Glengarry Glen Ross Reflection-
I loved this film because its motivation and message appealed to me. I am planning to be a business major and I am corporate freak, and this play opened my eye to a very different life and struggle that men go through to earn a living. So this screenplay is set in a Chicago real estate office, where middle- aged men work.
This play perfectly demonstrated the dynamics of inequality. Workers, on the surface might pretend to be friendly, but its every man for himself. So, there is a sales contest going on, where winner gets a car and well, the losers get fired. The problem lies in the fact that most of they salesmen rely on their premium leads to find the best people to try to sell to, and the top guys on the boards get the best leads. This suggests, that if you’re low down, there if not a very good chance to move up because they cannot find the best leads.
There are many themes of the corporate world that are exposed throughout this movie: competition, manipulation, motivation, greed, masculinity, reputation, ambition, etc. I feel the most significant themes shown are competition and greed that the salesmen really have. In connection to the concept of competition and greed, the play spotlights a connection between the public self- the smooth- taking, pleasing their fellow salesmen- and the private self- the anxious characters’ inner reality. In the play’s presentation, all characters emerge as essentially tragic figures. In their confrontations, Mamet examines the tragedy of modern existence.
These men just want to provide for their family. Shelly Levene has a daughter, and John Williamson is shown to want to eagerly go home. This adds a personal aspect to the play that motivates the workers to be more competitive. As a large chunk of the film is set at night in the rain, it metaphorically adds to the pressure the workers are faced with. This play shows what people do when they are under pressure to earn money for the living of their families, and also how the companies push their workers beyond their limits.
I also found the fact that Roma refers to Hindu Gods- Shiva and Vishnu while making some racial slurs to the Indians. That says something about the character of Roma. Well, this play is filled with different and dynamic characters. There are a few historical and pop culture references, which make the play more prone to criticism. Overall, I really enjoyed the play, not only from what it offered in its storyline but also the fact that it kept me engrossed throughout. I just found myself really involved in the film.