Other People's Money

This article is about the film. For the 1914 book, see Other People's Money and How the Bankers Use It.

Other People's Money
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Norman Jewison
Produced by	Norman Jewison Ric Kidney
Written by	Jerry Sterner (play) Alvin Sargent(screenplay)
Starring	Danny DeVito Gregory Peck Penelope Ann Miller Piper Laurie Dean Jones
Editing by	Hubert C. de la Bouillerie Lou Lombardo Michael Pacek
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	October 18, 1991
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Other People's Money is a 1991 drama/romantic comedy film starring Danny DeVito, Penelope Ann Miller and Gregory Peck. It is based on the play of the same name by Jerry Sterner. The director was Norman Jewison and the screenplay was credited to Alvin Sargent.

Plot

Corporate raider Lawrence Garfield, a.k.a. "Larry the Liquidator", always looking for the next big score, puts his sights on New England Wire and Cable, a publicly traded company that is run by old codger Andrew "Jorgy" Jorgenson and is a major employer in a small Rhode Island town.

Trying to stave off the hostile takeover, Jorgy hires his stepdaughter, Kate, a lawyer. Before long, Larry becomes involved in a complicated game of cat-and-mouse in which he and Kate each struggle to maintain the upper hand. Jorgy's right-hand man, Bill Coles approaches Garfield and makes a deal giving him the right to vote Cole’s 100,000 shares. In return, Coles will receive $1 million if they make a difference and a half million dollars if they don’t. Kate's mother offers Larry greenmail in the amount of one million dollars from her trust fund. NEWC would also buy back Larry’s shares at $13 per share which is the average cost of the shares he has purchased. Bea offers this bribe because she is driven by her love for Jorgy. Her offer offends Garfield who says that he makes money for widows and orphans and that he does not take money from them.

As he closes in on his goal — taking over New England Wire and Cable, which he intends to sell off in parts and shut down operation — Larry has to decide which he lusts after more: money or Kate.

An exchange of speeches between Garfield and Jorgenson at the company's shareholders' meeting precedes the stockholders' decisive vote. Jorgenson delivers an impassioned speech reminding the shareholders of how many local jobs the company is responsible for, and that the company produces some of the best wire in the country. The stockholders react favorably to this, and thus are surprised when Garfield begins his speech by acknowledging all of these points. However, Garfield goes on to compare the company to the last buggy whip manufacturer: while it probably produced the best buggy whip in the country, eventually it closed down because its product was obsolete. Garfield concludes by saying that business plans shouldn't be based on emotions, and that because his goal is to make money for all the shareholders, himself included, "I'm not your best friend, I'm your only friend."

When the vote is held, enough shareholders sell for Larry to gain a controlling interest in the company. Kate makes a last minute plea to Garfield that he not close down the company, acknowledging the feelings between them at the same time. Though touched, Larry states that he cannot run the company at a loss, then leaves.

Some time later, Larry is surprised to receive a call from Kate. She quickly tells him that she has discovered a new use for New England Wire and Cable's: a metal support of vehicle airbags for a Japanese company. Kate goes on to say that he no longer has to sell the company, as he can now operate the business profitably.

Cast

• Danny DeVito as Lawrence Garfield
• Gregory Peck as Andrew Jorgenson
• Penelope Ann Miller as Kate Sullivan
• Piper Laurie as Bea Sullivan
• Dean Jones as Bill Coles
• R.D. Call as Arthur
• Mo Gaffney as Harriet
• Tom Aldredge as Ozzie

External links

• Other People's Money at the Internet Movie Database
• Other People's Money at AllRovi
• Movie Review - Other People's Money
• Movie Review - Other People's Money
• AmericanRhetoric.com audio and text of Jorgy Jorgenson's (Gregory Peck) speech to NE Wire and Cable shareholders' meeting
• AmericanRhetoric.com video and text of Larry "The Liquidator" Garfield's (Danny DeVito) speech to NE Wire and Cable shareholders' meeting