Daily Dialogue — January 17, 2014

Arlen Finkle: Larry?

He looks up, startled.

Arlen Finkle stands in the doorway.

Arlen: As you know, the tenure committee meets-are you all right?

Larry sits frozen with the white envelope in his hands.

Larry: I’m… fine.
Arlen Finkle: I’m sorry. I know you’ve hit a rough patch.
Larry: Thank you. I’m fine.

He puts the envelope in the desk drawer and closes it.

Arlen Finkle: Uh-huh. Well. As you know, the tenure committee meets next Wednesday to make its final determinations. If THERE’S-
Larry: Arlen, I am not an evil man!

Arlen looks at him, shocked.

Arlen Finkle: Larry! Of course not!
Larry: I am not-
Arlen Finkle: We don’t make moral judgments!
Larry: I went to the Aster Art once. I saw Swedish Reverie.
Arlen Finkle: It’s okay, Larry, we don’t need to know! The Tenure Committee-
Larry: It wasn’t even erotic! Although it was, in a way.
Arlen Finkle: It’s all right, Larry. Believe me.

— A Serious Man (2009), written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is The Boss, suggested by kevinpgoulet.

Trivia: The names of the characters who ride the school bus with Danny Gopnik are the names of children that the Coen brothers grew up with.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Arlen may not technically be Larry’s boss, but he is the chairman of the department. Besides I was looking for a nice boss moment and struck out with video for (500) Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now. That said, Arlen is great in this movie, classic wallflower academic.

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