While the novel of "Being There" was a quiet little gem, it's in its cinematic
form that the story truly blossoms. With the added dimensions of sight and sound,
novelist Jerzy Kosinski
is able to give further insight into the Chance character - and into Kosinski's social and political
commentaries. His zeal in delivering his fable is evident in all the tiny details he seeks
to incorporate. The flashes on TV, the details of the environment, Chance's encounters
with even the most minor of characters - none of this is happenstance, but a well
orchestrated symphony of events.
The structure of the script is the same as the movie. Director Ashby did
edit and tighten a few
things as he saw fit. There were times where Kosinski was overzealous in his details and tried
to explain things that were best left unexplained. They make for interesting reading here though. The
biggest change is the ending where Ashby remixed the words and added the scene of Chance walking
on water.
Kosinski had a vision to share with this film. In his personal life he had witnessed the folly and
self-absorbed nature of people who led insulated lives. His vision shines through in this script.
Click on Jerzy Konsinski
to view the script
Being There Script
