Often when a movie is adapted from a play, there are several aspects, which are adjusted or completely lost. This often depends on the director's point of view as well as the casting director. In Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman", only a small number of aspects were lost from the movement of the play to the movie. The movie was basically "word for word" of the play, with the exception of a few minor details. Therefore, the plot and order did not change.
Although, the sequence of events was followed accurately through the script and the movie, the emotional impact of each is quite different. In the script, they portrayed Willy as an unbalanced individual, with his constant rambling and daydreaming experiences. However, it is difficult to realize the extent of his lunacy without seeing his physical movements and expressions. For example, when Willy is in Howard's office asking for a new position, they describe him as "staring off into space" (1390), while he has the vision of his brother Ben. When I was reading that portion of the script, I imagined Willy's reflections, as a relaxing or soothing experience that calmed him down. On the contrary, when I viewed this act in the movie, it appeared to me as utter madness. He didn't simply "stare off into space", he was literally pacing around the room ranting and raving. This is just one example, but instances like this reoccur throughout the script and movie. In my opinion, the script made it clear that Willy was mentally unstable, but in the movie they depicted him as a mad man. .
It is not uncommon, for a movie to display a more emotional viewpoint than a script. Through reading we depend on our imaginations, but in the movie it is all laid out in front of us. This is why our view of the characters can be distorted. When someone reads a script or book, they visualize the characters based on societies stereotypes. An example would be Biff, from "Death of a Salesman".
