Being There                                         Hal Ashby Director Jerzy Kosinsk Screenwriter                                                  Cast                                                  Peter Sellers Chance Shirley MacLaine Eve Rand Melvyn Douglas Benjamin Rand Jack Warden President Bobby                                     Other Information                                     1979 130 Minutes Rated PG In English

Being There is a subtle, clever satire that pokes fun at two of the most integral aspects of American society: television and politics. The late great Peter Sellers stars as Chance, an isolated, simple-minded man whose life consists solely of gardening and watching television. When he is eventually forced into the seamy reality of Washington D.C., Chance runs across an aging Capitol kingpin and his coquettish wife. Quickly befriending the couple, Chance is soon introduced into Washington's deepest political circles. As the political insiders become increasingly captivated and confused by his impossibly quaint naivete, Chance begins to get further involved in the dirty business of politics.

Brimming with rare humor, Being There provides numerous witty insights into American society as it exists in the television age. The film is imbued with steady direction, sharp screenwriting, and solid performances by the secondary cast. But Being There truly belongs to Peter Sellers. Sellers' careful, nuanced performance is the perfect capstone to his remarkably diverse acting career. Moreover, Sellers helps to make Being There more than just a great comedy; he transforms it into a poignant and memorable film.

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