Sunday, March 16, 2007
5:30 p.m in Room 202

Being There

Peter Sellers worked for years to turn Jerzy Kosinski's novel into a film. Being There is the story of a gardener named Chance (Sellers) who grows up in the home of a wealthy man in Washington, D. C. Discovered as a foundling on the man's doorstep, Chance has lived in the house his whole life with virtually no contact with the outside world. He derives his cultural and social education almost entirely from watching television.

When his benefactor dies, the middle-aged Chance is forced to leave his sheltered existence and discover the outside world. After wandering around Washington he is accidentally struck by a car owned by a wealthy businessman who is the confidant of the United States President. The businessman's wife, Eve (Shirley MacLaine), misunderstands "Chance the gardener" as "Chauncey Gardiner." Chance's simple stories about gardening are interpreted by his powerful new friends as parables. When he meets the president, suddenly Chauncey Gardiner becomes a prominent public persona.

This marvelous film is wonderfully entertaining and also functions at a deeper level as a comment on our society. You will want to view and discuss this film.