Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day

Rainy Day is perhaps the last blogger to get around to linking to the controversial Village Voice essay in which celebrated playwright, screenwriter and director David Mamet explains why he has abandoned brain-dead liberal groupthink. But it's better to be on-the-record than punctual in these matters.

Among Mamet's memorable works, Glengarry Glen Ross stands out. It is one of the greatest explorations of front-line capitalism ever conceived. In this scene from the film version of the play, Blake (Alec Baldwin) confronts the employees of an under-performing Chicago real-estate office, Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), Ed Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) and their uncaring supervisor John Williamson (Kevin Spacey).

Blake: Let me have your attention for a moment! So you're talking about what? You're talking about, bitching about that sale you shot, some son of a bitch that doesn't want to buy, somebody that doesn't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw and so forth. Let's talk about something important. Are they all here?
Williamson: All but one.
Blake: Well, I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important! Put that coffee down! Coffee's for closers only. Do you think I'm fucking with you? I am not fucking with you. I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levene?
Levene: Yeah.
Blake: You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?
Moss: I don't have to listen to this shit.
Blake: You certainly don't pal. 'Cause the good news is — you're fired. The bad news is you've got, all you got, just one week to regain your jobs, starting tonight. Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize's a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. You get the picture? You're laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money. Get their names to sell them! You can't close the leads you're given, you can't close shit, you ARE shit, hit the bricks pal and beat it 'cause you are going out!
Levene: The leads are weak.
Blake: 'The leads are weak.' Fucking leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years.
Moss: What's your name?
Blake: FUCK YOU, that's my name!! You know why, Mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar BMW. That's my name! And your name is "you're wanting." And you can't play in a man's game. You can't close them. And you go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life! Get them to sign on the line which is dotted! You hear me, you fucking faggots?
(He flips over a blackboard with two sets of letters on it: ABC, and AIDA.)
Blake: A-B-C. A-always, B-be, C-closing. Always be closing! Always be closing!! A-I-D-A. Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. Attention — do I have your attention? Interest — are you interested? I know you are because it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks! Decision — have you made your decision for Christ? And action. A-I-D-A; get out there!! You got the prospects comin' in; you think they came in to get out of the rain? Guy doesn't walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. Sitting out there waiting to give you their money! Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?

Chilling. Unforgettable. Selling is as easy as ABC. Until you try it, that is. Watch the Always Be Closing segment of Glengarry Glen Ross. Baldwin is mesmerizing.