Hoffman

Hoffmann or Hofmann is a surname of German origin. The original meaning in medieval times was "steward, i.e. one who manages the property of another". The name was later adopted by many Jewish families. In English and other European languages, including Yiddish and Dutch, the name is also spelt Hoffman, Hofman, Huffman, Gofman or Hofmans.

Hoffman

Hoffman (film)

Hoffman is a 1970 British film directed by Alvin Rakoff and starring Peter Sellers, Sinéad Cusack, Ruth Dunning and Jeremy Bulloch.

It is notable for the haunting music by Ron Grainer, the theatrical art of scene setting, fine color cinematography, and as one of Sellers' few 'straight' performances.

Plot

Hoffman is the satirical tale of an older man, played by Peter Sellers, who pressures a young woman to come to his flat in London. As the film progresses, it is revealed that Sellers' character has caught one of his workers dealing in a scam against his company, and has decided to blackmail the man's lovely fiancée away for a full week to convince her to fall in love with him instead. A witty drama rather than a comedy, the film has an almost terrifying performance by Sellers, involved in intricate mind games with the other protagonists.

Production

The movie was one of the first greenlit by Bryan Forbes while he was head of EMI Films.

Reportedly, Sellers despised Hoffman because the lead character too closely reflected his own personality. According to Bryan Forbes, who was head of the studio that financed the film, Sellers went through a depressive phase after filming was completed and he asked to buy back the negative and remake the movie. He also gave an interview where he said the film was a disaster.

Hoffman (Detroit automobile)

The Hoffman had two prototype vehicles built by the R.C. Hoffman company of Detroit, Michigan in 1931. They were front-drive vehicles, powered by Lycoming straight-8 engines. The wheels were carried on solid load-bearing axles. Semi-elliptical springs were equipped on the front end, along with torque arms.

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