Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco - Bryan Burrough & John Helyar

[Liberty]

Got my copy of this one in the mail (1 cent used on Amazon!).

 

This one should be fun. I'm mostly creating this thread just so I can quote this excerpt from the movie version (which I haven't seen yet, I'm waiting to have read the book, but I found that quote while researching it) :D

 

1st Scientist: [talking about the smokeless Premier cigarette survey] Well of all the people we surveyed the results were just about uniform

 

F. Ross Johnson: Uh huh.

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: They all said they tasted like shit.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Like shit?

 

2nd Scientist: Shit was the consensus, yes sir.

 

F. Ross Johnson: They all said that? Nobody liked them?

 

2nd Scientist: Fewer than 5%

 

F. Ross Johnson: You said the results were gonna be terrific

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: Well there's nothing wrong with 5%, Ross, I'll take 5% of the market anytime of the week

 

F. Ross Johnson: How much are we into right now?

 

1st Scientist: Right now?

 

F. Ross Johnson: To date, to here, to now?

 

1st Scientist: Upwards of 350.

 

F. Ross Johnson: We've spent 350 million dollars and we come up with a turd with a tip? God almighty, Ed! We put enough technology in this project to send a cigarette to the moon and we come up with one that tastes like it took a dump?

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: We haven't even talked about the smell.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Oh what did they say that was like? A fart?

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: Yep.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Oh you're not serious! They really said that?

 

2nd Scientist: We have an awful lot of fart figures.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Tastes like shit and smells like a fart! Got ourselves one hell of a product on our hands it's one unique advertising strategy I'll tell ya that.

 

The HBO movie is available for free on Youtube (thanks to Otsog for pointing that out):

 

 

http://www.cornerofberkshireandfairfax.ca/forum/general-discussion/barbarians-at-the-gate-(tv-movie)/

[Kraven]

Got my copy of this one in the mail (1 cent used on Amazon!).

 

This one should be fun. I'm mostly creating this thread just so I can quote this excerpt from the movie version (which I haven't seen yet, I'm waiting to have read the book, but I found that quote while researching it) :D

 

1st Scientist: [talking about the smokeless Premier cigarette survey] Well of all the people we surveyed the results were just about uniform

 

F. Ross Johnson: Uh huh.

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: They all said they tasted like shit.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Like shit?

 

2nd Scientist: Shit was the consensus, yes sir.

 

F. Ross Johnson: They all said that? Nobody liked them?

 

2nd Scientist: Fewer than 5%

 

F. Ross Johnson: You said the results were gonna be terrific

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: Well there's nothing wrong with 5%, Ross, I'll take 5% of the market anytime of the week

 

F. Ross Johnson: How much are we into right now?

 

1st Scientist: Right now?

 

F. Ross Johnson: To date, to here, to now?

 

1st Scientist: Upwards of 350.

 

F. Ross Johnson: We've spent 350 million dollars and we come up with a turd with a tip? God almighty, Ed! We put enough technology in this project to send a cigarette to the moon and we come up with one that tastes like it took a dump?

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: We haven't even talked about the smell.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Oh what did they say that was like? A fart?

 

Edward A. Horrigan Jr.: Yep.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Oh you're not serious! They really said that?

 

2nd Scientist: We have an awful lot of fart figures.

 

F. Ross Johnson: Tastes like shit and smells like a fart! Got ourselves one hell of a product on our hands it's one unique advertising strategy I'll tell ya that.

 

The HBO movie is available for free on Youtube (thanks to Otsog for pointing that out):

 

 

http://www.cornerofberkshireandfairfax.ca/forum/general-discussion/barbarians-at-the-gate-(tv-movie)/

 

The book is very good, the movie is god awful.

[nickenumbers]

I finally watched this movie after all these years and hearing about it.  It is an older movie, but very well done.  The concepts of competitive people, personal incentives, Analytical Ignorance and greed are timeless.