The Ultimate Gift

Synopsis: Jason thought his inheritance was going to be the gift of money and lots of it. Was he ever in for a big surprise. Based on the best-selling book "The Ultimate Gift" by Jim Stovall, the story sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens on an improbable journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Jason had a very simple relationship with his impossibly wealthy Grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens. He hated him. No heart-to-heart talks, no warm fuzzies, just cold hard cash. So of course he figured that when Red died, the whole "reading of the will" thing would be another simple cash transaction, that his Grandfather's money would allow him to continue living in the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. But what Red left him was anything but simple. Red instead devised a plan for Jason to experience a crash course on life. Twelve tasks, which Red calls "gifts," each challenging Jason in an improbable way, the accumulat
Genre: Drama, Family, Romance
Director(s): Michael O. Sajbel
Production: Fox Faith
  3 wins.
 
IMDB:
7.4
Metacritic:
49
Rotten Tomatoes:
32%
PG
Year:
2006
114 min
$3,400,000
Website
2,054 Views


Are we on?

Hello.

When? Thank you.

Yes. I'll tell him.

Sir.

He's gone.

Contact family members

the various corporate boards

and business interests.

Yes, sir.

Sir, I

I am so sorry

for your loss.

Am I speakin'

to a Theophilus Hamilton of Birmingham?

Sir? Yes, sir. This is he.

Name's Howard Stevens.

You can call me Red.

I need a lawyer for a few

business ideas I have

a few still

in the dream stage.

Though the skies may weep

the Bible assures us that

precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his saints.

I wonder who the old man

negotiated with for the rain.

Well, it's a sure bet

he's laughin'

watchin' us get soaked.

Yeah, well,

now it's his turn.

There's not a person here

whose life, in some way

has not been touched

by Howard Red Stevens.

Red often quoted

Malcolm Muggeridge

saying that, Every happening,

great or small

is a parable by which

God speaks to us

and the art of life

is to get the message.

May the message of Red Stevens

continue in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

-What are you doing? You're gonna get all wet.

-Bill.

Even though Dad moved his corporate offices

from Texas many years ago

for tax reasons

he always said he wanted

to be buried under Texas soil.

Is that him?

That's him.

Mom.

-You're late.

-For what?

Give me some of that!

Settle down over there.

Good morning.

Before we start,

I'd like to say how much Red

meant to me personally.

As you know, we started out

as business partners

and we ended up

as friends.

I am deeply grieved

by his passing.

Yes, well, that's very nice.

Now, may we proceed?

Red's will

is in his own words

still, every bit

as legal and binding

Blah, blah, blah.

And, so,

my eldest son, Bill

I leave my company,

Panhandle Oil and Gas.

Currently worth $600 million.

However, Bill, since you had

zero interest in my company while I was alive

I don't imagine that will

change much after my death.

Therefore, the board

will maintain control.

Excuse me, but my client would like

to explore all of his options.

Your client

has no more options.

One of those instructions

Mr Hamilton skipped over

is Red's desire that each of you vacate

after receiving your portion of the estate.

-As in, leave the room.

-What the She can't talk to me like that.

-Well, do something.

-You can go now, Mr Stevens.

-What All right. Fine. Fine.

-We should really go.

I have never been so humiliated.

Did you see that old man

talking' to me that way?

And you guys just sat there

and said absolutely nothin'.

That's it?

-A cow farm?

-A 10,000-acre cow farm.

Well, what's that worth anyway?

Ruth, come on.

Come here.

What exactly do we get?

A place for you

to take your mistress.

Come on, Ruth.

Let me explain.

-I want to see everything! Full disclosure.

-Come on, Jack. Let's go.

-Good day, Mr Stevens.

-You said you had a strategy!

-This is a long way from over.

-You said it was a slam dunk!

-To Sarah, widow of my late son,

Jay Howard Stevens

I am truly sorry

for the events of the past.

Please know that Jays death

represents the greatest tragedy

I have ever experienced.

I leave you control of my Myers Park estate

where you now reside

and a managed trust for expenses as long as you live.

-There we go.

Since your choice

of male companionship is vast and varied

the deed and title for the house

will remain under the control of my trustees.

-Good day, Mr Hamilton.

-Good day.

It's amazing just how far

the fruit can fall from the tree.

And still roll

a great distance.

Nice of you to show up.

You're in time for nothin'.

Let's go.

Jason.

How do you know

my name?

It's my business to know everyone

named in your grandfather's will.

Let's cut the b.s., 'cause

I know what he left me nothing.

Walk away you'll never know,

will you?

Jason?

So, what's in the box?

Your inheritance.

Have a seat.

Does the box or the seal appear to have been

tampered with in any way?

No.

Then therefore

witness this day

that I am

breaking the seal

affixed in my presence

by Red himself.

-Miss Hastings.

-Yes, sir.

-Are we on?

-Yes, we are.

Mmm. Well, then,

If you're watching this

I must be dead.

That's a strange concept.

How was my funeral?

Well attended?

I hope it rained.

Hamilton, Miss Hastings

I hope you're having

a better day than I am.

If you've just been

with my family, I doubt it.

Jason, I made a lot

Of mistakes with our family

but you're the one

I think I hurt the most.

The only way I can make it up to you

is to not give you anything.

I knew it.

What I mean by that is that

I'm not giving you anything just yet.

So sit back down there.

I've been thinking about this

for a long time.

How can I give you something and not have it

ruin you like your uncles and aunts?

Even some of their kids.

So I want to give you a gift

a series of gifts

leading up to, well

I wanna call it

the ultimate gift.

Now, you fail in anyway,

it's over.

You get nothing.

And everything you do

must be to Mr Hamilton's satisfaction.

You might wanna make friends with him

sooner than later.

This is a voice-activated

Conversay.

It allows two-way communication

between our office and you.

And you can also replay

Red's messages on it if you need to.

-Sir.

-Ah, good.

There's a flight to Houston

tomorrow at 7:
00 a. m.

As in morning, 7:00am?

Yes. That 7:
00 a. m.

-For what?

-You have until then to accept.

-Why do I have to go?

-You'll find out when you get there.

-This is whacked.

-You might wanna rethink that.

What could he possibly give me

that he hasn't already taken away?

Huh? Screw him.

Screw both of you.

Well.

How was your day?

I'm not sure.

What do you mean?

My grandfather may have

left me something.

-Yeah?

-I'm just trying to figure it out.

-You mean it's not cash?

-I don't know.

Don't know?

If l want to play into his little power trip,

I gotta go pick it up.

-Where?

-Texas.

-Yech.

-You know what? I'm not going.

Well, aren't you

at least curious?

What if it's gold?

He ruined my life.

My best revenge

is to just

ignore him.

Besides,

I've got a trust fund.

Worst-case scenario

I'll live off my mom.

I don't need his money.

Yeah, but one can always use

some extra walking-around money.

Not if I have

to sell my soul.

But, if you had to, at least try to get

as much out of him as you can.

My gosh. What if you actually

had to get a job sometime?

Police escort sorta.

Uh, ladies and gentlemen

from the flight deck, we have a very full flight

to Houston this morning.

Uh, excuse me, sir.

Can I- Can I see

your boarding pass again?

Thank you.

Yeah. See, this is, uh

I'm sorry. This is for coach.

Nah. That's impossible.

-No. It's, uh, 32B.

-Well, change it.

We can't Please.

We can't No.

Thanks a lot.

We can't change it.

It's a Q fare. You can't upgrade.

-So, can we

-Do you have any idea who I am?

I- I know exactly

who you are.

You're the guy in Seat 32B. Here we go.

Conversay to Jason Stevens.

Rate this script:4.7 / 69 votes

Cheryl McKay

Cheryl McKay is an American author and screenwriter, from Los Angeles, California. McKay holds an M.A. in Screenwriting from Regent University in Virginia, and is a winner of the 2006/2007 Art Within Labs award.She wrote the screen adaptations of Jim Stovall's novel The Ultimate Gift and Sheila Walsh's children's book Gigi: God's Little Princess. McKay wrote Taylor's Wall and The Wild & Wacky Totally True Bible Stories series, narrated by Frank Peretti.McKay cowrote Never the Bride with Rene Gutteridge more…

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