第六感生死缘Meet Joe Black Movie Script

DREW:

He said that?

QUINCE:

Well, you've got him by the short- hairs.

DREW:

Yeah, the short, gray hairs. He flashes a pleased-as-punch greeting to some unseen acquaintance as they press on to Parrish's study. 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 is 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 and --

PARRISH:

Shut up and sit down. Drew takes a seat. PARRISH (cont'd) You're a worthless sack of sh*t, you f***ed 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 a**hole lurking around? No one 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 and elegance and stature. I've seen all kinds and degrees of deception in my time, 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 a man to have done that. And now I must release him from that vow. Because of me, he has lost his work, his company, his reputation -- and now he's going 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 now you're going to pee some more.

PARRISH:

Joe, don't do this --

JOE:

It's time to put this person where he belongs.

PARRISH:

It's not necessary, Joe. Drew's going to step aside --

DREW:

I'm not stepping anywhere --

JOE:

I appreciate your gentlemanliness, Bill, 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 am --

PARRISH:

He is --

JOE:

I'll take it from here -- (to Drew) I am --

PARRISH:

-- An IRS man. Drew is stunned, Joe glances at Parrish, hesitates. PARRISH (cont'd) Yes, he is. He's an -- IRS man. Aren't you, Joe? Joe is at a loss, Parrish's eyes are glued to his, Joe gets the hint.

JOE:

Yes, I am. (to Drew) IRS man. Drew's head swivels from Joe to Parrish and back again.

PARRISH:

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 offered them the opportunity. (a moment) I agreed to cooperate.