# A Glengarry Glen Ross Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-glengarry-glen-ross-question/338316>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 4, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-glengarry-glen-ross-question/338316 "2006-01-04T01:14:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-glengarry-glen-ross-question/338316/1 "2006-01-04T01:14:22Z")

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While watching it for like the 20th time this afternoon, it occurred to me for maybe the 19th time that the title **Glengarry Glen Ross** doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

So, there’s the Glengarry acounts.

And there’s the Glen Ross properties that they were selling for a while (mentioned once by the Ed Harris character), and there was some sort of problem with them so that… well, I don’t really know, the best I can understand is that someone ran off with all the money, to Argentina or something.

But why are the accounts and the failed properties put together for the title? Is it as simple as that? Is there an official answer from Mamet? Any ideas?

And, tangentially, did anyone see Alec Baldwin reprising his role on SNL? Brilliant!

Thanks,  
ZJ

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**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-glengarry-glen-ross-question/338316/2 "2006-01-04T01:28:20Z")

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It’s Mamet, so “it sounded good” is by no means a foolish surmise.

–Cliffy

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-glengarry-glen-ross-question/338316/3 "2006-01-04T02:21:09Z")

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Exactly. I’ve never understood what “Oleanna” meant, and I’ve heard many arguments about the title of “Speed the Plow.” Others of his titles make sense: “The Edge,” “House of Games,” American Buffalo"–but there are a few whose logic seems to be Mamet’s own private joke.