The Big Kahuna

Larry Mann, Phil Cooper, and Bob Walker arrive at a trade convention in Wichita, Kansas. They settle in the hotel’s hospitality suite and outline their single goal: to secure a meeting with Dick Fuller, the Big Kahuna. The trio brings different personal histories that will influence how they navigate business and relationships.

Larry and Phil discuss character and their long friendship, revealing Larry’s financial pressures and Phil’s recovery from alcoholism. They emphasize that their main objective at the convention is to meet the Big Kahuna and pitch their lubricants. Bob listens, setting up his role as a bridge between them and potential clients.

Bob takes on the role of bartender for the evening, chatting with attendees and trying to connect people with potential sales leads. He ambles through conversations, building rapport and collecting small bits of information. His easy manner positions him as the front line for future pitches.

The Big Kahuna approaches Bob and invites him to a private party at another hotel, signaling a chance to pitch away from the crowded convention floor. Larry and Phil watch and prepare Bob to present their industrial lubricants succinctly. The invitation heightens the pressure to deliver results.

Larry and Phil coach Bob through a refined pitch and hand him their business cards, coaching him on which information the Big Kahuna can actually absorb. They stress reading the room and tailoring the conversation to secure a future meeting. Bob heads out with a clear but narrow plan to convey value quickly.

Bob returns from the private party and drops a bombshell: he spent the time discussing religion rather than pitching lubricants. Larry is stunned and devastated by this misalignment with the plan they laid out. Phil tries to contextualize Bob’s actions as part of personal growth and the risk of misreading a client’s needs.

Phil explains that proselytizing is just another form of a sales pitch, but true sales require honesty and genuine human contact. He argues that trust is the foundation of their friendship and that growth comes from recognizing what one should regret. The exchange reframes Bob’s actions as a learning moment rather than a total failure.

As Bob continues his religious approach, Larry and Phil pause to reflect on the nature of human life and the kind of people they want to be. Their conversation anchors the business relationship in deeper values beyond the deal. They consider how trust shapes future interactions with clients.

The next morning, Bob is seen talking again to the Big Kahuna in the hotel lobby, signaling that he will press his agenda rather than pursue the lubricant pitch. Larry and Phil exchange a knowing smile, recognizing the ongoing tension between Bob’s approach and their sales strategy. The dynamic hints that a successful meeting remains uncertain.

Phil begins packing his things and Larry checks out, with the trip ending without a secured deal. Bob’s ongoing religious pitch continues to color his interactions with the Big Kahuna, underscoring the group’s unresolved objective. The morning concludes with a sense that the Big Kahuna remains unconverted.

As the credits roll, the film features the song Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen), closing the story with a reflective tone on personal growth, honesty, and human connection. The track echoes the film’s themes of navigating sales, faith, and trust in professional life. It leaves the audience with a contemplative mood about how to approach others.