lord walton assures me this guy's one of the very top scholars in the english art world. has a couple of doctorates no less.
various things. thank you. however, as you know, this is not an inexpensive venture, and, financially speaking, we're in very serious crap right now.
so .  i'm wondering if one of you would have this guy stay in your home instead of some expensive hotel.
david?
i thought perhaps as vice-president, and in view of the unfortunate attendance's for the summer show this year.  the massive financial
tomorrow. you have a problem with that?
ah, david. finally. and this must be our professor from across the sea.
this is bernard schimmel. bernie the doctor.
take a seat, gentlemen.  although before we settle - feast your eyes on these.
arthur rackham. originals of course. got four of them. check this out .  venus and the cat, aesop's fables. isn't that something?
maybe. hell of a price, i'11 tell you. anyway - down to business.
bernie was just showing me his new ideas for a cross-gallery computer system. dr bean - would you like to look at this? very exciting stuff .
not bad, eh? what do you think, doctor? ah.  doctor bean?
well, thanks for dropping by. enjoy your stay with our vice president and his family. they're simple people.-.but warm, yes, doctor?
 settled in yet. i know. plenty of time. bernie, perhaps you'd like to take dr. bean on a tour of the gallery.
he's a genius, right?
very pleased you've taken him in, david. at a time when no-one's job is safe, it really identifies you as a team player.
glad to hear it. tell poor mr larson to come through, will you?
sack him? david, what else can i do? this business is not, repeat, not breaking even. and david .  notice anything this morning?
ah, david. showing dr. bean our good lady?
well, good - think i may go and look at her myself.
er .  pray tell me why?
time taken its toll on the old girl, eh?
thank you david. however, flattery will get you nowhere. truth
no. no, no, hold on .  we cant sustain our loses - so i've decided.  to sell whistler's mother.
brilliant, huh? i already have a prospective buyer - the current governor of california, no less, who is flies in tomorrow to inspect her and clinch the deal. spread the news. i think decisive leadership has done the trick, don't you?
i think you're wrong, david. she looks as fine as she's ever looked. worth every cent of the 10 million dollar-s.
bravo. let's put on a good show tomorrow, shall we? don't want anything to go wrong.
well, congratulations. isn't that great, david?
well, bravo! what with you and whistler's ma - i think i've got a winning team.
what a pleasure, governor reynolds. i'd like you to meet some of our staff here. .
right. got it.
alex, please!
this is elmer, our longest serving.
thank you bernie. well done. now, if you'll excuse - i have a little smartening up to do myself.
what a pleasure, governor. welcome.
not at all, governor. very striking.
why thank you sir.
yes it is .  may i introduce you to bern .
ah, one of my favourites. it expresses a universal agony that the established church so rarely acknowledges, don't you think?
bravo - what do you say to a final glass of, though i say it
look, governor - just wait - it's may not be as bad as it looks
i am sorry you feel that way.
colleagues - what can i say? incidents such as occurred yesterday teach a man important lessons. on reflection, i realise it would have been a sin to sell whistler's mother to such an impertinent philistine as governor reynolds. and therefore, i blame myself for having ever let things get to such a pass that we felt we had realise our the staff - twelve got today, i've schimmel as to sell her. i suddenly problem here hasn't been it's been the leadership flabby, lazy- and so decided to appoint bernie my new vice- president.
he's a man with a plan who will haul us into profitability and the 21st century.
good point bernie - precisely the kind of perceptive interjection i'd expect from my new v.p. how can we, you ask, survive without whistler's mother - our single greatest asset? well, the truth is - we can't. so what am i saying? will we find her again? never - this robber was clearly the work of a criminal of great genius.
ladies and gentlemen. the real whistler's mother!
the best security in the world is no match for a master criminal. but no master criminal is a match for me. thank you all. now if you would please return to your posts, my new vice president, bernard shimmel would like you all to see the computer program we had prepared for yesterday until we were so rudely interrupted by events.
david, david, david .
of course not. i'm sacking you for neglectful conduct, relating to the heavy financial loss this gallery has incurred, through your recent lack of professional judgement. a loss i trust bernie will be able to reverse.
i will of course invite you an excellent reference - or bernie will.
of course, dr. bean, we'll arrange alternative accommodation for you. i believe bernie has a spare room with en suite bathroom.
how are you making out there?
shut up, schimmel. exactly how long have you been siphoning gallery money into your own private accounts?
horse shit. you're dead, grease-ball. period.
dr. bean. have you got anything to say to that?
i don't know what your methods are these days, officer, but i'd
i owe you a very serious apology, young man. it wouldn't surprise me if you wanted to leave us after this. i sincerely hope that you do not.
of course.
mmmmm.
a car sounds sensible.