Wild Orchid

'How many other firms are you interviewing with in New York?'

'Six, including yours.'

So I take it you're not opposed to relocating here?

That's what I plan to do.

I've never been here before, but I like it already.

Your first visit?

I've never really been out of the Midwest.

After graduating from law school and passing the bar,

I worked at a small firm in Chicago for eighteen months.

But you already know that.

With all these languages? Spanish, French, Italian?

Portuguese and rudimentary Chinese.

I've been too busy preparing to travel to actually go anywhere. Now here I am.

Tell me, why did you choose international law

rather than criminal law, for example?

I've always been fascinated by other cultures, their customs, rituals.

I believe it's even more satisfying, more exciting,

to be able to negotiate differences into consensus

when dealing with people of vastly different cultural points of view.

Ms Reed, if you're chosen for this position, what would you say

if you were expected to leave for Rio de Janeiro in the morning?

Wow!

Elliot, don't be such a tight arse.

I'm not talking brain surgery here, or starving people in Africa.

I'm talking a few million dollars, one way or the other.

Your bank has you by the balls, sweetheart.

You personally signed the loan.

You're next interest payment is due in four days.

You've depleted your other assets. You have nothing left to liquidate.

How do I know? Honey, that is privileged information.

Let's just say that a mutual friend of ours talks in his sleep. One second...

- Claudia Dennis. - Emily Reed.

Do sit down.

Have you had your breakfast?

Shirley, give her a corned beef sandwich.

You'd better eat it now. You'll get nothing like this in Rio.

Elliot, I know all about the subcontractor fucking up.

It's a good thing I'm coming down there to bail you out.

I'll see you at the construction site on Monday. Bye.

Welcome.

- Thank you. - So, it's all there.

Everything you need to know about the deal.

We're bailing out an under-capitalized dying company,

a resort hotel complex that's about to go into construction.

I'm coming in with a consortium of Chinese investors,

and hopefully we'll be in and out before the word hits the street.

- I think we should go. - Yes.

I hope you brought summer clothes. It's hot as hell where we're going.

You sweat a lot, run a lot. You may not even sleep till the whole thing's over.

It all happened so fast. I didn't have time to go shopping.

If I'd had gotten your job, I'd have been in Bendel's before the ink was dry.

You're gonna make a lot of money. Might as well learn how to enjoy it.

It's all play money, anyway. Do you like what you see?

Beautiful.

Hello! Hello!

Ah, great.

So, what's happening, boys? Talk to me.

- What's the word on the street? - Nothing yet.

Good. Emily, our new whiz-kid lawyer.

Meet Juan, Roberto, VPs from the local office.

Stop!

Emily!

This is Flavio, my soothsayer, my main man.

A man for all seasons, all reasons.

Anything you need done, anything you need to know,

this is the dude.

Hello.

Well, welcome to the war room, sweetheart.

Not bad for a rich little poor girl from the boondocks.

So where are the secretaries, Roberto?

They'll be here tomorrow.

I told you I want them on call 24 hours a day.

When I close, I put the whole world on my schedule.

Sorry, Claudia. it's not set up yet.

Not set up yet?

Do you have any idea what is at stake here?

We'll just have to start bright and early in the morning, won't we?

Golf course, tennis courts.

gym, Jacuzzi, saunas.

private bungalows, stable, riding ring, open-air theater.

And last but not least, the marina.

Is that part of the package? I don't see any mention of it.

It's not a part of their plan, but a critical part of ours.

It's the marina idea that convinced the Chinese to come aboard.

But you don't have the rights to it.

Don't worry, Emily. It's not going anywhere.

It's been on the market for four years.

We'll move on it the minute we close this.

Hey, fellas. Where's your boss?

He went away. He's gone.

Son of a bitch!

Gone? What do you mean, gone?

- He's supposed to meet us here. - Mario!

We had an appointment. Get him on the phone!

Get him on the phone!

Flavio!

Flavio! Flavio!

Perfect!

Elliot's gone off to Buenos Aires

to his niece's impromptu, spur-of-the-moment wedding.

Niece's wedding, my arse! The slime bucket's stalling.

He's there dealing with the Argentinians. I'm not going to let it happen.

I'm going down there, and if I have to, I'll bring him back on a goddamn leash!

Now, you stay here. Just act as if nothing's wrong.

Finish the inventory. Flavio will pick you up

after he's dropped me at the airport. Let's go!

You'll have to take my date tonight. I'll call him. He'll pick you up at 8:00.

- What? - Stop, Flavio.

Who?

I'll lay out something for you to wear.

Wear it. And fix your hair. Put on some goddamn lipstick.

And remember the golden rule:

keep your eyes and your ears open and your mouth shut.

The guy's a predator. Capisce?

That's quite an improvement.

Oh, you did see me.

I'm sorry I'm late. I hate to be late.

I'm James Wheeler.

I'd prefer it if you call me Wheeler.

The only way I've ever been able to stand the name Jim

is if you put a diamond in front of it

and that would be a little much, don't you think?

I'm Emily.

Well, I certainly hope so. I'd feel like a fool if you weren't.

Do they go everywhere with you?

Almost everywhere.

See, I was kidnapped once.

I don't want to go through the experience again.

That's awful.

For politics or money?

Money.

Strictly money.

Well, at least it didn't frighten you into keeping a low profile.

If you want me to apologise for being rich,

then I will, I'm sorry.

We can take a bus. I can get rid of the car.

Should I tell them to go?

No.

I've seen that boy before.

Miles from here.

Is something wrong?

I just like watching you walk.

Good evening, Manuella.

Boa noite. Welcome, welcome.

- Hello. How are you? - Good.

Amazing. I've always loved parrots.

He say, "Welcome. Welcome."

No, it sounded like he said, "Watch out! Watch out!" to me.

Someday, you're going to tell your grandchildren

how you were once in Rio with a man with bodyguards,

who brought you to an old converted slave quarters,

and you walked across the room in another woman's dress.

How do you know this isn't my dress?

Because I bought it for Claudia.

And what makes you think I'm gonna have grandchildren?

Your mother said that you always planned

on getting married and settling down.

My mother?

I hope you don't mind, I had my assistant call her

and ask her what you like to eat.

She said well-done roast beef,

mashed potatoes and creamed carrots.

So I took the liberty of ordering for you.

You actually called my mother?

To mothers.

It must be the jet lag.

My emotions keep getting away from me.

That's not such a bad thing.

We all have to lose ourselves sometimes

to find ourselves, don't you think?

I don't know.

Sure you do.

Look around.

That elderly woman at the next table,

the one with the bodyguards that match her gown...

Tell me about her.

What would it take for her to lose control?

What do you think?

The wig.

Losing her wig would definitely wig her out.

And what about them? The couple in the white?

Are they happy or sad?

Sad. Definitely sad.

And whose money is it? His or hers?

Hers.

And where did they meet?

A ski resort in Switzerland.

- He was the ski instructor? - Nope.

He was there training for the Olympics.

Then he broke his leg.

Was it love at first sight?

Yes.

How did she know?

Because it was something she never felt before.

The wedding night. Tell me about the wedding night.

Where did they go?

They went to a grand hotel on a tropical beach somewhere.

They made their reservations by phone, not knowing it had fallen to ruin.

'He hated it.'

She liked it.