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Uncut Gems · 2019 — Chapter 8 of 14 · 2'47" · C1

Howard Blows Up at the Auction House, Explained: bent over backwards

At the auction house, Howard discovers that the estimate for his opal has been corrected down and explodes. He demands to speak to Anne, argues that the appraiser knows nothing about colored stones, and threatens to bring in six experts of his own. Anne will not change the correction: "We are not correcting a correction," she says.

What happens

At the auction house, Howard learns that the appraisal of his opal has been lowered and starts shouting. He demands to speak with Anne, says the appraiser knows nothing about colored stones, and offers to bring six experts to prove the number is wrong. Anne, exhausted, tells him the correction will stand and gives him a choice: withdraw the piece or sell it as it is.

ArgumentsAccusationsComplainingConfrontingStaff & customerC1fastamerican
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bent over backwardsas-iscome up withkeep your voice down

00:00 / 02:47
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Phrase of the scene

bent over backwards

to make a huge effort to help someone

拍卖行整个周末加班为霍华德赶拍品，安妮用 I have bent over backwards for you 回击他不知好歹。

We bent over backwards for that client and got no thanks.

Also in this scene

  • as-is

    in its current condition, with no changes or guarantees

  • come up with

    to think of or produce an idea or figure

  • keep your voice down

    to speak more quietly

Everything marked in this scene

25 notes across 57 lines

Phrase · A2a big dayIt's a big day.
Phrase · B1be on someoneThese are on me, Howard Ratner.
Soundon me

liaison

These are on me, Howard Ratner.
Phrase · B1the catalog for today- Is this the catalog for today? - That's the one.
Phrase · B2stop on someoneIt stops right on me.
Phrase · B2a correction- This is a mistake. - It's a correction.
Phrase · B1speak with someone- Where's Anne? I want to speak with her. - I'm sorry. Anne is in a meeting.
Phrase · B1it's an emergencyNo, get her out of the meeting. It's an emergency. I wanna speak with her.
Phrase · B2keep one's voice down

to speak more quietly

If you promise to keep your voice down, - I'm happy to call her. - Yes.
Soundvoice down

liaison

If you promise to keep your voice down, - I'm happy to call her. - Yes.
Slang · B2bullshitCan you ask her how this fucking 155 bullshit happened?
Phrase · B2come up with somethingI'm asking, who came up with the fucking figure?
Phrase · B2go out and get somethingI could go out and get six appraisers right now,
Phrase · B2hand someone over- Can I speak with her? - I'm gonna have to hand you over.
Phrase · B1calm oneself downOkay, you need to calm yourself down, Mr. Ratner.
Phrase · B2be a jokeI don't want to be calm. This appraisal is a fucking joke.
Phrase · B1know nothing aboutWho clearly knows nothing about colored stones.
Phrase · B1remind someone thatDo I need to remind you that you brought the opal to us on a Friday night for an auction set on a Monday morning?
Grammar · B2Do I need to remind you that

rhetorical question

Do I need to remind you that you brought the opal to us on a Friday night for an auction set on a Monday morning?
Phrase · B2be not an option- It needs to be changed. Do it. - Well, that's not an option.
Grammar · B2at the top of

at the top of

You're gonna make an announcement at the top of
Soundat the top

weak form

You're gonna make an announcement at the top of
Grammar · B2either pull it or carry on as-is

either-or choice

We are not correcting a correction. We can either pull it or carry on as-is.
Phrase · C1bend over backwards for someone

to make a huge effort to help someone

- Okay, Anne. - I have bent over backwards for you.
Phrase · B1work with someone againI'm just happy I won't ever have to work with you again.

Howard Blows Up at the Auction House, explained

What's really going on

The scene is Howard at his most Howard: convinced he is right, unable to lower his voice, and entirely oblivious to the fact that he is the one who brought the problem on himself. He has delivered the opal at the last minute, and the house has done what houses do — but he treats the correction as a personal insult. Anne's answer is the calmest thing in the room: "We are not correcting a correction." What Howard cannot hear is the reasonableness of her position; what she cannot hide is how tired she is of him. Her line about being happy never to work with him again is the real verdict of the scene, and it lands harder than any of Howard's shouting. He wins nothing and loses another relationship, which is the pattern of his life.

Theme

MoneyA corrected number on a piece of paper is worth a fortune to Howard, and the scene is about how much a valuation can change his fate.
AmbitionHoward cannot accept the lower figure because the auction is his way out of debt, so he fights instead of listening.

What you'll learn

  • Distinguish appraisal, estimate, and carat in auction talk.
  • Use as-is to accept the current terms.
  • Catch how calm yourself down softens a threat.

Listen for

  • on me — liaison
  • voice down — liaison
  • at the top — weak form
Who clearly knows nothing about colored stones.

Howard's professional insult aimed at the appraiser: he claims the man has no expertise with the stones, which is his way of dismissing the low figure.

I'm just happy I won't ever have to work with you again.

Anne's quiet revenge: she stops arguing and says the only thing that matters to her is that this working relationship is over.

I don't want to be calm. This appraisal is a fucking joke.

Howard refusing the reasonable request to settle down, because accepting the valuation would mean accepting his own failure.

We are not correcting a correction. We can either pull it or carry on as-is.

The house's position stated once and for all: no second revision, only the choice between withdrawing the lot and selling it unchanged.

Questions about this scene

Why is Howard angry at the auction house?

Because the estimate for his opal has been revised down to 155. He believes the stone is worth far more and sees the lower figure as an insult and a threat to his plans.

What does "bent over backwards" mean?

It means to make a great effort to help someone. Anne says she has bent over backwards for Howard, which is her way of saying she has already done more than enough.

Why does Anne refuse to change the correction?

Because the house will not revise a revision. It would make the auction look unreliable, so she offers Howard only two options: withdraw the piece or sell it as it is.

Why does Howard want to bring in other appraisers?

To prove the house is wrong. He claims that six appraisers would value the stone at $3,000 a carat, which he thinks should force the estimate up.

How does the argument end?

It ends without a deal. Anne says she is glad never to work with him again, and Howard, defeated, leaves and tells his staff to remove the inserts from the catalogs.

Uncut Gems · 14 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 9jack upHoward Riggs the Opal Auction
Chapter 1in your best interestCollectors Come to Howard's ShowroomChapter 2so extraHoward and Dinah Fight Then Make UpChapter 3a moot pointKevin Garnett Shops for JewelryChapter 4get your hands on somethingHoward Pitches KG the Black OpalChapter 5a memorabilia pieceHoward Pawns the Championship RingChapter 6play mind games with meHoward Tells Julia to Move OutChapter 7give someone another shotHoward Begs Julia for Another ChanceWatching · Chapter 8bent over backwardsHoward Blows Up at the Auction HouseChapter 9jack upHoward Riggs the Opal AuctionChapter 10copaceticHoward Owes Gooey After the AuctionChapter 11you're my homeJulia Comforts Howard After the AuctionChapter 12give someone the runaroundHoward Bets Everything on KGChapter 13get yourself togetherArno Traps Howard in the StoreChapter 14right out the gateHoward's Live Parlay on Kevin Garnett
Chapter 8 of 14 · about 25 min to go