Death of Salesman Hoffman

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is considered one of the greatest examples of 20th century American dramas. See why in this gripping father and son scene brilliantly played by Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich

Willy: --if you leave this house.

Biff: Exactly what is it
that you want from me?

Willy: I want you to know on
the train, in the mountains,

in the valleys, wherever
you go, that you'll cut

down your life for spite!

Biff: No. No!

Willy: Spite! Spite is the word of
your undoing

and when you die
with that you remember what dead

and when you are rotting
somewhere

beside a railroad track, remember.

And don't you dare
blame it on me.

Biff:
Dad, I'm not blaming you.

Willy: I'm not taking the
rap for this, you hear?

Biff: Dad, that is just
what I'm telling you.

Willy: You're trying to put a knife in me.

Don't think I don't know
what you're doing.

Biff: All right, phony.
Linda: Biff!

Biff: Just leave it there. Don't move it.
Willy: What is that?

Biff: You know damn well what that is.
Willy: I never saw that.

Biff: Yeah, you saw it all right.
The mice didn't bring it into the cellar.

What is that supposed to do?
Is that supposed to make you a hero?

Is that supposed to make me feel
sorry for you?

Because there will be no pity for you.

You hear that? No pity.
Willy: Hear the spite, huh?

Biff: No you're gonna hear the truth,

what you are, and what I am.
Biff: Spite!

Biff: You cut it out now!
You don't know who we are!

The man is gonna know.

We never told the truth
for ten minutes in this house.

Happy:
Well, we always told truth.

Biff: Are you the assistant buyer?
You're one of the two assistants

-o the assistant I had.
Happy: Well, I'm practically--

Biff: No, you are practically full of it.
We all are, and I'm through with it.

Now, hear this, Willy.
This is me.

Willy: Oh, I know you.

Biff: Do you know I had no
address for three months?

I stole a suit in Kansas
City and I was in jail.

Willy: I suppose that's my fault?

Biff: Stop crying, I'm
through with it!

I stole myself out of every
good job since high school.

Willy: And whose fault is that?

Biff: And I could never get
anywhere because you blew me

so full of hot air that I
could never stand taking orders

from anybody, that's
whose fault it is.

Willy: I hear that.

Biff: It's about time you heard it.
Linda: Stop it!

Biff: I had to be boss big shot in two weeks
and I'm through with it.

Willy: Then hang yourself for spite!

Biff: No! No!

No, nobody is hanging
himself, Willy.

I ran down 11 flights with
a pen in my hand today

and suddenly I stopped.

Do you hear me?

And in the middle of that office
building, do you hear this?

I stopped in the middle of the
building and I saw the sky!

And I saw the things that
I love in this world.

The work and the food and

the time to sit and smoke

and I looked at the pen
in my hand and I said,

"What the hell am I
grabbing this for?

Why am I trying to become
what I don't want to be?

What am I doing in an office
making a contemptuous, begging

fool of myself when
all that I want is

out there waiting for me?"

The minute I say
it, I know who I am.

Now, why can't I
say that, Willy?

Willy: The door to your
life is wide open!

Biff: But Pop, I am a dime
a dozen and so are you.

Willy: I am not a dime a dozen!

I am Willy Loman and
you are Biff Loman!

Biff: I am not a leader
of men, Willy!

And neither are you!

You were never anything but a
hard-working drummer who landed

in the ashcan like
all the rest of them.

I am one dollar an hour, Willy!

I am not bringing home any
prizes anymore

and you're going
to stop waiting for me!

Willy: You vengeful, spiteful mutt!

Biff: Yeah, Pop!

Pop, I'm nothing.

I'm nothing, Pop.

Can't you understand that?

There's no spite in it anymore.

I'm just what I am, that's all.

Willy: What are you doing?

Aw, what are you doing?

Why is he crying?

Biff: Dad, will you let
me go, for God's sake?

Will you take that phony dream

and burn it before
something happens?

(heavy breathing)

I'll go in the morning.

Put him to bed.

Willy: Isn't that,
isn't that remarkable?

Biff, he--

he likes me.

Linda: He loves you, Willy.

Happy: Always did, Pop.

Willy: Aw, Biff--