Character Relationship Map: Michael Clayton

Characters

• Michael Clayton (played by George Clooney) — protagonist

  A fixer for a prestigious New York City law firm who handles crises and personal matters for partners. He investigates a colleague's suspicious death, uncovers a corporate cover-up, survives an assass...

• Arthur Edens (played by Tom Wilkinson) — protagonist

  A litigator for the law firm representing U-North in a massive class-action lawsuit. After suffering a manic episode, he breaks down, reveals confidential memos proving the client knew its weed killer...

• Karen Crowder (played by Tilda Swinton) — supporting

  General counsel for the agricultural conglomerate U-North. She oversees the legal defense, orders the assassination of Arthur Edens to protect a damaging internal memo, and attempts to bribe Michael C...

• Marty Bach (played by Sydney Pollack) — supporting

  The managing partner of the law firm. He hires Michael to manage crises, pressures him to rehabilitate Arthur Edens, and later provides Michael with a substantial loan conditional on signing a compreh...

• Don Jeffries (played by Ken Howard) — supporting

  The CEO of U-North. His signature appears on the damaging internal memo regarding the weed killer. He authorizes and supplies two operatives to Karen to surveil and eliminate Arthur Edens.

• Anna (played by Merritt Wever) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Arthur Edens → Anna (Professional Legal Contact)

  Arthur calls Anna, the plaintiff being deposed during his episode, and books a flight to New York for her.

• Marty Bach → Arthur Edens (Professional Supervisor)

  Marty depends on Michael to get Arthur back on track because Arthur's conduct threatens the firm's U-North defense.

• Michael Clayton → Marty Bach (Professional Employee)

  Marty is the firm's managing partner and relies on Michael to handle crises for the firm.

• Michael Clayton → Arthur Edens (Professional Crisis Handler)

  The firm dispatches Michael to manage Arthur's manic episode, jail release, and damaging conduct during the U-North litigation.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Michael Clayton → Don Jeffries (Conflict Corporate Antagonist)

  Michael's investigation centers on the U-North memo bearing Don's signature and the corporate response to Arthur's death.

• Michael Clayton → Anna (Narrative Witness Investigator)

  Michael finds Anna after Arthur's death and asks whether she told anyone about her conversations with Arthur.

• Don Jeffries → Arthur Edens (Conflict Corporate Opponent)

  Don's signature appears on the memo proving that U-North knew its weed killer caused deaths, and he helps provide operatives against Arthur.

• Don Jeffries → Karen Crowder (Alliance Operational Ally)

  Don places Karen in contact with two operatives after learning that Arthur has a damaging U-North memo.

• Karen Crowder → Arthur Edens (Conflict Target)

  Karen learns that Arthur possesses a confidential memo and directs lethal action after Arthur announces that he will go public.

• Michael Clayton → Karen Crowder (Conflict Adversary)

  Michael confronts Karen after discovering the conspiracy and secretly records her offer of ten million dollars for his silence.

Story Analysis

A corporate fixer moves from suppressing crises to exposing the conspiracy that destroyed his colleague.

Plot Progression

1. The Fixer Under Pressure
2. The Memo Behind the Case
3. A Death Staged as Suicide
4. The Evidence Trail
5. The Wire at the Boardroom