Can a ruthless corporate raider find redemption after dismantling a family business for profit?
In short: In the 1991 film Other People's Money, Danny DeVito plays a predatory investor targeting a struggling New England firm. While he views the company as a collection of assets to be liquidated for maximum gain, his clash with a sharp corporate lawyer forces a confrontation between cold efficiency and human legacy.
Directed by Norman Jewison and released in 1991, Other People's Money explores the tension between traditional industrial values and the aggressive tactics of corporate raiding. The story centers on Lawrence Garfield, a financier who uses a custom stock-analysis program to identify companies where the total value of physical holdings exceeds the current market price. He sets his sights on the New England Wire & Cable Company, a profitable but aging business led by Andrew Jorgenson, who prioritizes the welfare of his employees and community over shareholder returns.
The conflict escalates when Jorgenson hires his stepdaughter, Kate Sullivan, to block the hostile takeover. As the legal and financial battle unfolds, the film stages a debate regarding the purpose of a corporation. Jorgenson argues that businesses have a moral obligation to their workers, while Garfield contends that technological shifts have made the company obsolete, urging shareholders to prioritize their own financial interests. Despite the film's cynical premise, the narrative takes a turn when Garfield wins control, only to find his victory hollow, leading to a final attempt at reconciliation through a potential business pivot.
Critical reception of the film was mixed, with many reviewers noting that the adaptation of Jerry Sterner's 1989 play felt overly genial. While some critics praised the central debate between the two leads, others, including Roger Ebert, criticized the ending as a forced, optimistic conclusion that undermined the film's earlier tone. Notably, the production serves as a significant milestone in cinema history, marking the final major performance of Gregory Peck before his retirement. Though it grossed approximately $25.7 million, the film remains a curious artifact of 1990s corporate culture, capturing the era's anxieties about the erosion of the American manufacturing base.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Other People's Money
- Also: Wikidata — Other People's Money · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Other People's Money · CC0
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