Meet Joe Black
Meet Joe Black is a 1998 American romantic fantasy drama film directed and produced by Martin Brest, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Claire Forlani. Celebrating his 65th birthday, businessman and devoted family man Bill Parrish is visited by Death, who wants to know what it's like to be human in return for giving Bill extra days of his life. The screenplay was written by Bo Goldman, Kevin Wade, Ron Osborn, and Jeff Reno, and is loosely based on the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, an adaptation of the 1924 Italian play La morte in vacanza by Alberto Casella.
Please. Please. Don't worry. Don't worry. It's utter chaos around here. And I'm terrified that we're running out of time. Am I trying to be too perfect? - Oh, but I want it to be so exquisite. - So do we. - But we're trying to be too exquisite. - Why not aim for the stars? - Good morning. - Good morning. - We do need some answers on the flowers. - Ah, yes, freesia, freesia. Everywhere freesia. Daddy loves freesia. Good morning. Good morning. Oh. Hello. Hi. - Lights? - "Lights. " Not too bright and not too dark. I'm looking for a saffron glow, sort of tea-dance '20s. If food is the prose of a party, then lights are its poetry.
Meet Joe Black
It works. If food is the prose of a party, lights are its poetry. I like that. If music were the food of love, play on. I'm going out of my mind. Good morning, Mr. Parrish. - What do you think of all this, Helen? - It's gonna be beautiful. And Allison says the president may come. The president's got better things to do than come to my birthday party. Like what?
Meet Joe Black
- Daddy? Do you have a minute? - Good morning, Allison. Not much more. Big day in the big city. - What's on your mind? - Fireworks. Update: We are constructing the number 65 on the barge. Archers from the State College of New Paltz will shoot flaming arrows at it. When it catches fire, it will give us the effect of a Viking funeral, but with none of the morbidity. The Hudson River Authority says that for you, they'll make a special dispensation. But, of course, there will be an overtime bill... for the Poughkeepsie Fire Department. So, what do you think? Good? No good? Allison, I trust you. This is your thing. But it's your birthday. I hate arrows. They make me nervous.
Meet Joe Black
- Good morning, Dad. - Good morning, honey. - Morning. - Morning. You're "Honey. " I'm "Allison. " Oh. Oh, Dad, Drew called from the helicopter, and they're still two minutes away. - Drew's aboard? - Mm-hmm. He wanted to ride back down with you. So why don't you sit down, relax, and get some food in that flat tummy of yours. - Are you coming? - No. You've got patients to attend to. I've got three hysterical chefs, one of whom loves truffles, the other one hates truffles, and the third one doesn't even know what truffles are. - I hate parties. - But, Daddy, calm down. You're gonna love it. I swear. Isn't it enough to be on the Earth for 65 years without having to be reminded of it? No.
Meet Joe Black
Good morning, Drew. Thanks for coming up. Well, big day. Wanted to line up a few ducks before kickoff. Any thoughts, last minute refinements, variations, anything? Thoughts, no. I did hear a voice last night. - A voice? - In my sleep. - What'd it say? - "Yes. " - Yes to the deal? - Maybe. Who knows? You know how voices are. Hmm? I thank you, Delia. Okay, let's go. Delia, your pen.
Meet Joe Black
- Hi, Bill. How you doin'? - Morning, Quince. - I'm doin' great, and you? - Oh, I'm great. - This is it, "B-day. " - Huh? Sorry. Bontecou day. We're gonna close... with Big John. Look at you, Bill. You're all cool as a cat. Over at Bontecou's, I'll bet he's just shittin' in his pants. Remember, everybody, big meeting tonight at Daddy's. Dinner. You, too, Drew. We have lots of loose ends. - Not my birthday again? - You're only 65 once, Dad. Thank God. Now let's get the day started. Remember, dinner in the city at Daddy's!
Meet Joe Black
It's not what you say about Drew. It's what you don't say. Maybe you're not listening. Oh, yes, I am. Give him whatever he wants. There's not an ounce of excitement, not a... whisper of a thrill. And this relationship has all the passion of a pair of titmice. I want you to get swept away out there. I want you to levitate. I want you to... sing with rapture and dance like a dervish. - Oh, that's all. - Yeah. Be deliriously happy, or at least leave yourself open to be. Okay. "Be deliriously happy. " I shall, uh... I shall do my utmost. I know it's a cornball thing. But love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy and who will love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head, and you listen to your heart. And I'm not hearing any heart. 'Cause the truth is, honey, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, 'cause if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.
Meet Joe Black