The Bad and the Beautiful, directed by Vincente Minnelli, tells the story of a film producer who alienates all around him. It stars Kirk Douglas,
Lana Turner, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, and Gloria Grahame. The Bad and the Beautiful holds the record for most Oscars won (five) by a movie that was not nominated for Best Picture. Kirk Douglas was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but lost to Gary Cooper in High Noon.
To honor his father's memory, Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas) hires extras to act as mourners at the funeral. Each extra was promised $11. Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), one of the extras, bad mouths the deceased during the funeral and Shields refuses to pay him. Amiel then shows up at Shield's home. We think there may be a fight, but Amiel has actually come to apologize:
AMIEL: It's me. Big Mouth.
SHIELDS: You come for a fight or for your eleven bucks?
AMIEL: The things I said at the funeral were childish and cheap. I'm sorry.
It's a simple, direct apology, totally devoid of defensiveness or the need to "explain." The directness of the apology completely disarms Shields who was ready for a confrontation. Instead, Shields invites Amiel in for a drink and the start of a long, troubled relationship.

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