Adrian
10th January 2008, 06:22 AM
One notable person I missed whilst reading the play was Blake, played in the film by Alec Baldwin in his best performance yet (and I don't think he's going to beat it now.)
I'm thinking the BGO asterisk filter is going to be working overtime here:
<blockquote>WILLIAMSON
It is 7:30--
AARONOW
(Nodding at BLAKE.) So who is that?
WILLIAMSON
--and where's Mr. Roma.
MOSS
Well I'm not a leash, so I don't know, do I?
BLAKE
Lemme have your attention for a moment. Cause you're talking about what, you're talking about, bitching about that sale you shot, some son-of-a-bitch don't want to buy land, somebody don't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw, so forth. Let's talk about something important. (To WILLIAMSON) Are they all here?
WILLIAMSON
All but one.
BLAKE
Well I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important. (To LEVENE.) Put that coffee down. Coffee's for closers only.
LEVENE
(Laughs.)
BLAKE
You think I'm ****ing with you? I am not ****ing with you. I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levene?
LEVENE
Yeah.
BLAKE
You call yourself a salesman, you son-of-a-bitch?
MOSS
I don't gotta listen to this shit.
BLAKE
You certainly don't, pal. Cause the good news is, you're fired. The bad news is you've got, all you've got, just one week to regain your job starting with tonight, starting with tonight's sit. (Pause.) Oh, have I got your attention now? Good.
Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.
You get the picture? You laughing now? You've got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money, get their names to sell them. You can't close the leads you're given, you can't close shit, you are shit, hit the bricks pal and beat it cause you are going out.
LEVENE
The leads are weak.
BLAKE
The leads are weak? The ****in leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years--
MOSS
What's your name?
BLAKE
**** you, that's my name.
MOSS
(Laughs.)
BLAKE
You know why, Mister? Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight. I drove an $80,000 BMW. That's my name. (Pause. Pointing at LEVENE.) And your name is you're wanting, and you can't play in the man's game, you can't close them? Then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life: Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. You hear me you ****ing faggots?
. . .
You see this watch? You see this watch?
MOSS
Yeah.
BLAKE
That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year, how much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? **** you, go home and play with your kids. You want to work here, close.</blockquote>
Of course the whole film is of world-class actors every one of them on top of their game. From everything2 (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Glengarry%20Glen%20Ross) (where the above script quote comes from too):
<blockquote>This is the film where Lemmon shows his will snap like a matchstick, where Ed Harris plays the badgering asshole that's just under the skin of nearly every character he's ever played, where Alan Arkin is a peon who's been henpecked by his friends, where Pacino's a powerful, hypnotic salesman, the over-the-top ego he always seems to play (though this time it rings true), and Kevin Spacey is the sniveling, smart, hated little man that has become his trademark. This is casting that nobody gets, except maybe Francis Ford Coppola. That's the kind of respect this project, this screenplay, had amongst actors. And that's the kind of respect this film deserves.</blockquote>
For me, Jack Lemmon manages to rise above a very distinguished crowd. The film was one of the first few I bought on DVD, and watching the film is more fun that reading the play.
I'm thinking the BGO asterisk filter is going to be working overtime here:
<blockquote>WILLIAMSON
It is 7:30--
AARONOW
(Nodding at BLAKE.) So who is that?
WILLIAMSON
--and where's Mr. Roma.
MOSS
Well I'm not a leash, so I don't know, do I?
BLAKE
Lemme have your attention for a moment. Cause you're talking about what, you're talking about, bitching about that sale you shot, some son-of-a-bitch don't want to buy land, somebody don't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw, so forth. Let's talk about something important. (To WILLIAMSON) Are they all here?
WILLIAMSON
All but one.
BLAKE
Well I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important. (To LEVENE.) Put that coffee down. Coffee's for closers only.
LEVENE
(Laughs.)
BLAKE
You think I'm ****ing with you? I am not ****ing with you. I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levene?
LEVENE
Yeah.
BLAKE
You call yourself a salesman, you son-of-a-bitch?
MOSS
I don't gotta listen to this shit.
BLAKE
You certainly don't, pal. Cause the good news is, you're fired. The bad news is you've got, all you've got, just one week to regain your job starting with tonight, starting with tonight's sit. (Pause.) Oh, have I got your attention now? Good.
Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.
You get the picture? You laughing now? You've got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money, get their names to sell them. You can't close the leads you're given, you can't close shit, you are shit, hit the bricks pal and beat it cause you are going out.
LEVENE
The leads are weak.
BLAKE
The leads are weak? The ****in leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years--
MOSS
What's your name?
BLAKE
**** you, that's my name.
MOSS
(Laughs.)
BLAKE
You know why, Mister? Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight. I drove an $80,000 BMW. That's my name. (Pause. Pointing at LEVENE.) And your name is you're wanting, and you can't play in the man's game, you can't close them? Then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life: Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. You hear me you ****ing faggots?
. . .
You see this watch? You see this watch?
MOSS
Yeah.
BLAKE
That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year, how much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? **** you, go home and play with your kids. You want to work here, close.</blockquote>
Of course the whole film is of world-class actors every one of them on top of their game. From everything2 (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Glengarry%20Glen%20Ross) (where the above script quote comes from too):
<blockquote>This is the film where Lemmon shows his will snap like a matchstick, where Ed Harris plays the badgering asshole that's just under the skin of nearly every character he's ever played, where Alan Arkin is a peon who's been henpecked by his friends, where Pacino's a powerful, hypnotic salesman, the over-the-top ego he always seems to play (though this time it rings true), and Kevin Spacey is the sniveling, smart, hated little man that has become his trademark. This is casting that nobody gets, except maybe Francis Ford Coppola. That's the kind of respect this project, this screenplay, had amongst actors. And that's the kind of respect this film deserves.</blockquote>
For me, Jack Lemmon manages to rise above a very distinguished crowd. The film was one of the first few I bought on DVD, and watching the film is more fun that reading the play.