole King
(piano/background vocals), Billy Preston (keyboards) and Tom Scott (saxophone)
Background vocals (cheerleaders): Darlene Love and Michelle Phillips

User reviews379

Review

Featured review

8/10

Sellers a work of Art.

Being There is a film about a simple and mildly retarded gardener, played by Peter Sellers who's entire adult life was gardening for an elderly gentleman and watching television. When the old man dies, Chancey is left homeless and on his own. Due to his past recluse surroundings he is unaware of the every day technology, such as telephone, elevators etc., which leads to some comical situations. He is saved from the streets, by a wealthy woman, Eve Rand, played by Shirley MacLean. When her limo backs into him she takes him home to be treated by her dying husbands physician Dr Allenby played by Richard Dysort. Everyone mistakes Chancey's simple mutterings as profound insight and wisdom. Benjamin Rand played by Melvin Douglas is a wealthy influential business tycoon who is well connected in politics and a personal friend of the President, played by Jack Warden. They also mistake the simple utterance's as insightful.

Although the film is comical at times, it is also very sad, as Chancey lacks awareness of what's going on around him most of the time. He has no reaction, even when Eve Rand, tries to seduce him, which is one of the many humourous scenes.

The filming and directing is good and the film moves along with a good pace, and is very entertaining and a must see for all Peter Sellers fans. Once again Sellers shows the incredible talent, that he was so well known for.