ABC. A = Always. B = Be. C = Closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING!

[Subby]

Glengarry Glen Ross
written by David Mamet

Blake: Let me have your attention for a moment! So you're talking about what? You're talking about...(puts out his cigarette)...bitching about that sale you shot, some son of a bitch that doesn't want to buy, somebody that doesn't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw and so forth. Let's talk about something important. 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 scoffs) Do you think I'm fucking with you? I am not fucking 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 have to 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 got, just one week to regain your jobs, starting tonight. Starting with tonights sit. Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little something to this months sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize's a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. You get the picture? You're laughing now? You 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.' Fucking leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years.

Moss: What's your name?

Blake: FUCK YOU, that's my name!! You know why, Mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar BMW. That's my name!! (to Levene) And your name is "you're wanting." And you can't play in a man's game. You can't close them. (at a near whisper) And you go home and tell your wife your troubles. (to everyone again) Because only one thing counts in this life! Get them to sign on the line which is dotted! You hear me, you fucking faggots?

(Blake flips over a blackboard which has two sets of letters on it: ABC, and AIDA.)

Blake: A-B-C. A-always, B-be, C-closing. Always be closing! Always be closing!! A-I-D-A. Attention, interest, decision, action. Attention -- do I have your attention? Interest -- are you interested? I know you are because it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks! Decision -- have you made your decision for Christ?!! And action. A-I-D-A; get out there!! You got the prospects comin' in; you think they came in to get out of the rain? Guy doesn't walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. Sitting out there waiting to give you their money! Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it? (to Moss) What's the problem pal? You. Moss.

Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich. Why you coming down here and waste your time on a bunch of bums?

(Blake sits and takes off his gold watch)

Blake: 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? Fuck you -- go home and play with your kids!! (to everyone) You wanna work here? Close!! (to Aaronow) You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? You can't take this -- how can you take the abuse you get on a sit?! You don't like it -- leave. I can go out there tonight with the materials you got, make myself fifteen thousand dollars! Tonight! In two hours! Can you? Can you? Go and do likewise! A-I-D-A!! Get mad! You sons of bitches! Get mad!! You know what it takes to sell real estate?

(He pulls something out of his briefcase)

Blake: It takes brass balls to sell real estate.

(He's holding two brass balls on string, over the appropriate "area"--he puts them away after a pause)

Blake: Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there, you pick it up, it's yours. You don't--I have no sympathy for you. You wanna go out on those sits tonight and close, close, it's yours. If not you're going to be shining my shoes. Bunch of losers sitting around in a bar. (in a mocking weak voice) "Oh yeah, I used to be a salesman, it's a tough racket." (he takes out large stack of red index cards tied together with string from his briefcase) These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. And to you, they're gold. And you don't get them. Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. (he hands the stack to Williamson) They're for closers.
I'd wish you good luck but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it. (to Moss as he puts on his watch again) And to answer your question, pal: why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to, they asked me for a favor. I said, the real favor, follow my advice and fire your fucking ass because a loser is a loser.

(He stares at Moss for a sec, and then picking up his briefcase, goes into inner office with Williamson)

[cuervo72]

Might want to sticky this for easy reference.

[cartman]

One of the greatest scenes in acting history.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by cartman

One of the greatest scenes in acting history.

Definitely

[Logan]

Between this movie and his SNL appearances, Alec Baldwin is seriously underrated.

Plus he fuckin rocked in Along Came Polly. Good things.

[oliegirl]

That is an AMAZING movie, haven't seen it in years...just added it to my netflix queue though

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Logan

Between this movie and his SNL appearances, Alec Baldwin is seriously underrated.

Plus he fuckin rocked in Along Came Polly. Good things.

how can you not mention 30 Rock?

[Autumn]

I don't know, he still pretty much turns me off in most anything he does. I think he kind of just phones it in most of the time, and always has that smarmy look in his face these days. He wasn't bad back in the day though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cartman

One of the greatest scenes in acting history.

+1

[Subby]

Look people this isn't a referendum on fucking Alec Baldwin. Go start another thread for that. Or have a fucking Alec Baldwin draft.

This is a monument to kickassedness.

[Lorena]

Ummm... what movie is this?

[Lorena]

ehh... nvm, i got it

[Sgran]

But... Subby... what about my daughter?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

how can you not mention 30 Rock?

Outside of 24, I can't tell you the last network TV show I've seen.

[Zelig]

ABC!!

AlBumCover!

[Comey]

Originally Posted by Subby

Look people this isn't a referendum on fucking Alec Baldwin

Izlude was hoping it was. ; )

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Comey

Izlude was hoping it was. ; )

Very solid

[korme]

Fantastic

[thesloppy]

They say that it was so hot in downtown today, grown men were walking up to cops on street corners, begging them to shoot.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

I gotta think this would have been Flasch's dream role.

[JPhillips]

Anyone want to discuss why this monologue was added to the movie and what changes it has for the overall story? Anyone?

[KWhit]

Was this added just for the film?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Anyone want to discuss why this monologue was added to the movie and what changes it has for the overall story? Anyone?

From what I remember, it was added to give a sense of urgency to the situation. The play had the feel of desperation, but the inclusion of Alec Baldwin's monologue added doom to the desperation, and made it more clear as to why the leads were stolen.

[JPhillips]

KWhit: Yes. The play does not include the monologue.

Cartman: It also provides all the exposition that the play lacks, and I think that's the real reason it was added. Mamet is a good enough writer to make it more than exposition, but watching the play can be somewhat confusing if you haven't read it earlier. All the sales language and even the whole Cadillac contest is left mostly unexplained.

What's lost in the movie is the sense of mystery with the office. The whole first act is in the Chinese restaurant and really gives a much different vibe than having early scenes in the office. The audience only sees the office after the break-in, so the symbolism of the destroyed place of business is stronger.

I've never directed the play, but one of my colleagues did it last Spring and included the monologue. It's a very difficult addition if for no other reason than you need a very good actor to pull it off, but he'll be cooling his heels in the dressing room for 95% of the play.