Sightlines · reception
How Being There was received
1979 · Hal Ashby · Being There on Sightlines
The arc
Acclaimed on release (an Oscar for Melvyn Douglas, a nomination for Peter Sellers), it has only grown — every election cycle someone declares it the most prophetic American film ever made about politics, media, and the power of an empty vessel.
What’s debated
The enigmatic final shot is one of cinema's great unresolved arguments — fans still fight over what it means and whether the film earns it.
Its footprint
'I like to watch' and 'life is a state of mind' entered the lexicon, and Chance the gardener is permanent shorthand in political commentary for the blank slate everyone projects their hopes onto.
Where it stands
The crown jewel of Hal Ashby's legendary 1970s run and Peter Sellers' definitive dramatic performance — a fixture of the New Hollywood canon.
Did you know? The end credits play over outtakes of Sellers cracking up mid-scene — Sellers was furious, believing the gag reel broke the character's spell and cost him the Best Actor Oscar (he lost to Dustin Hoffman).