THE SALESMAN (LE VENDEUR)
Starring Gilbert Sicotte
Directed by S茅bastien Pilote
S茅bastien Pilotes debut feature commences with two striking visions of death. In the first, a moose has become grisly roadkill. As its cleared from a frozen highway, we can almost convince ourselves that the creature didnt suffer. There are no such assurances with the second death scene, which transports us to an isolated Quebec town. The local pulp and paper plant has been closed for months and the community is enduring a torturously slow demise.
Enter Marcel (Gilbert Sicotte), a 67-year-old car salesman whos been his dealerships reigning employee of the month since the Mulroney era. Even so, he still endeavours to perfect his craft, surreptitiously recording every transaction so that he might review it for mistakes.
With sales his sole purpose in life (and the soft-sell his primary weapon), hes fixated on presentation and, perhaps more importantly, keeping up appearances. Its this latter concern that allows him to convince a laid-off factory worker that an expensive new truck is a perfectly feasible purchase.
Thanks to Sicottes eloquent performance, were keenly aware that Marcel is more misguided than manipulative. Pilotes unhurried approach to storytelling also serves this character study well, allowing every minor detail to fully resonate. Many of these then return to the fore (and often with a vengeance) once a cruel twist of fate confirms just how treacherous the Canadian winter can be.
The films incisive final passages boldly assert that there are fates worse than death. For instance: outliving your own self-delusion. In this snow-swept tale, nothing is more chilling than when Marcel finally accepts the truth about himself.
