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The Founder is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel. Starring Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc , the film depicts the story of his creation of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain, which eventually involved forcing out the company's original founders to take control with ...
Aug 4, 2016 · The Founder Movie vs True Story of Real Ray Kroc, Dick McDonald. The Founder: History vs. Hollywood. Starring Michael Keaton, Linda Cardellini, Nick Offerman, Laura Dern | based on Ray Kroc and his takeover of McDonald's, chronicled in his biography 'Grinding It Out'. By Kevin Lang | Published August 4, 2016.
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The Founder is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel. Starring Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc, the film portrays the story of his creation of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain, which eventually involved forcing out the company's original founders to take control with conniv...
In 1954, traveling milkshake machine salesman Ray Kroc observes that many of the drive-in restaurants that he tries to sell to are inefficiently run. After learning that a drive-in in San Bernardino, California is ordering an unusually large number of milkshake mixers, Kroc drives to see it. What he finds is McDonald's, a popular walk-up restaurant with fast service, high-quality food, disposable packaging and a family-friendly atmosphere.
Kroc meets with Maurice "Mac" and Richard "Dick" McDonald, who give him a tour of the restaurant. The next day, Kroc suggests the brothers franchise the restaurant but they hesitate, pointing out that they already tried, only to fail. Kroc persists and eventually convinces them to allow him to lead their franchising efforts on the condition that he agrees to a strict contract, which requires all changes to be subject to the McDonald brothers' approval.
Kroc begins building a McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, while attempting to entice wealthy investors to open franchises but encounters the same poor management ethic which doomed the original franchise efforts. After encountering a Jewish Bible salesman, Kroc hits on the idea of franchising to middle-class investors and begins visiting local fraternity organizations and church communities finding their members to be more inclined to uphold McDonald's quality as they are more invested than their wealthy counterparts. It proves successful and new franchises begin opening across the Midwest, with Kroc representing himself as the creator of McDonald's and Fred Turner, a burger cook at the Des Plaines restaurant, as his associate. During that time, Kroc meets Rollie Smith, an upscale restaurant owner in Minnesota who wishes to invest and Rollie's wife, Joan, to whom Kroc is immediately attracted.
Kroc expands rapidly but his shares of franchise profits are limited due to his contract, which the McDonald brothers decline to renegotiate. Joan Smith suggests saving money by introducing a powdered milkshake but the brothers consider it to be degrading to their food quality standards. Kroc's wife Ethel is upset by a visit from the bank since his mortgage is three months' late and she did not know Kroc had mortgaged their house. Harry Sonneborn, a financial consultant, tells Kroc the real profit opportunity is in providing real estate to the franchisees, which will not only provide a revenue stream, but give Kroc leverage over his franchisees and the brothers. Kroc incorporates a new company, Franchise Realty Corporation and attracts new investors, while opening new restaurants without the brothers' approval. This upsets the brothers and emboldens Kroc, who increasingly defies them by circumventing their authority and providing powdered milkshakes to all franchisees but not their restaurant. Kroc also divorces Ethel who gets all his assets except any shares in his business.
Ray Kroc renames the company the McDonald's Corporation and demands to be released from his contract and buy the McDonald brothers out, which sends Mac into diabetic shock. Kroc visits him in the hospital and offers a blank check to settle their business. The brothers agree to a $2.7 million lump sum payment (equivalent to $26 million in 2020), ownership of their original restaurant in San Bernardino and a 1% annual royalty but when the time comes to finalize the agreement, Kroc refuses to include the royalty in the settlement and instead offers it as a handshake deal. Afterwards Dick McDonald confronts Kroc and asks why he had to take over their business when he could have easily stolen their idea and recreated it. Kroc answers that the true value of McDonald's is the name itself, which expresses the attributes of Americana.
The McDonald brothers are forced to take their own name off the original restaurant and Kroc opens a new McDonald's franchise directly across the street. Kroc marries Joan Smith, who has left Rollie Smith. In 1970, Kroc prepares a speech for California Governor Ronald Reagan – plagiarized heavily from a motivational speech he heard earlier in the film – crediting himself for his success, which he claims was achieved not through talent or education but through persistence.
•Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc
•Nick Offerman as Richard "Dick" McDonald
•John Carroll Lynch as Maurice "Mac" McDonald
•Linda Cardellini as Joan Smith
•B. J. Novak as Harry J. Sonneborn
•Laura Dern as Ethel Kroc
The Founder (2016) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more.
The Founder on DVD April 18, 2017 starring Michael Keaton, Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson. Tells the true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger opera.
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- Mike Pniewski
- John Lee Hancock
Jan 14, 2008 · Meet the talented cast and crew behind 'The Founder' on Moviefone. Explore detailed bios, filmographies, and the creative team's insights.
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Dec 16, 2016 · Cast. In the 1950s, Ray Kroc discovers a revolutionary fast-food restaurant run by the McDonald brothers. Determined to turn their concept into a global empire, Kroc faces ethical dilemmas, power struggles, and personal sacrifices.
