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Swimming with Sharks · 1994 — Chapter 9 of 16 · 5'19" · B2

Buddy Orders Guy to Bury the Story, Explained: written all over it

Buddy's world tilts when a magazine piece calls him a failure and he decides the rival executive Stella is behind it: "This has got Stella written all over it." His response is a war — fire the publicity department, and make his assistant erase every copy of the issue.

What happens

A magazine article ridicules Buddy, and he is convinced the studio rival Stella planted it. He orders his assistant Guy to track down every copy and destroy it, then keeps piling on phone calls: tape an interview at 11:00, cancel his own evening plans, get results. Guy's day disappears into errands.

Talking to the bossCriticism & layoffsComplainingThreateningBoss & employeeB2mediumamerican
IMDb ↗

Listen for

Have someone written all over itStick aroundBury itA blight on society

00:00 / 05:19
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Phrase of the scene

Have someone written all over it

to show clear signs of a particular person's involvement or style

巴迪读到一篇骂他社会祸害的报道，认定这不是普通新闻，而是斯特拉在背后搞鬼，说整件事里处处是她的影子，还扬言要开战。

The prank has your brother written all over it.

Also in this scene

  • Stick around

    to stay in a place for a while

  • Bury it

    把报道或丑闻压下去、让它没人再提

  • A blight on society

    社会毒瘤、败坏社会风气的存在

Everything marked in this scene

31 notes across 100 lines

Phrase · B2don't you ever say thatDon't you ever say that.
Phrase · B1get the stuffDid you get the stuff?
Phrase · B1under the sinkI put it in the cabinet under the sink.
Phrase · B1a brown paper bagIt's in a brown paper bag.
Phrase · B1not belong thereNo, no, no, no, no, it doesn't belong there.
Phrase · B2exactly, anticipateExactly. Anticipate.
Phrase · B2be a causeIt's not a movie, it... it's a cause.
Phrase · C1speeches and pronouncementsAll those speeches and pronouncements.
Phrase · B2much less do somethingThat is not what people want to see, much less pay to see. Don't ever forget...
Phrase · B2don't ever forgetThat is not what people want to see, much less pay to see. Don't ever forget...
Phrase · C1be in the business of doing somethingWe are in the business of developing people's dreams, not damning them.
Phrase · B2the next new thingBesides, Cyrus has already found the next new thing, this young hot director, this fuckin' Foster Kane.
Phrase · B2a young hot directorBesides, Cyrus has already found the next new thing, this young hot director, this fuckin' Foster Kane.
Phrase · B2do well at the box officePicture did very well at the box office last weekend, and Stella's already wooed him.
Phrase · C1woo someonePicture did very well at the box office last weekend, and Stella's already wooed him.
Phrase · B1still have somethingWell, uh, y-you still got that article in Time.
Phrase · C1the king of somethingIt calls you "the king of wham-bam action."
Phrase · B2where do they get these ...Where do they get these lies?
Phrase · B2listen to this crapListen to this crap.
Phrase · C1a blight on somethingI'm "a blight on society"?
Phrase · B2have someone written all over it

to show clear signs of a particular person's involvement or style

This has got Stella written all over it.
Phrase · B2wants a war, gets oneFine. That bitch wants a war, she'll get one.
Phrase · B1have plans tonightYou got plans tonight? Uh...
Phrase · B2not for nothingNot for nothin', Guy.
Phrase · B2make something flyYou want to make Dawn's project fly?
Phrase · B2bury a storyYeah. But first we need to bury this article.
Phrase · B1find a wayFind a way. Do it. Figure it out.
Phrase · B1stick around

to stay in a place for a while

You gotta stick around and tape this interview with Foster Kane tonight.
Phrase · B1get rid of somethingGreat. Now, did you get rid of all the articles?
Phrase · B2be big on somethingYou get to have some fun, because don't ever forget, this job is very big on payback.
Phrase · B2put someone to sleepIt just puts 'em right to sleep. You know.

Buddy Orders Guy to Bury the Story, explained

What's really going on

The scandal isn't really about the article. Buddy sees an enemy behind every sentence, and the evidence is pure inference: "This has got Stella written all over it." From there he escalates — fire the publicity department, destroy every copy of the magazine — turning a bad review into a private war. His assistant gets the worst of it, told to cancel his own life and ordered to do the impossible: "Find a way. Do it. Figure it out." The most chilling moment isn't the shouting, it's the promise that follows: work hard now and "you're rewarded," because this job "is very big on payback." Obedience is framed as an investment, and the return is implied to be something the assistant will be allowed to enjoy later.

Theme

PowerBuddy's response to criticism is pure command: fire a department, erase a magazine, cancel his assistant's night. Whoever has the title decides what reality is.
RevengeA bad review is answered not with truth but with buried evidence and destroyed copies; later, revenge is admitted to feel good even when it fixes nothing.

What you'll learn

  • Use written all over it in the same situation
  • Hear Figure it out as pressure, not small talk
  • Catch who the line is aimed at
  • Notice how "written all over it" changes the exchange.
  • Listen for the attitude carried by "written all over it".
We are in the business of developing people's dreams, not damning them.

Buddy's grand defense of his industry, which is also a dodge: he rejects Dawn's serious project as a "cause" and insists movies exist to supply dreams, not harsh truths.

This has got Stella written all over it.

Buddy's certainty that a rival executive is behind the article. It's an accusation built on instinct, not proof, and it instantly turns a publicity problem into a personal war.

But it makes me feel so much better.

The line that reveals the whole spiral: someone admits the act is wrong yet does it anyway because it feels good. The revenge has stopped being about fixing anything.

Find a way. Do it. Figure it out.

The boss's answer when the task is impossible. It puts the entire burden on the assistant — no method, no help, no excuse — and doubles as a test of obedience.

Questions about this scene

Why does Buddy think Stella is behind the article?

Because it attacks him and helps her. He offers no proof — "This has got Stella written all over it" is his instinct — but he treats the rivalry as reason enough to retaliate.

What does "a blight on society" mean?

It's a strong insult meaning something that damages society. The article applies it to Buddy, which is why he wants every copy of the magazine destroyed rather than answered.

Why does Buddy promise Guy a reward while ordering him to destroy the magazines?

It's how he keeps control. The promise — work hard now and "you're rewarded" — reframes an unethical overnight errand as a career investment, so refusing feels like giving up a future.

What does the final exchange between the two men reveal?

It shows the tables have turned: one is now in pain and asks why this is happening, while the other admits it won't fix anything — "But it makes me feel so much better."

Swimming with Sharks · 16 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 10White knight in shining armorBuddy Offers Guy the White Knight Role
Chapter 1sweet-talk someoneBuddy Sweet-Talks Shelley WintersChapter 2End of storyBuddy Berates Guy Over the PhoneChapter 3lose the smileGuy's First Day as Buddy's AssistantChapter 4Humor meBuddy Berates Guy Over Sweet'N LowChapter 5punch below the beltGuy Learns the Rules of Show BusinessChapter 6It's not brain surgeryBuddy Rages Over the Word UnreachableChapter 7give action to get actionAn Apology Becomes a Power PlayChapter 8Get over yourselfGuy Explains Why He Loves MoviesWatching · Chapter 9written all over itBuddy Orders Guy to Bury the StoryChapter 10White knight in shining armorBuddy Offers Guy the White Knight RoleChapter 11on a short leashGuy Is Warned Off the BossChapter 12Hit a home runBuddy Pitches Guy's Ending to CyrusChapter 13make a killingGuy Ditches His Partner to Obey BuddyChapter 14the rat raceBuddy's Rat Race SpeechChapter 15Paid my duesBuddy Defends Himself to GuyChapter 16climb the social ladderDawn Finds Guy Holding Buddy Hostage
Chapter 9 of 16 · about 38 min to go