MM Leadership - Movie Synopsis of Scent of a Woman, My Life Story and John Campbell by Richard Tan xxx

Richard Tan (sending in soft copy) 

The favorite movie that influenced my life and still influences my life till now it entitled "Scent of a Woman". This is a movie by Al Pacino. This is about 2 main characters Lt. Col Slade who Al Pacino played and Charlie Simms who Chris O' Donnell played. The story is about integrity, love and of course the scent of a woman which I would explain why that was the title towards the end of the paper.

The story started in a school where Charlie was enrolled. This is the Baird School, a school for the rich boys where Charlie is one of the smart kids who don't have a lot of money was accepted as a scholar. The ordinary world as Joseph Campbell would say it. As summer approaches Charlie gets invited to a lot of events like skiing. He said no, but I am not too sure if it is because he does not want to or he does not have to money I believe it is the latter. One night while going out of the library he saw his boys Harry, Trent and Jameson doing something. They are playing a prank on the school principal who is coming to the school with a new car the following day. The prank succeeded. People laughed and it is funny. Charlie knew all along what was happening. The investigation started but Charlie denied his involvement. Thanksgiving came and people went out to their holidays so the hearing got suspended till they return. Charlie not having enough money picked a job. This is where he met Lt. Col Slade (retired). He is a blind person, fooled around in the military juggled grenades that made him the way he is. His job is to help him around the house while the Lt's family go on vacation. Little he knows he would be called to an adventure with the retired blind man. He planned his trip to New York with Charlie. He also overheard Charlie talking to his friends about not talking. "To talk to no to talk", Charlie's dilemma the whole movie. Charlie was taught by the retired Lt Col how to live. How to eat and drink in the finest places possible. He planned the whole trip out to the detail. He memorized the city, number of steps, places where to go and how to go. The part that Charlie did not know is that he plans to die there. On one of the dinners he actually showed Charlie how to dance the tango when he danced with a beautiful lady. On Thanksgiving Day Charlie accompanied the officer to a turkey dinner with other relatives. I ended up in a nasty throwing or sarcasm then the officer went back to his hotel. The following morning he attempted to kill himself. Charlie stopped him. Showed him there is more to life even if he is blind. He taught him how to drive a Ferrari blind, and had a few adventure at night with a woman. When he finally decide not to kill himself they went back to the colonel's house. Charlie went back to school to face his hearing, he still did not talk because he is loyal to his friends. He stood up for these principles despite the risk of getting kicked out of school. Then Al Pacino arrived he figured Charlie won't talk and he came over to defend him. He delivered an amazing speech that saved Charlie.  In the end he was allowed to keep his silence, was kept from school got his scholarship to the university. The retired officer went back to his family still blind with the renewed view of life and on the side dated one of the professors in the Baird School.

I think the leader here is Charlie, he is not a leader of a huge organization but he is a leader of his life. It is principle driven how each leader ideally should be. He started an ordinary life whose principles are tested. That is his adventure, in the process he met his mentor Mr. Slade. Both of them tests each other, old blind man who wanted to die where Charlie risk his in order to save another just because he follows his principles. It is rare that a life would risk his life for his principles but he did. He earned the respect of his mentor in the process. Then he helped him later on during the trials, though he would not have done so had he squealed. He was caught in a really tight situation of almost getting kicked out before Mr. Slade came with his speech. The reward he was kept in school and allowed to stay. Now back home after showing Mr. Slade a different view in life he went back living in a more jolly way instead of a sad old blind guy. This movie is entitled scent of the woman because it is a woman the completed Al Pacino's life. He met the professor in Baird school and somehow saw the light that despite being blind women would still date him.

This is one of my favorite movies because I lived my life based on principles that I grew up with. I want to become a leader made of principles. I believe and a lot of things like loyalty and honesty also known as transparency. I believe in people and trust people. I strongly believe in the capability of the Filipino people, that is why I am where I am. I wanted to make the Philippines a better place by creating jobs and employing my country men. I wanted them to believe that loyalty to the team company and being transparent are things they can bring to the world. I believe that I can trust each of them and they never fail me. Like the retired colonel I want to make sure people with good hearts get opportunities to grow and leaders with the right attitude are given the opportunities to better themselves and the people around them. This movie shows that life is full of chances and we should not give up if things don't really go well. We just need to find that reason to go on, like the scent of a woman. Cheers!

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