Wolf (1994)

Christopher Plummer: Raymond Alden

Photos 

Quotes 

• Raymond Alden : Cigar?

  Will Randall : Don't mind if I do. Thank you.

  Raymond Alden : [he lights the cigar for Will]  I want you to think about Europe, Will. Eastern Europe, particularly. There's a whole new market opening up there. I think God and currency willing, the entire continent will eventually cohere, both economically and culturally. I want that to be your area.

  Will Randall : I see. Then my area will no longer be editor-in-chief of MacLeish House after the takeover.

  Raymond Alden : Look, it's nothing personal. Come on you know that. You're clearly a man of taste and individuality, which I prize. But, these days, not only in corporate America, but all around the globe, taste and individuality are actually something of a handicap

  Will Randall : Well, just out of curiosity, on what bias did you pick my successor? Vulgarity and conformity?

  Raymond Alden : Drive. On the basis of hustle, drive and 52-carat ambition. He nagged me day and night till I gave him your job.

  Will Randall : Well for what it's worth, here's what I've learned in 30 years. Treat the authors as human beings, don't stint on review copies, and don't hold them to deadlines. They'll only turn in rough drafts.

  Raymond Alden : Thank you. Thank you. I'll remember that. You're a nice person, Will. Thank God I replaced you. And I hope you give Eastern Europe a shot. You better put that out. Horses don't like it.

  Will Randall : Well, I think I'll finish it.

  Raymond Alden : Go ahead. Good cigar, isn't it?

  [He walks away while Will throw away the cigar] 

• Raymond Alden : [after watching the news about Charlotte's murder]  My god.

  Stewart Swinton : Yeah, stunning, isn't it? I just hope they don't go after Will.

  Raymond Alden : Will? Go after Will? Why would they go after Will?

  Stewart Swinton : He's the husband. That's who they go after when there are no suspects, and they were separated.

  Raymond Alden : That would not be great for the stock.

  Stewart Swinton : Well, you don't know that, sir. It could be a bonanza for the stock. It's heat. It's gossip. It's what I think publishing is all about.

  Raymond Alden : Well, you handle it anyway you think best. You're back in marketing.

  Stewart Swinton : Thank you, sir. If... If they do go after Will. And I hope to god that they don't but if they do, I'd like to put another bid for the job.

  Raymond Alden : Randall's contract gives him the right to name his own replacement, and he's named Roy MacAllister.

  Stewart Swinton : I see. Well. Would that contract still hold if Will was arrested?

  Raymond Alden : Yes, unless of course he was convicted. So I guess you'll just have to keep your fingers crossed.

  Stewart Swinton : I... I didn't... I didn't mean...

  Raymond Alden : Really? What did you mean?

  Stewart Swinton : I mean that I love Will and I hope to God that he's innocent, and if he is screw the job. But if he's guilty, screw Roy MacAllister.

• Raymond Alden : Is my daughter all right? Have you found my daughter?

  Detective Bridger : I thought she was with you the whole time?

  Raymond Alden : Laura!

  Laura : [comes out wearing a black sweater]  What's happening? I heard gunshots. I was afraid to come out.

  Raymond Alden : Are you with Will Randall?

  Detective Wade : Where's Randall?

  Laura : I'm not sure. I just hung up on him. As far as I know, he's on his way to Teterboro Airport. I told him I wasn't going with him and he hung up on me.

  Cop : We'd like to check the cottage.

  Raymond Alden : Of course

  Laura : What's happening?

  Raymond Alden : They think Tom shot Stewart Swinton.

  Laura : What?

  Raymond Alden : Laura, Tom's dead. And George, too. He was run down

  Detective Bridger : With Stewart Swinton's car.

  Laura : He was after Will. I... I knew it. At the police station, he kept asking me where Will was.

  Detective Wade : There's a plane at Teterboro chartered by Laura Alden.

  Detective Bridger : Stewart Swinton was looking for Will Randall. Do you remember this? He asked us if Randall was on the Alden estate.

  Detective Wade : And when he found out that Laura Alden was gone, he took off, remember? He just bolted.

  Raymond Alden : All this might not have happened, but I was so dead set against Will Randall because he was after my daughter.

  Laura : You were just trying to save me from a disastrous relationship. I would have left him within a week. He was much too tame for me.

  Detective Bridger : Yeah. That's what I thought when I saw you together at the Mayflower. Well, I hope this time you will come in and give us a statement.

  Laura : [smiling]  it would be my pleasure. Could I send you something to drink, detective? Another vodka tonic?

  Detective Bridger : [confused]  Another... .uh.. No, thanks.

  Laura : Let me know if you change your mind.

  Detective Bridger : [to his partner]  How the hell does she know what we've been drinking?

  Laura : I can smell it. I can smell it a mile away.

• Will Randall : Ah. Mr. Alden. So good to see you again so soon, sir.

  Raymond Alden : It's nice to you too, Will. Robert Keyes, my counsel.

  Will Randall : Counselor nice to meet you.

  George : Nice to meet you, Mr. Randall.

  Raymond Alden : Sit down, Wil. Sit down.

  Will Randall : Of course.

  Raymond Alden : You're deliberately goading the top writers of this house to leave and become part of some totally improbable scheme that hasn't a hope of succeeding. And being writers, they're too goddamn stupid to know it

  Will Randall : Hmmm. Well, you may very well be right, Mr. Alden . They might not succeed, but it won't hurt them to try, and if they fail any publisher will be glad to get them.

  Raymond Alden : And you with them?

  Will Randall : Yes. That will be part of the deal. But it really doesn't matter whether we start a new publishing house or go to another publishing house. At least seven first rate writers are going to leave MacLeish House because they don't like its policies. And when I issue that press release, which I intend to do in the morning, the reputation and value of this firm will take a giant nosedive.

  Raymond Alden : Well, you're a worse son of a bitch than Stewart.

  Will Randall : Yes. But I still have those two drawbacks, taste and individuality.

  Raymond Alden : Maybe I can overlook them.

  [Gets up and looks out window and sighs] 

  Raymond Alden : All right. Call it off. Keep your job. I'd never have fired you in the first place if I known you were this ruthless.

  Will Randall : Thank you. But before I do anything, I want a deal memo granting me additional powers and additional moneys and I want it by tomorrow morning.

  George : [taking off glasses]  I won't agree to that.

  Raymond Alden : Oh, yes, you will. I'd do it anyway. What do I know about publishing? I'll tell Stewart.

  Will Randall : No. Don't tell anyone until the deal is signed. Then I'll tell Stewart.

  [He goes back to his office and gives Mary a thumbs up]