Being There

Chance tends the garden and spends his days watching television in the wealthy townhouse. He has never left the property, and his knowledge comes almost entirely from what he sees on screen. Louise, the kind African-American maid, cares for him as he moves through a rigid, old-fashioned routine.

When the old man dies, his estate lawyers order Chance to leave the townhouse. He is abruptly cut off from the only life he has known. The loss forces him to face the outside world for the first time.

Chance wanders onto the streets, bewildered by new surroundings. A youth threatens him with a knife, and Chance ineptly tries to fend the threat off with a TV remote. He then notices himself reflected in a shop window, steps backward into traffic, and is struck by a limousine carrying Eve Rand.

Eve Rand asks for his name and mishears 'Chance, the gardener' as 'Chauncey Gardiner'. The moment marks the start of Chauncey's new identity. Eve's interest quickly pulls him toward the Rand estate.

Eve brings Chauncey to the Rand estate, where Dr. Allenby examines him and sees nothing dangerous or suspicious. He invites Chauncey to stay on to keep an eye on Ben Rand, who is dying. Chauncey adapts to the environment with his old-fashioned manners.

Ben Rand is charmed by Chauncey's direct, simple nature, mistaking him for an educated man who has fallen on hard times. He admires Chauncey as a source of straightforward wisdom. Chauncey's presence also connects Ben with the President.

Ben introduces Chauncey to the President of the United States. In a discussion about the economy, Chauncey mirrors the garden's seasons, which the President misconstrues as insightful political advice and quotes him in a speech. The moment elevates Chauncey to national attention.

Chauncey attends important events and forms a close rapport with the Soviet ambassador, all while his televised remarks are taken as policy. He appears on a talk show where his supposed expertise on gardening is misread as expertise on governance. The unexpected attention lifts him to the pinnacle of Washington society.

Louise addresses the Black community, noting that Chance has 'rice pudding between the ears' and that whiteness seems to be the determining factor for success. The line underscores the show's satirical critique of political image. The public watches with growing curiosity and skepticism.

The Secret Service and sixteen foreign agencies fail to find any trace of Chauncey Gardiner. Allenby grows increasingly suspicious that Chance's identity hides a mundane reality. He debates whether to tell Ben, but remains quiet as Chauncey's presence seems to comfort him in his final days.

Eve makes a sexual advance toward Chauncey, drawn by his odd charm. Chauncey, who has little knowledge of sex, mimics a kissing scene from a film and responds with a blunt line about liking to watch. Eve's masturbation occurs in a confused, voyeuristic moment.

Chauncey is present at Ben's death and shows genuine sadness. He confesses to Dr. Allenby that he loves Eve and that he is only a gardener. Allenby privately concedes a kind of understanding about Chauncey's true nature.

As the President delivers a speech at Ben's funeral, pallbearers whisper about potential replacements for the presidency. Their unanimous choice is Chauncey Gardiner, a reality that Chauncey himself seems oblivious to. The scene sets up a satirical ending about political power.

Chauncey wanders away across Ben's wintry estate, straightening a bent pine sapling and walking over a frozen lake without sinking. He dips his umbrella into the water, then continues, while the President quotes life as a state of mind. The final image emphasizes Chauncey's inscrutable calm and mysterious influence.