YMMV / Salesman

• Once Original, Now Common: Since "following a group of colorful characters involved in an unusual profession" is one of the staples of Reality TV today, it can be hard to grasp how novel and revolutionary (and controversial) Salesman was in 1969. The fact that it still holds up now is a testament to the Maysles' skills as filmmakers.
• Unintentional Period Piece: One consequence of the Maysles' cinema verite style is that this film is a fascinating time capsule of suburban American life in The '60s. Also, since the Traveling Salesman and the type of religious merchandising depicted in the film have largely disappeared (the Bible company itself went out of business not long after the film), it serves as an actual historical document about certain pockets of American culture.
• The Woobie: Paul Brennan. Throughout the film, he tries and fails to make sales and has very little success overall. Made worse by the fact that Brennan stayed a hard-luck figure for the rest of his life, drifting from job to job and dealing with divorce and alcoholism, before his death at age 77 in 1990.