Daily Dialogue — January 14, 2014

Jack Lipnick: Is that him? Is that Barton Fink? Let me at him. Let me put my arms around this guy. Let me hug this guy. How the hell are ya? Good trip? My name’s Jack Lipnick. You know that. You read the papers. Lou treating you all right? What’s the matter with your face? What’s the matter with his face, Lou?
Barton Fink: It’s not so bad. A mosquito in my room.
Jack Lipnick: Where’d we put him?
Barton Fink: I’m at the Earle.
Jack Lipnick: Never heard of it. Let’s move him. Stay at my place.
Barton Fink: I wanted a place a little less…
Jack Lipnick: Less Hollywood. Say it. It’s not a dirty word. Say whatever you want. The writer is king at Capitol Pictures. Look at your paycheck. That’s what we think of writers. So, what kind of pictures does he like?
Lou Breeze: Mr. Fink hasn’t given a preference, Mr. Lipnick.
Jack Lipnick: So, how about it, Bart?
Barton Fink: Well, uh, to be honest, I don’t go to the pictures much.
Jack Lipnick: That’s okay. You probably walked in here thinking that was going to be a handicap,
thinking we wanted people who knew something about the medium, thinking there’s technical mumbo jumbo to learn. You were dead wrong. There’s only one thing… Can you tell a story? Can you make us laugh, make us cry, make us want to break out in song? That more than one thing? I run this dump, and I don’t know technical mumbo jumbo. Why do I run it? ’Cause I got horse sense, showmanship! And also I’m bigger and meaner and louder than any other kike in this town. I don’t mean my dick’s bigger than yours. It’s not a sexual thing. Coffee?
Barton Fink: Yes, thank you.
Jack Lipnick: Lou!

— Barton Fink (1991), written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

You may see the scene here. Here is the trailer:

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is The Boss, suggested by kevinpgoulet. Today’s suggestion by Alejandro.

Trivia: Written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen after a trip to see Baby Boom (1987) while suffering writer’s block writing Miller’s Crossing (1990).

Dialogue On Dialogue: The Coens captured perfectly the sort of mindless narcissism of Lipnick’s character in this scene, a great introduction of Barton’s new boss. Such a great movie.

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