An examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.An examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.An examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 8 wins & 14 nominations total
- Assistant Detective
- (as Barry Rossen)
- Additional Voice
- (voice)
- Additional Voice
- (voice)
- Additional Voice
- (voice)
- Additional Voice
- (voice)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe single largest cost on the movie was for the rain effects throughout the first half of the film.
- GoofsStealing the list of references from Williamson's office constitutes the crime of burglary, but the police describe the crime as robbery. This same mistake was present in the original play.
- Quotes
Blake: You're talking about what? You're talking about... bitching about that sale you shot, some son-of-a-bitch who don't wanna buy land, some broad you're trying to screw, so forth. Let's talk about something important. They all here?
Williamson: All but one. Ricky Roma.
Blake: I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important.
[to Levene]
Blake: Put that coffee down! Coffee's for closers only. 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 Levine? You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?
Dave Moss: I don't gotta sit here and 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 of you've got just one week to regain your jobs starting with tonight. Starting with tonight's sit. 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. Anyone wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. Get the picture? You laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money to get their names to sell them. You can't close the leads you're given, then you can't close shit! You ARE shit! Hit the bricks, pal, and beat it 'cause you are going OUT!
Shelley Levene: The leads are weak.
Blake: The leads are weak? The fucking leads are weak? You're weak! I've been in this business 15 years...
Dave Moss: What's your name?
Blake: Fuck you! That's my name! You know why, mister? You drove a Hyundai to get here. I drove an $80,000 red BMW that's parked right outside. THAT'S my name! And your name is you're wanting. 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 fucking faggots? 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, 'cause 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've got the prospects coming in. You think they came in here to get out of the rain? A guy don't walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They're sitting out there waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it? What's the problem, pal? You... Moss.
Dave Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich, how come you're coming down here wasting your time with such a bunch of bums?
Blake: [points to his gold wristwatch] You see this watch? You see this watch I'm wearing?
Dave Moss: Yeah.
Blake: This watch costs more than your car. I made $970,000 in sales commissions last year. How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. You're a nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you! Go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here? Close! You think I'm too hard on you? You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? If 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 leads and materials you've got and make myself $15,000. Tonight! In two hours! Can you? Can YOU? Go and do likewise. A-I-D-A. Get mad you son of a bitches! Get mad! You want to know what it takes to sell real estate? It takes BRASS BALLS to sell real estate! Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there. You pick it up, it's yours. You don't, I got no sympathy for you. You wanna go out on those sits tonight and close. CLOSE! It's yours. If not, you're gonna be shining my shoes. And you know what you'll be saying - a bunch of losers sittin' around in a bar? 'Oh yeah. I used to be a salesman. It's a tough racket.' These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. And to you they're gold, and you don't get them. Why? Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. They're for closers. I'd wish you all good luck, but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it.
Blake: [goes up to Moss's desk and glares at him] 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!
- SoundtracksBlue Skies
Performed by Al Jarreau
Words & Music by Irving Berlin
Courtesy of Irving Berlin Music Company
There is so much more in this film than just a bunch of guys in a real estate office. I'm puzzled, as an aside, why the language is considered such a big deal. There is less of it in GGR than in the average DeNiro film I watch. Maybe it's because the film is composed of almost nothing but dialogue.
Back to the content. GGR contains at least two, maybe three of my favorite performances by anyone. Baldwin, who I really don't like, is perfect. Lemmon is excruciatingly good, and Pacino actually makes me forget who I'm watching. He really sinks into his character. Pryce also gives a commendable performance.
For those who didn't get this film, who think it's just dark and pointless, here's the point. The title is Glengarry Glen Ross. If you listen to the conversations you will notice that the Glengarry leads are the new leads, the ones given to closers, the leads given to those who go out and squeeze as much money out of people as they can so they don't lose their jobs.
Glen Ross farms are talked about in a brilliantly written conversation between Ed Harris and Alan Arkin, the one when Harris orders donuts and Arkin keeps repeating back to him what he said. "..Boots, yes." In that conversation, Harris talks about what he learned when he first got into the sales racket. You don't sell one car to a guy, you sell him 5 cars over fifteen years. But, he says, those guys who come in and burn everyone for as much money as they can get and then go to Argentina ruined a good thing. The drive to win the Cadillac had ruined the ideal of maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between customer and salesman. Sharks like Baldwin came in, made their millions, and left a wasteland for the "losers" to work in.
The film is about how business in America is war, and about how the drive for capital has ultimately dehumanized us. The strongest contrast is between Baldwin and Lemmon. Baldwin is a machine. Everything in his life, his very identity, is defined by the fact that his watch cost more than a "loser's" car. "Family man? Go home and play with your kids." "A loser is always a loser." His name is that he drives a BMW.
With Lemmon, pay attention to the brief references to his daughter. The man is desperate to make money, not only to keep his job, but to pay for his daughter's medical treatment. A very human thing.
Eventually, these men prey not only on customers, but on each other. It's vicious. If you don't understand why, all you'll see is the viciousness, and you probably won't enjoy the film.
- MrsRainbow
- Mar 24, 1999
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- El precio de la ambición
- Filming locations
- Office, 1515 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, New York, USA(Premiere Properties Office)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $12,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $10,725,228
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,104,402
- Oct 4, 1992
- Gross worldwide
- $10,726,612
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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