Is this about the gap between the life that Warren Schmidt has lived and the life that he might have lived insead? Or, instead, is it more about the gap between how he imagines the life of Ndugu and the life that Ndugu does live?
Which gap is more excruciating? Or more heartrending? And whose life is “smaller”?
Anyway, the lesson here [apparently] is not let your own life come down to this. Still, let’s face it, the overwhelming majority of men and women live the sort of lives that Warren did. They have jobs and live lives that are veritably bursting at the seams with one or another rather pathetic accumulation of superficial alienation.
Ordinary lives, you might call them. Lives in which, for all intents and purposes, they seem to just go through the motions.
How ordinary?
When Jack Nicholson met Alexander Payne to discuss his role, Payne had a one-sentence directive for him; it was “Jack, I want you to play a small man.” IMDb
Small people seem to abound here. Whatever that means.
It almost makes you want to abandon your family obligations altogether.
True, not all families are a pack of lies. But enough of them are so that a film like this will resonate for many. Few of us won’t be able to see at least some resemblance to our own lives.
IMDb
[b]When Jack Nicholson received the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama, he commented afterward, “I’m a little surprised. I thought we had made a comedy.”
The production crew created a lifetime Endowed Scholarship for the real-life Ndugu, Abdallah Mtulu, through the real Childreach organization.
The Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society is an actual organization. Jack Nicholson filmed his scenes at the company’s offices and was given a plaque making him an honorary Woodmen member. [/b]
at wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/About_Schmidt
trailer: youtu.be/M9OHT6EErbY
ABOUT SCHMIDT [2002]
Written in part and directed by Alexander Payne
Ray [at Warren’s retirement dinner]: How do you feel about these young punks taking over our jobs? Seems like some kind of conspiracy to me. Now I’ve known Warren here. Probably longer than most of you people who’ve been alive. Warren and I go way back. Way back… to the horse and buggy days at Woodman, but that’s ancient history. Anyway I know something about retirement. And what I wanna say to you out loud, Warren, for all of these young hotshots can hear. Is that all those gifts over there don’t mean a goddamn thing. And this dinner doesn’t mean a goddamn thing. And the social security in pension, don’t mean a goddamn thing. None of these superficialities mean a goddamn thing. What mean something. What really mean something, Warren. Is the knowledge that you devoted your life to something meaningful. To being productive. And working for a fine company, hell one of the top rated insurance carriers in the nation. To raising a fine family. To building a fine home. To being respected by your community. To having… wonderful lasting friendships. At the end of his career the man, can look back and say “I did it. I did my job”. Then he can retire in glory and enjoy riches far beyond the monitory kind. So all of you young people here. Take a good look at a very rich man. I love you, buddy.
That’s not nothing, right?
Angela Lansbury on TV: There is a wonderful organization called Child Reach, that is making a profound difference in the lifes of children just like these. For just $22/month, just 72 cents/day, you can become a Child Reach sponsor and not only personally touch the life of a needy boy or girl overseas. But also help the child’s family and community. Think of it, just $22/month, and a little girl like this will never feel the agony of dysentery from dirty water. A child like this will be able to go to school, to learn and grow.
That’s when Ndugu Umbo comes into focus. If only from a great distance.
Warren [in a letter to Ndugu]: Dear Ndugu, My name is Warren R. Schmidt. And I’m your new foster father. I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I am 66 years old and recently retired, as assistant vice-president of the Woodman of the World insurance company. And goddamnit if they didn’t replace me some kid who, all right, so maybe he’s got a little theory under his belt, and can plug a few numbers into a computer. But I can tell right off, that he doesn’t know a damn thing about genuine real-world risk assessment, or managing a department for that matter. Cocky bastard!.."
Oops. Better scratch that part out. But then he can still use Ndugu to vent regarding all those huge gaps in his life – the ones between the way his life has become and the way he had hoped it would instead.
Warren [in his letter to Ndugu]: …I’ll close now and get this in the mail. Here I am rambling on and on and you probably wanna hurry on down cash that check, and get yourself something to eat. So…take it easy and best of luck with all your endeavours.
Could he possibly be more out of touch with reality? But then he does listen to Rush Limbaugh.
Jeannie: Dad…Why did you get such a cheap casket?
Warren: What?
Jeannie: I could tell you got the cheapest casket. Everybody could.
Warren: That is not true. That is not true! I specifically did not choose as you say, the cheapest casket. There was one less expensive, which they showed me and I refused it.
Jeannie: You mean a pinebox?
Family…
[b]Warren: Dear Ndugu, I hope you’re sitting down, because I’m afraid l got some bad news. Since I last wrote to you, my wife, Helen, your foster mother, passed away very suddenly from a blood clod in her brain…
…
Warren [in letter to Ndugu]: I believe I mentioned in my previous letter that I was an actuary at the Woodman insurance company. lf I’m given a man’s age, race, profession, place of residence, marital status and medical history, I can calculate with great probability, how long that man will live. In my own case now that my wife has died, there is a 73% chance, that I will die within 9 years, provided that I do not remarry. All I know is, I’ve got to make best of whatever time I have left. Life is short, Ndugu.
…
Jeannie [on the phone]: You are coming now?
Warren: If I drive straight through, I’ll be there in time for supper.
Jeannie: Gosh, I don’t think so dad, this is not a good idea.
Warren: Sure it is. Don’t tell me you couldn’t use a little extra help with all those wedding arrangements. I’ll help to take the burden off.
Jeannie: The thing is that, Roberta and I and Jill we’ve pretty much got everything under control. It’s such a nice offer, but let’s stick to the plan. You get here a day or two before the wedding like we said.
[he finally gets it]
Warren: I assume you won’t object to me sending more of those checks.[/b]
This after discovering his best friend had an affair with his wife.
[b]Warren: Randall, what happened about that investment opportunity? You never called me back.
Duncan: You mean that pyramid scheme?
Larry: Let’s not talk about that now.
Duncan: All I know is I lost $800.
…
Larry: All I was doing was welcoming somebody into the family.
Roberta: Larry, we’ve been welcomed by you, thank you so much, now would you please just drink your fucking milk and shut the fuck up.
…
Warren: You’re making a big mistake, don’t marry this guy, don’t do it.
Jeannie: What are you talking about?
Warren: The other night I had a dream and it was very real. Your mother was there and you were there and your aunt Estelle. And there was a, well, it wasn’t really a spaceship, it was more like a blimp or an orb of some kind. And then a bunch of weird creatures came out and started trying to take you away, and you wanna know what? They all looked like Randall. Do you understand? And I was jumping up and down to save you.
Jeannie: Ok…dad, it’s okay. You’re just wigging out a little and Mom is not here to calm you down so…
Warren: No, this isn’t like that. I am begging you not to marry Randall! This guy is not up to snuff. He’s not in your league. I can’t let this happen. I will not allow it. I mean look at these people…!!!
Jeannie: All of a sudden you’re taking an interest in what I do? You have an opinion about my life now? Okay, you listen to me. I am getting married the day after tomorrow and you are going to come to my wedding and you are going to sit there and enjoy it and support me or else you can just turn right around right now and go back to Omaha. [/b]
No dog in this fight.
[b]Roberta: You already know how famously they get along as friends, but did you know that their sex life is positively white hot? The main reason both of my marriages failed was sexual. I’m an extremely sexual person, I can’t help it, it just how I’m wired, you know, even when I was a little girl. I had my first orgasm when I was 6 in ballet class. Anyway, the point is that I have been always very easily aroused and very orgasmic. Jeannie and I have a lot in common that way. Clifford and Larry, they were nice guys, but they just could not keep up with me. Anyway, I don’t want to betray Jeannie’s confidence, but let me just assure you that whatever problems those two kids may run into along the way, they will always be able to count on what happens between the sheets to keep them together. More soup?
Warren: Eh… no, I think I’m fine now.
…
Warren [in a letter to Ndugu]: I know we’re all pretty small in the big scheme of things, and I suppose the most you can hope for is to make some kind of difference, but what kind of difference have I made? What in the world is better because of me? When I was out in Denver, I tried to do the right thing, tried to convince Jeannie she was making a big mistake but I failed. Now she is married to that nincompoop and there is nothing I can do about it. I am…weak. And I am a failure. There is just no getting around it. Relatively soon, I will die. Maybe in 20 years, maybe tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. Once I am dead and everyone who knew me dies too, it will be as though I never existed. What difference has my life made to anyone. None that I can think of. None at all.[/b]
Can you say the same? Now to put all of this in perspective:
Dear Mister Warren Schmidt, my name is sister Nadine Gautier, of the order of the sisters of “the secret heart”. I work in a small village near the town of Embeya in Tanzania. One of the children I care for is little Ndugu Umbu, the boy you sponsor. Ndugu is a very intelligent boy, and very loving. He is an orphan. Recently he needed medical attention for an infection of the eye. But he is better now. He loves to eat melon and he loves to paint. Ndugu and I, want you to know that he receives all of your letters. He hopes that you are happy in your life and healthy. He thinks of you everyday. And he wants very much your happiness. Ndugu is only 6 years old and cannot read or write. But, he has made for you a painting. He hopes that you will like his painting. Yours sincerely…sister Nadine Gautier.