The Pursuit of Happyness – The Interview - Transcript
Chris Gardner is a San Francisco salesman who’s struggling to make ends meet. When his girlfriend walks out Chris is left to raise their five-year old son on his own. Chris’s determination to succeed leads him to land an interview for an internship programme with Dean Witter, a stock brokerage firm. The day before the interview Chris takes a break from decorating his apartment to go to the police station to pay some parking fines. However, the police insist on keeping him in jail until his cheque can be cleared the next day at 9h30. The interview is at 10h15.
Scene begins: 39.23
Assistant: Mr Gardner. This way. It’ll be right over there.
Broker: What is the one like that one?
Assistant: Chris Gardner.
Chris: Chris Gardner. How are you? Good morning. Chris Garner. Chris Gardner. Good to see you again. Chris Gardner, pleasure. I’ve been sitting out there for the last half-hour trying to come up with a story that would explain my being here dressed like this. And I wanted to come up with a story that would demonstrate qualities that I’m sure you all admire here, like earnestness or diligence or team-playing, something. And I couldn’t think of anything. So the truth is I was arrested for failure to pay parking tickets.
Interviewer 1: Parking tickets?
Chris: And I ran all the way here from the Polk Station, the police station.
Interviewer 2: What were you doing before you were arrested?
Chris: I was painting my apartment.
Interviewer 2: Is it dry now?
Chris: I hope so.
Interviewer 2: Jay says you’re pretty determined.
Interviewer 1: He’s been waiting outside the front of the building with some 40-pound gizmo for over a month.
Interviewer 2: He said you’re smart.
Chris: Well, I like to think so.
Interviewer 2: And you want to learn this business?
Chris: Yes, sir, I wanna learn this business.
Interviewer 2: Have you already started learning on your own?...