Josh Lucas: Leo Beebe

Ford vs. Ferrari

Leo Beebe

[Miles and Peter enter the showroom to look at the new Ford Mustang]
Peter Miles: Whoa. Dad, look at that. Hah. The Ford Mustang. What do you think?
[Miles looks around the Mustang]
Ken Miles: I think it's a secretary's car.
Peter Miles: I like it.
[Peter opens the passenger door and looks at the interior, alarming Beebe]
Leo Beebe: Oh. Excu... Excuse me. Would you, would you not do that?
Peter Miles: Oh. Sorry.
[Peter closes the door as Miles looks at Beebe]
Leo Beebe: Oh, er, is this, is this your son?
Ken Miles: Yes, it is.
Leo Beebe: Would you ask him to keep his hands off the paintwork?
[Peter takes his hand off the roof]
Ken Miles: No, no, no, Peter, You're okay.
[looking at Beebe]
Ken Miles: Who are you?
Leo Beebe: Leo Beebe, Senior Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company.
Ken Miles: Ah.
Leo Beebe: I'm responsible for the launch of the Mustang.
Ken Miles: Ah! At least now we know who's responsible. Don't get me wrong, Lenny.
Leo Beebe: Leo.
Ken Miles: It looks fantastic. But inside, it's a lump of lard, dressed up to fool the public. My advice is, lose the inline-six and that idiotic three-speed, shorten the wheelbase, somehow lose half a ton, and lower the price.
Peter Miles: Dad.
Ken Miles: But even then, I'd still choose a Chevy Chevelle. And that's a fucking terrible car.

[Henry Ford II reads the newspaper headline of Fiat buying Ferrari before dropping the paper and picking up his glass to pour a drink]
Leo Beebe: He played us. Old Man Enzo had no intention of selling to us. He used us to up his price, embarrass our company and insult your leadership. It was a bad idea from the start.
[Henry II approaches his executives]
Henry Ford II: What exactly did he say?
[pause, as Henry II takes a drink]
Lee Iacocca: He said Ford makes ugly little cars, and we make 'em... in an ugly factory. He said our executives are sons of whores.
[Henry II approaches Iacocca]
Henry Ford II: About me?
Lee Iacocca: He called you fat, sir. Pigheaded.
Henry Ford II: Go on.
Lee Iacocca: He said you're not Henry Ford. You're Henry Ford II.
[Henry II stares at Iacocca before walking back to his desk]
Henry Ford II: I want the best engineers. The best drivers. I don't care what it costs. We're gonna build a race car...
[Henry II finishes his drink and puts down his glass]
Henry Ford II: And we're gonna bury that goddamn greasy wop 100 feet deep under the finish line at Le Mans. And I will be there to watch it.

[Henry Ford II enters the assembly plant]
Henry Ford II: Shut it down, Mr. Beebe.
[Beebe turns around and faces the head engineer]
Leo Beebe: John.
[head engineer nods and shuts down the assembly line]
Henry Ford II: Hear that? That's the sound of the Ford Motor Company out of business.
[Henry II walks around]
Henry Ford II: IN 1899, my grandfather, Henry 'By God' Ford, was walking home from Edison Illumination after working a double shift. He was ruminating. That morning, he had himself an idea that changed the world. Sixty-five years, and 47 million automobiles later, what shall be his legacy? Getting it in the tail pipe from a Chevy Impala.
[workers chuckle]
Henry Ford II: Here's what I want you to do. Walk home.
[workers go silent]
Henry Ford II: While you're walking, I want you to ruminate. Man comes to my office with an idea, that man keeps his job. Rest of you, second-best losers... stay home. You don't belong at Ford.