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Meet Joe Black (1998) Our Score: 8/10
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Summary:
Death
and Taxes |
Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Claire Forlani, and Jake Weber star in this luscious story about love, death,
and the corporate world.
Anthony Hopkins plays William Parrish, a succesful CEO of Parrish communications,
who has just found out he is going to die. But he doesn't find out from a doctor,
but from a disembodied voice. Death, played by Brad Pitt, enters the picture,
and becomes interested in life on earth, decides to go on vacation for the first time, and amazing things happen.
He falls in love with Bill's daughter Susan.
Death makes a proposition with Bill, to postpone his death,
in return for a tour of life.
A very cute movie with rich scenes, beautifully witty dialog,
and a musical score and ambience that will uplift your spirit.
.:.
Meet Joe Black (1998)[2nd to last scene]
INT. PARRISH'S STUDY, COUNTRY ESTATE - NIGHT
Parrish is at his desk, Joe in a distant corner of the room.
SLOANE (O.S.)
(speakerphone)
We're all here, Bill --
PARRISH
I appreciate this, Eddie, members
of the Board, this will just take a
minute of your time. As the custo-
dians of the company, you may re-
ceive information from what follows
that will be valuable to you --
(a moment)
-- or not. Either way, thanks.
SLOANE (O.S.)
(speakerphone)
We're all ears.
Drew enters with Quince, Quince nods, excusing himself, and
closes the door behind him.
DREW
Hi, Bill, happy birthday --
A moment.
DREW (cont'd)
I just wanted to say how appre-
ciative I am of this - uh - grand
gesture
PARRISH
Shut up and sit down.
Drew takes a seat.
PARRISH (cont'd)
You're a useless sack of shit, you
fucked me over, played footsie with
John Bontecou, sold my company out
to line your own pockets.
DREW
I don't know where you get that idea
-- the Board agreed --
PARRISH
The Board didn't know you're a mole
who burrowed inside so you could bury
us all.
DREW
Is this Mr. Black's fantasy? Another
one of his whoppers? Aren't you
sick of this asshole lurking around?
No body knows who he is, but one
thing everyone does know, he somehow
got your ear and has been pouring
poison into it ever since.
Joe can no longer control himself.
JOE
You're the poison, Drew. You've
operated behind-the-scenes to suborn
the trust of a man who has stamped
you with his imprimatur of class
elegance and stature. I've had the
opportunity to be witness to every
kind and degree of deception, but
Bill Parrish has been on
the receiving end of machinations so
Machiavellian that it has rarely
been my experience to encounter. And
yet he has combatted them stoically,
and selflessly, without revealing my
identity. Had he violated the vow
of secrecy he took, his task would
have been far easier, he could have
turned defeat into victory, but he
is too honorable of a man to have done
that. Because of me, he
has lost his work, his company, his
reputation
So now, given these losses, I am compelled
to end the need for secrecy.
The time has come to tell you who I am.
Parrish is struck dumb. He looks at Joe pleadingly, shaking
his head imperceptibly, but Joe nods to him blithely -- and
then commandingly.
DREW
(to Parrish)
So tell me, tell me, I'm peeing in
my pants.
JOE
-- And you're going to pee some
more.
PARRISH
Joe, don't do this --
JOE
It's okay Bill, it's time to put
this person in his place.
PARRISH
It's not necessary, Joe. Drew's
going to step aside --
DREW
I'm not stepping anywhere --
JOE
I appreciate your gentlemanliness,
but what we need to do here is
drive the dagger home --
DREW
The dagger --?
PARRISH
I told you to shut up.
JOE
(to Drew)
Prepare yourself, Drew - I
PARRISH
Joe please
JOE
Bill, Kindly let me take it from here --
(to Drew)
I am --
PARRISH
Dont --
PARRISH
-- An agent for the Internal Revenue Service.
Drew is stunned, Joe glances at Parrish, hesitates.
JOE
Bill?
Parrish
Huh?
JOE
Bill. --
JOE
Bill!
PARRISH
Yeah, Yes.. he is. He's an agent for the
internal revenue service.
Drew is at a loss, Parrish's eyes are glued to his, Joe gets
the hint.
JOE
mmm, yes. we were convinced
(to Drew)
IRS man.
Drew's head swivels from Joe to Parrish and back again.
JOE
The Treasury Department asked
my cooperation in his undercover
investigation of John Bontecou.
They were convinced that Bontecou,
on past deals, had structured his
mergers and acquisitions in sus-
picious and complicated ways so as
to evade paying the taxes he is
liable for. The IRS wanted to go
after him, and this deal gave us
the perfect opportunity.
(a moment)
PARRISH
And I offered to cooperate.
JOE
(to Parrish)
And we're very grateful.
PARRISH
Uh, Agent Joe Black here --
of course that's not his real name
-- smelled out your involvement,
Drew. He developed evidence you
were working both sides of the
fence. Unfortunately, that's known
as a conflict of interest --
JOE
Undisclosed conflict of interest --
PARRISH
An offense --
JOE
An indictable offense.
Parrish
And a likely conviction
JOE
Very likely
DREW
I think I'd like to talk to my
lawyer --
PARRISH
No lawyers, Drew. We're going to
offer you a deal.
Drew is all attention.
PARRISH (cont'd)
Confess to the Board every details of
your participation and then submit
your resignation.
DREW
And what do I get?
PARRISH
You get not to go to jail.
DREW
You're talking through your hat.
You're offering me a deal because
you've got no proof.
PARRISH
Proof? We've got plenty of proof.
JOE
(to Drew)
And he's talking through his lips.
Bill smiles - Joe steps forward.
JOE (cont'd)
Make no mistake, Drew, Should you choose
to test my resolve in this matter,
you'll be looking at an outcome that
will have a finality that is beyond
your comprehension, and you'll not
be counting the days or the months
or the years, but millenniums in a place
with no doors.
Drew slumps.
DREW
All right, you win. As soon as I
get back to the city, I'll meet with
the Board.
Sloane's voice erupts over the SPEAKERPHONE.
SLOANE (O.S.)
You're meeting with the Board right
now, Drew. Resignation accepted.
Moreover, I propose a motion to re-
confirm William Parrish as Chairman
of the Board of Parrish Communica-
tions as well as a rejection of the
merger with Bontecou International.
How say you, Board?
A chorus of thunderous "Yes"es resounds through the
SPEAKERPHONE.
SLOANE (O.S., cont'd)
The motion is passed.
PARRISH
Well, thank you, that's great, but
it's more than I bargained for. I
just wanted to set the record
straight.
SLOANE (O.S.)
But we want you back, Bill. Mean-
while, enjoy your party, celebrate,
we'll attend to the nasty details.
And Mr. Black, may we say thank you.
JOE
My pleasure. This is an IRS Agent's
dream. I'll be promoted to Chief of
Section off this.
Parrish clicks the speakerphone off. Drew is staring at
Joe, shaking his head.
DREW
Who would've ever believed it? You,
an IRS Agent --
Silence. Joe shrugs, smiles.
JOE
'Death and Taxes'.
