by Traverse Legal, reviewed by Enrico Schaefer - March 10, 2009 - Uncategorized
Below is the video of my favorite part of the Michael Clayton movie all about billable hours (can you imagine that?). If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. But here is the “money” quote:
“And for $50 million in fees, I’ve spent 12% of my life destroying perfect Anna and her dead parents and her dying brother.”
(Note: Transcript May Not Be Entirely Accurate)
Barry Grissom: Oh, for Christ's sake, you’re saying he did this in…Oh, my God. (On the telephone with counsel)
Partner: Barry. (Obtains Barry’s attention to let him know Michael Clayton has just walked in the door)
Barry Grissom: Hang on. (Places the caller on hold in order to speak with Michael Clayton). Arthur Edens has just stripped down naked in a deposition room in Milwaukee.
(Michael leaves for Milwaukee to meet with Arthur)
(Note: Transcript May Not Be Completely Accurate)
Arthur Edens: Oh, Michael, I took a deep cleansing breath. I set that notion aside. I tabled it. I said to myself, as clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is, as true a thing as I believe I have witnessed today, it must wait. It must stand the test of time. And Michael, the time is now. This moment! today! Here! This Room! This air! And this especially…especially this Michael. That you’re here. There is a reason. A reason that it is you Michael. Surely, yes, on the sense of that, how it…how it pulls together, how it gathers. Nurse Michael, the secret hero, the keeper of the hidden sins. Tell me you can see that Michael, for God’s sake. But, I mean, ye..yea..yes! YES! The nudity. The parking lot. I admit it. It was-it was-it was-it was a mistake. It was wrong. It was lame. It was obvious. And therapeutically, it was completely useless because Michael I swear to you I can stand here and tear off my fucking skin. Now I cannot get down to where this thing is living. Six years Michael. Six years I have absorbed this poison. 400 depositions, 100 motions, 5 changes of venue, 85,000 documents in discovery, six years of scheming and stalling and screaming and WHAT HAVE I GOT? I SPENT 12% OF MY LIFE DEFENDING THE REPUTATION OF A DEADLY WEED KILLER.
Michael Clayton: We had an agreement Arthur.
Arthur Edens: One night. One night, right? Huh! I look up and there’s Marty in my office-he’s got some champagne-he tells me we just hit 30,000 billable hours on U-North and he wants to celebrate. So, an hour later I find myself in a whorehouse in-in Chelsea with two Lithuanian redheads taking turns sucking my dick. And I-I-I’m laying there and I’m trying not to cum and I wanna, you know, I wanna make it last, so I start doing the math. I think 30,000 hours…what is that? That’s uh…24 times 30. That’s 720 hours in a month. 8,760 hours in a year.
Michael Clayton: Arthur.
Arthur Edens: No! Wait, wait, wait. Because it’s years, it’s lives. And the numbers are making me dizzy and, you know, instead of trying not to cum, I’m trying not to think and I can’t stop. I mean, is this-is this me? Am I this freak organism that has been sent here to sleep and eat an-and defend this one horrific chain of carcinogenic moment. Is that my destiny? Is that my fate?
Michael Clayton: You promised. You promised me.
Arthur Edens: Is that…Is that it Michael? Is that my Grail? Two Lithuanian models on my cock? Is that the correct answer to the multiple choice of me?
Michael Clayton: You want to go off your medication that’s FINE, but you call me first, THAT was our agreement.
Arthur Edens: Sue me.
Guard: Are we OK in there?
Michael Clayton: We’re fine…We’re fine.
Arthur Edens: They killed them Michael. Those small farms, family farms. Didya, didya, didya meet Anna?
Michael Clayton: No
Arthur Edens: Aww..You got to see her. You got to talk to her. Shh-she is a miracle, Michael. She’s God’s perfect little creature. And for $50 million in fees, I’ve spent 12% of my life destroying perfect Anna and her dead parents and her dying brother.
Michael Clayton: When was the last time took one of these. (Holding up bottle of medicine)
Arthur Edens: N-n-n-no. I’m not losing this to everything is now finally significant. The world is a beautiful and radiant place. I’m not trading that, for this (referring to the medication)
Michael Clayton: If it’s real, the pill won’t kill it.
Arthur Edens: I have blood on my hands
Michael Clayton: You are the senior litigating partner of one the largest, most respected law firms in the world. You are a legend.
Arthur Edens: I AM AN ACCOMPLICE
Michael Clayton: YOU ARE A MANIC DEPRESSIVE.
Arthur Edens: I am Shiva the god of death.
Michael Clayton: Let’s get out of Milwaukee and we’ll talk about it.
(Note: Transcript May Not Be Completely Accurate)
As a founding partner of Traverse Legal, PLC, he has more than thirty years of experience as an attorney for both established companies and emerging start-ups. His extensive experience includes navigating technology law matters and complex litigation throughout the United States.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Enrico Schaefer, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing Business, IP, and Technology Law litigation attorney.
