MovieChat Forums > Road to Perdition (2002) Discussion > What did Rooney mean at the business mee...

What did Rooney mean at the business meeting?

posted 7 years ago by mizkex
2 replies | jump to latest

John Rooney (Paul Newman) says at the table business meeting

"-And I told Mr. Rance what I told him before. What men do after work is what made us rich. Better not to screw them at work as well"

There is also some precedent or antecedent of this comment about unions.

I'm assuming this means that Rance wanted to introduce some tax or unfair policy that would take away their money, or in place unfair shortages or working conditions tied to some investment/business (what men do after work) contract that the unions had with Rooney's syndicate.

What exactly did he suggest with:
"What men do after work is what made us rich. Better not to screw them at work as well"

[–] nycarol 7 years ago

Their paychecks were what they'd honestly earned with their hard work. Rooney's organization made its money off men's vices--booze, drugs, gambling, prostitution--i.e., the things they do in their leisure time.

[–] mizkex 7 years ago

thanks! : )

I actually looked it up the quote on google, and Roger Ebert's website said that he wanted to avoid labour unions but that didn't lead me as far as you did!