[Howard - naked, dishevelled and concealed in his projection room during a breakdown - is visited by Juan Trippe]
Okay, Howard I'm sitting. I've brought along our accountings. Now, Pan-Am is trading at 13 and five-eighths. TWA at four and a quarter. Now, if you take--
Ah, come on! Come on, come on, come on, come on! We both know I'm not gonna sell TWA! Besides that, you couldn't afford her anyway! Our domestic routes alone are worth more than twice Pan-Am!
Well, considering our stock is trading at three times yours, I find that a... dubious claim, Howard.
[frustrated]
What I-- [sighs, clears throat] What I mean is, you have no domestic routes, all right? I mean, you get TWA, you... you span the globe. Now, I'm not gonna sell and you know I'm not gonna sell. [taps the door] Here's the point: Owen Brewster works for you!
Howard, I didn't elect Senator Brewster. We can thank the voters of Maine for that.
[Juan smokes his pipe. Howard backs away in fear as the smoke creeps in]
Now... if I appear at his hearings, Juan. It could get nasty. [coughs] Real nasty for all of us!
Well, I think considerably more for you, Howard. While the good people of America were losing sons at Anzio, you produced a dirty movie and built planes that don't fly.
Well, that's just not fair, is it? I mean, the XF-11 flew quite well for an hour and 45 minutes! I mean, I wish you were up there with me, Juan! It was... it was exhilarating!
Be that as it may, you still have to answer for the Spruce Goose.
[Howard angrily throws a Kleenex box at the door with a loud thump]
IT'S CALLED THE HERCULES! AND IT WILL FLY, GODDAMMIT!
I certainly hope so. The American people deserve something for their 13 million dollars.
I WON'T SELL TWA! I WON'T!
[after a short silence]
I know you won't, Howard. I know you won't. But I'm going to get it anyway. You're going to default on your loan from Equitable after Senator Brewster destroys your reputation and you can't find any additional capital for the airline. The hearings will also show Hughes Aircraft as mismanaged and incompetent, and it will go bankrupt too. But you won't be insolvent. You'll still have Tool Co. Perhaps, you'll return to Houston to rebuild your empire. I rather hope you do. By that time, Pan-Am will have bought TWA and painted all those magnificent Connies blue and white. So, when you do return, it will be on a Pan-Am plane.
Well... [clears throat] you seem to have me in a corner here, buddy. Not a position in which I'm very comfortable.
I think you're going to be less comfortable at Senator Brewster's hearings. Very public, Howard. Lots of camera, newsmen. I understand you're not particularly fond of crowds. Perhaps we should spare you that.
