The Founder
The Founder is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel. Starring Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc, the film depicts the story of his creation of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain, which eventually involved forcing out the company's original founders to take control with conniving ruthlessness. Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch co-star as McDonald's founders Richard and Maurice McDonald, alongside Linda Cardellini as Ray Kroc's third wife Joan Smith, and B. J. Novak as McDonald's president and chief executive Harry J. Sonneborn. The film premiered at Arclight Hollywood on December 7, 2016, and was released theatrically in the United States on January 20, 2017, by the Weinstein Company. It grossed $24 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Keaton's performance.
- Hiya, Dick. - I just received a very disconcerting call. - Oh? - From Buddy Jepsen. Our operator in Sacramento. - I'm very aware of who Buddy Jepsen is. - He told me he received a shipment this morning. - Oh, it arrived. - You are way out of line, Ray. - Gee, I didn't expect that to get there until Friday at the earliest. - Do you mind telling me what you're doing shipping four cases of Inst-A-Mix to one of our operators? - Look, if you don't want to make a profit, that's fine. But don't stop the rest of us. - Us? - Us. As in everyone but you. - Who did you send them to? - Everyone but you. - You have no right, you are to stop this instant. Is that clear? - Nah. - What the hell does that mean! Nah! - You will abide by the terms of your deal! - I am through taking marching orders from you. You and your endless parade of nos. Constantly cowering in the face of progress. - If phony powdered milkshakes is your idea of progress, you have a profound misunderstanding of what McDonald's is about! - I have a far greater understanding of McDonald's than you two yokels. - What? You will do as we say. - Nope. - You have a contract! - You know, contracts are like hearts. They're made to be broken.
The Founder
When quietly trying to settle a divorce, the first thing to ask is, what will she want? And is her request reasonable and equitable, in terms of marital property. There's a house, a car, savings and checking accounts, insurance. - Just give it to her. House, car, insurance. - What about the business?
The Founder
I'm looking at a letterhead with the name McDonald's on it. You care to explain? - It was confusing, people didn't even know it had anything to do with McDonald's. - What's confusing is you calling yourself the McDonald's Corporation. People will think it's the whole company, not just the real estate arm which we strongly suspect is what you hope. - You put Dick's Arches on your letterhead? This is not your company, Ray! - Mac... - Do you understand that! - Mac, don't get upset. - We came up with the Speedee System, not you! Us! What have you ever come up with! Can you name one thing? You can't! And you never have and you never will. Because you are a leech, Ray. You are a professional leech! - You know what I came up with, Mac? A concept. I came up with the concept of winning. - Let me talk to him. - While you two boys were content to sit back and be a couple of also-rans. I'm going to take the future. I wanna win. And you don't get there by being some aw-shucks, nice-guy sap. There's no place in business for people like that. Business is war. It's dog eat dog, rat eat rat. If my competitor were drowning, I'd walk over and I'd put a hose right in his mouth. Can you say the same? - I can't, nor would I want to. - Hence your single location. - We want you out of this company, Ray! - Mac, how do you propose you do that. - We will sue you, whatever it takes! - And you'd probably win. But you can't afford to sue me. I'd bury you in court costs alone. Mac, I'm the President and CEO of a major corporation with land holdings in 17 states. You run a burger stand in the desert. I'm national. You're fucking local.
The Founder