Daily Dialogue — March 2, 2012

EXT. CRONIN’S GRILL — AFTERNOON

Crowded outdoor restaurant in the business district. Jerry sits down opposite Bob Sugar, still making a few notes.

JERRY: Gimme a second here… Tidwell…Arizona contract… new glass cabinet…

SUGAR: You okay?

JERRY: I’m fine. What’s up?

SUGAR: I came here to let you go.

JERRY: Pardon me?

SUGAR: Came here to fire you, Jerry.

For a long moment there is only silence. They study each other. These are two smart boys, each one anticipating the other’s next three or four moves.

SUGAR: It’s real, Jerry. You… you should say something.

Suddenly he’s flushed, a little embarrassed.

JERRY: Aw shit…the crowded restaurant… so there’s no scene…

SUGAR: I know. It sucks. I suck.

In a back room, the waiters are singing the restaurant’s “Birthday Song” to someone else. Jerry is dying.

JERRY: You…

SUGAR: (razor sharp) You did this to yourself. You said “fewer clients.” You put it all on paper. Scully was very upset. Heart attacks make some people sweeter, but not him. You did this to yourself–

Jerry’s mouth opens to finish his sentence, but before he can speak, Sugar continues.

SUGAR: — although I do gotta hand it to you. For about five minutes you had everyone applauding smaller revenues.

Quietly, Maguire finishes the sentence he started earlier.

JERRY: You… ungrateful… unctuous…

SUGAR: (unctuous)… dick?

JERRY: Dick.

Maguire reaches for water. The sound of the ice cubes jangling is suddenly very loud to him. He is drowning.

SUGAR: Give me a little credit for doing this face-to-face! What I went through knowing I was going to do this to my mentor! Can you get past yourself for a second?

JERRY: You’ll lose.

SUGAR: (musically) You wanted smaller.

JERRY: I’m over it. Now I want all my clients and yours too.

SUGAR: Jerry –

JERRY: — and I’ll get ‘em.

SUGAR: (patronizing) You’ll always be my hero, Jerry. Always always always. We’re bringing other elements in, we’re focusing on endorsements — it’s not about handholding anymore. We’re no longer babysitters –

Jerry fights the desire to use his fists. Hangs onto the table. He’s starting to freak out now. Trying to calm down. Sugar’s mouth keeps moving, but we hear the music in Jerry’s mind. Rising percussive music.

— Jerry (Tom Cruise), Sugar (Jay Mohr), Jerry Maguire (1996), written by Cameron Crowe

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is getting fired, suggested by lizswan who also suggested Jerry Maguire.

Trivia: Cameron Crowe wrote the part of the old sports agent with Billy Wilder in mind.

Dialogue On Dialogue: What I love in this scene is the subtext through silence, how Jerry — who is stunned and barely able to talk — and track the scene description: “silence… Jerry is dying… the sound of ice cubes.”

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