Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike Page #3

Truer words were never spoken.

We're no longer chasing

the almighty dollar.

Our ideals are higher than profit.

Instead of the aristocracy

of money, we have...

The aristocracy of pull.

I mean, now, it's about influence.

But you knew that already.

What I know is that you

need to learn some manners.

If you ever doubted that money was the

root of all evil, there's your proof.

So, you think that money

is the root of all evil.

Have you ever asked yourself

"What's the root of money?"

Money is a tool that allows us

to trade with one another.

Your goods for mine.

Your efforts for mine.

The keystone of civilization.

Having money is not

the measure of a man.

What matters is how he got it.

If he produced it by creating value,

then his money is a token of honor.

Look who's talking about honor.

But if he's taken it from those

who produce, then there is no honor.

Then you're simply a looter.

Senor d'Anconia, we all know that

money is made by the strong

at the expense of the weak.

What kind of strength

are you talking about?

The power to create value?

Or the ability to manipulate,

to extort money in back room deals,

- to exercise pull?

- All right... just leave.

Hey.

When money ceases to be the tool

by which men deal with one another,

then men become the tools of men.

Blood, whips, chains or dollars.

Take your choice.

There is no other.

And your time is running out.

D'Anconia...

...I wanna speak to you.

Mr. Rearden, to whom

do you think I was speaking?

Tell me, do you own any

d'Anconia Global Commodities stock?

- No.

- Good.

Most everyone else in this room does,

and they deserve to.

What are you talking about?

There was a fire at the d'Anconia

ore docks in Valparaiso...

...tomorrow morning.

In unrelated events,

the d'Anconia mines were

buried under rock slides.

That's tomorrow, too.

Why would you do that?

Money is the root of all evil.

So I just got tired of being evil.

I took her to the station myself.

I had no right to

bring her into our world.

Good morning, Henry.

Aren't you gonna say anything?

When was the last time you

spent the night in this room?

When was the last time

you spent a night with me?

Is it your little girl

from the office, is it Gwen?

Or is it a Cherryl, something

you picked up out of the gutter?

Lillian, drop it.

- I am your wife.

- We can solve that simply enough.

You have her all over you.

Get out.

You're a hypocrite, Henry.

You're just another lying, cheating

husband who can't keep his pants zipped.

You're entitled to that.

I'm ready to give you a divorce. Get out.

You'll "give" me?

You can't buy your way out of this.

I knew you wanted a divorce

six months into our marriage.

Then why do you stay?

Because you're screwing some whore,

I have to give up my home,

my name, my position? Never.

Ever.

I'm very good at keeping up appearances.

I'll help you do the same.

I don't know who you think you are.

I am Mrs. Henry Rearden.

I'm the person who knows what you are...

...a common, ordinary man who thinks

he doesn't owe anybody anything.

And you're wrong.

You're a mole, Henry, who crawled up

out of a hole in the ground.

You owe me.

You owe everybody.

As the market opened,

stock of d'Anconia Global Commodities

tumbled 82 percent on reports

that disasters in Chile

and elsewhere around the world

have crippled the company's ability

to mine and deliver resources.

Eyewitness accounts describe

devastation so extensive,

it's unlikely the 200-year-old company

will ever recover.

Luckily, no casualties were reported.

Calls to company President Francisco

d'Anconia were not returned

and Global Commodities officials

have declined comment.

What an inspiring sight!

The most valuable metal operation

in the country, maybe the world.

You didn't think so when your

agency tried to shut me down.

Well, times change, Mr. Rearden.

Situations change.

But people like you

don't change, Dr. Ferris.

And my position hasn't changed.

He should have told you.

I will not sell my metal to

the State Science Institute.

In light of recent events,

I'd say your position is untenable.

What events?

Your transfer of 4,000 tons

of Rearden Metal to Ken Danagger,

in clear violation

of the Fair Share mandate.

- We're done here.

- Not yet.

It's very simple now.

You deliver our order,

accept our generous compensation,

and you and Danagger don't

spend the next ten years in prison.

You seem pretty happy

I violated one of your new laws.

That's what laws are for, Mr. Rearden.

If the right people don't break them,

they're of no use whatsoever.

By the way, young Mr. Small will be

staying on in a supervisory capacity.

To ensure that working

conditions meet the standards

- required of a government contractor.

- He has a job to do.

He has to do what you tell him.

I don't.

I can find my own way out, thank you.

And Leonard stays.

Well, that went about as well as

could be expected, don't you think?

The Justice Department has just handed

down indictments against Henry Rearden,

billionaire manufacturer

of Rearden Metal,

and Kenneth Danagger, the nation's

largest remaining producer of coal.

Both men face up to ten years in prison

for flagrant violation

of the Fair Share Law.

Eddie, I'm wheels down in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh?

I need to know where

Ken Danagger stands.

I want him to know he's not alone.

Excuse me, but I had

an 11:
00 with Mr. Danagger.

I know, Miss Taggart, I'm sorry.

He asked not to be disturbed.

He's been in there

with someone for a while.

- Who?

- I actually don't know the gentleman.

He didn't have an appointment,

but Mr. Danagger

seemed to be expecting him so...

Miss Taggart... He won't be

much longer I'm sure!

Dagny!

I'm sorry, Ken, I thought...

No, no. Forgive me, Dagny.

I'm sure I made you wait.

So good to see you.

You, too.

So... they've handed down the indictments

against you and Hank Rearden.

It's a knee-slapper.

You could go to prison for a decade.

Who is John Galt, right?

Mr. Danagger... Ken...

you told me you love your work.

I do.

Are you quitting?

It's a fine balance we have.

You depend on my coal for power...

...and to fill your hoppers.

Hank uses my coal to make his steel.

And we use his steel to shore up

my mines and lay your rail.

It's perfect.

Natural.

- Trading value for value.

- Everybody wins.

Until something we can't control

poisons that balance.

- Then what do we do?

- I fight.

I fought for every chunk of coal

I've ever pulled out of the ground.

And now, I can't set my price.

I can't decide who to sell to.

The government takes what they want

and taxes what they leave behind.

All I'm doing is feeding the beast

that's trying to destroy me.

You're just going to

let them have your coal?

It's not important.

You're welcome to it.

Take as much as you can haul away.

Dagny, you keep up the good fight,

just as long as you feel you need to.

I've only got one thing left

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