Play Review

An Invocation of Reality

The 1996 Capitol Films production of David Mamet’s drama American Buffalo, directed by Michael Corrente, brings Mamet’s play to life in a way that reading the script never could.  Dustin Hoffman (as Teach) and Dennis Franz (Don) act and react to each other quite well, and Franz’s almost fatherly interaction with Sean Nelson’s Bob, as well as Hoffman’s standoffish portrayal of Teach’s attitude toward the youngest member of the trio brings Mamet’s work to life in a way that simply reading the play could not.  The musical selection and set design pull the viewer into the plot and the roaming conversations help bring a sense of reality to the setting.

Both Hoffman (Hook) and Franz (Hill Street Blues) were well-known actors before American Buffalo was filmed, but the fact that they had never before worked together does not show.  Watching Hoffman and Franz act out an argument about stealing a buffalo nickel and whether or not Bob or Fletch should be included is like actually watching two people arguing.  Their facial expressions, their tone of voice, even their body language is completely in character.

Another example of perfect interaction between Hoffman and Franz is in the cyclical, repetitive arguments between Teach and Don.  As I read the play, I found those repetitions confusing and annoying, but Hoffman’s and Franz’s tone of voice and gestures combined with Mamet’s words—especially in the argument inside the car—leached the confusion out of the argument, and even made the whole argument seem a bit humorous.

Hoffman’s and Franz’s individual interactions with Sean Nelson (Sisters), however, are quite different.  Bob’s relationship with Don is sort of a pseudo-father-son relationship, while Teach does not really like Bob, and tries to cut Bob off from Don’s friendship and support.  This dichotomy of perception for Bob is illustrated in Nelson’s easy interaction with Franz, and halting, stilted interactions with Hoffman throughout the film.

For instance, after Bob brings breakfast to the shop for the first time—before he is sent back for the coffee he had forgotten—Nelson completely bypasses Hoffman, sits on the desk beside Franz, and, hunched back to Hoffman, asks as Bob to Don, “Can I talk to you?”  The fact that Nelson sits on the desk shows that Bob is comfortable enough with Don to be that casual, but his hunched shoulders show that Bob still feels there’s a threat in the room behind him—Teach.

The set design also helps to create a believable world.  Instead of staying within the shop, as in the original play, the film has a few scenes, such as the very first one with dialogue, in which the characters converse while walking through town, which helps the viewer to see that the shop is not in a void, with a diner over in some other void somewhere else with a hotel nearby and a hospital called Masonic in yet another void.  The viewer can actually see where this shop is, in relation to at least the diner.

The interior set of the shop is well done too.  I had not imagined more than one story, perhaps with a counter just in front of a back wall that was within ten feet of the front door.  However, the set in the film includes a loft, as well as a somewhat open “back room” area where the poker game took place during the opening sequence of the film.  Corrente’s blocking within that space also contributed to the reality of the film by using all of the space available.  Instead of standing at or leaning on the counter as they (as their characters) argued, Hoffman and Franz move around the store, go up to the loft, into the back room, and it is all very much like two friends talking and arguing while trying to keep their hands or feet busy so one of them does not punch the other.

The final element that brings American Buffalo to life is the music.  During the poker game in the title sequence, Newman’s music evokes a sense of a microcosmic casino.  The harmonica especially, combined with the images of cards being fanned and chips tossed to the center of the table, lends a sort of raunchiness to that scene.  Another excellent musical enhancement to the play occurs when tension begins to build in act three between Teach and Don regarding Bob’s presence.  The music turns sinister, and seems to foreshadow Teach’s use of a telephone to hit Bob over the head.

Overall, the acting, set design, blocking, and music made Michael Corrente’s interpretation of Mamet’s American Buffalo a lot more enjoyable than reading the play, because of the sense of reality that those elements contributed to the film.

Teacher Comments and Grade: I've lost these, but I'm pretty sure I got full marks for the assignment.