Please view the DVD, "The Founder". Running time is approximately 120 minutes. After viewing the DVD, answer the following questions. Provide your answers in full and complete sentences.
1. What do you think that the title of the film, "The Founder", means?
2. Early in the film, there is a dinner meeting scene with Ray Kroc and the McDonald brothers. Mac McDonald tells the story of the brothers' decision to move west, their first job, and their purchase of a small movie theatre. Mac alludes to a significant event that occurred in 1929 that severely impacted the operation of their theatre and their town. To what 1929 event is he referring?
3. In the same meeting, the brothers mention some of the problems and challenges that they experienced in their original drive through operation. Describe some of these challenges and problems.
4. Mid-way through the film, Ray Kroc is depicted as having a chance encounter with Harry Sonneborn, Vice President of Finance at Tastee-Freeze. Sonneborn shares an important point with Kroc. Can you summarize this scene in a few sentences? In addition, state why you think that this meeting was so pivotal Kroc's growing interest in McDonald's, and also pivotal to its later growth?
5. What "character" preceded Ronald McDonald as the McDonald's company mascot?
6. Ray Kroc bought the company from the McDonald brothers in 1961. Based on the way that the scenario was portrayed in the film, do you think that the McDonald brothers deal with Ray Kroc was fair? Explain why you think that it was fair, or unfair, both from the perspective of the brothers and from the perspective of Kroc.
7. Based on what was portrayed in the film, do you think that the McDonald brothers were ultimately afraid of achieving real success in their business?
8. Which employee, depicted early in the film, evolved to take on the roles of McDonalds's President and CEO, and eventually succeeded Kroc as Senior Chairman?
9. Describe the personality characteristics of Ray Kroc, as portrayed in the film.
10. What did you take away from viewing this film about Ray Kroc as an individual, and as an innovator?
11. To whom is the "persistence" quote originally attributed?
12. The film's director, John Lee Hancock, apparently wanted to divide the audience over Ray Kroc. Was Kroc a capitalist hero of the American dream, or a greedy money-making monster? Why?