“Ruthless People” – Good Lesson For SubPrime Mess
(and finances in general)

Caller Times
Film gives primer on subprime
By Tom Whitehurst Jr.
Sunday, August 17, 2008

All you need to know about the subprime mess — and much of what’s wrong with America — can be found in one scene from the 1986 comedy film “Ruthless People.”

First, a quick plot summation: Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater portray a nice couple taken advantage of by ruthless Danny DeVito. They’re out some money and want justice, and aren’t getting either. So they kidnap his wife, played by Bette Midler. Little do they know DeVito wants to be rid of her. He balks at each ransom demand and negotiates it down, down, down, hoping the kidnappers will make good on their ultimate threat.

Which, of course, they don’t.

But that’s not the point.

Let’s get to the pivotal scene: Reinhold, a stereo salesman so non-ruthless that in an earlier scene he hesitates to stomp on a roach, finally decides one day at work that he wants to finish first like all the other mean guys. In walks a blond shaggy-haired young fellow, clearly a guy whose Camaro cost more than his double-wide. Cartoon animation couldn’t have caricatured him better. Reinhold, the newly resolved Ruthless Person, smells raw meat.

He sets the trap, talking up big, loud speakers with giant, thumping woofers — the better to deafen you with.

The actual product line name is Definator. How cool is that?

Reinhold cranks up the volume. His victim nods appreciatively, in time to the metal music. Reinhold shouts over the noise, telling his customer the best part — so what if you can’t afford it, kid. You can finance it.

In walks the kid’s young wife or girlfriend, disheveled and very pregnant, with a toddler underfoot.

Reinhold sees her. He steers the customer to another stereo, a much better deal, he says, the sound is just as good, the price is considerably lower.

Real estate agents, lenders, business people in general, didn’t do that.

They Definated all over America.

That’s all you need to know about the subprime mess. It’s that simple. So simple, that the lesson comes, parable-like, not from a Bible, a Torah, a Quran or a McCain or an Obama, but from one scene in Hollywood comedy.

Let your Netflix be your guide.

Share A little Divinity

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.