Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Tracy Letts: Henry Ford II

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Shelby enters Henry II's office while a secretary hands Henry II a red folder] 

  Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford. Gentlemen.

  Henry Ford II : Shelby.

  [Henry II signals Shelby to move to the couch near him] 

  Henry Ford II : Give me one reason why I don't fire everyone associated with this abomination starting with you.

  [pause, as Beebe picks up the red folder] 

  Carroll Shelby : Well, sir... I was thinking about that very question as I sat out there in your lovely waiting room.

  [Shelby sits down] 

  Carroll Shelby : As I was sitting there... I watched that little red folder right there go through four pairs of hands... before it got to you. 'Course that doesn't include the 22 or so other Ford employees who probably poked at it before it made its way up to the 19th floor. All due respect, sir, you can't win a race by committee. You need one man in charge. Now, the good news, as I see it, is that even with all the extra weight, we still manage to put old Mr. Ferrari exactly where we want him.

  Henry Ford II : Did we?

  Carroll Shelby : Oh, yes.

  Henry Ford II : Expand.

  Carroll Shelby : Well... sure, we hadn't... We haven't worked out how to corner yet. Or stay cool. Or stay on the ground. And a lot of stuff broke. In fact, the only thing that didn't break was the brakes. Hell, right now, we don't even know if our paint job will last the whole 24 hours.

  [pause] 

  Carroll Shelby : But our last lap... we clocked 218 miles an hour down the Mulsanne Straight. Now, in all his years of racing... old Enzo ain't never seen anything move that fast. And now he knows, without a doubt, we're faster than he is. Even with the wrong driver... and all the committees. And that's what he's thinking about while he's sitting in Modena, Italy, right now. That man is scared to death... that this year, you actually might be smart enough to start trusting me. So, yeah. I say you got Ferrari exactly where you want him. You're welcome.

  [Henry II looks at Shelby and gets up, grabbing the red folder from Beebe and walking towards his windows] 

  Henry Ford II : Come here.

  [Shelby approaches Henry II] 

  Henry Ford II : See that little building down there? In World War II, three out of five U.S. bombers rolled off that line. You think Roosevelt beat Hitler? Think again. This isn't the first time Ford Motor's gone to war in Europe. We know how to do more than push paper. And there is one man running this company. You report to him. You understand me?

  Carroll Shelby : Yes, sir.

  Henry Ford II : Go ahead, Carroll. Go to war.

  Carroll Shelby : Thank you, sir.

• Lee Iacocca : James Bond does not drive a Ford, sir.

  Henry Ford II : That's because he's a degenerate.

• [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 II starts crying after Shelby gives him a ride in the Ford GT40 Mk II] 

  Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford? Are you okay?

  [Henry II continues to sob] 

  Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford? You all right?

  Henry Ford II : I had no idea.

  [pause] 

  Henry Ford II : I had no idea. I wish my daddy... He were alive to see this. To feel this.

  Carroll Shelby : This is not a machine that just anybody can get in and easily control.

  Henry Ford II : Absolutely not. I had no idea.

  Carroll Shelby : Now, you want to win Le Mans. You really want to take first place, Ken Miles is the man to do it.

  [pause] 

  Carroll Shelby : Now he knows this car 'cause he helped me build it.

  Henry Ford II : Shelby, you know I've already appointed Leo Beebe Director of Racing.

  Carroll Shelby : Which is exactly why I'm talking to you. Now you let Ken Miles race Daytona. If he wins, he gets to drive Le Mans.

  Henry Ford II : And if he doesn't?

  Carroll Shelby : Ford Motor Company to get full ownership of Shelby American. Lock, stock, and brand... forever.

• Henry Ford II : [getting into Ford racing car]  Ow! God! I sat on my nuts.

  Carroll Shelby : We'll build the next one for comfort, don't you worry.

• [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.

• Carroll Shelby : [getting ready to take Mr. Ford on a test drive]  You ready?

  Henry Ford II : The name on the middle of that steering wheel should tell you I was born ready Shelby... hit it!