Not only the most sympathetic but the one with the most sense.
I love this bit from his proxy (funeral) speech:
Lawrence (Larry the Liquidator) Garfield: "You know, at one time there must've been dozens of companies making buggy whips. And I'll bet the last company around was the one that made the best g**damn buggy whip you ever saw.
"Now how would you have liked to have been a stockholder in that company? You invested in a business and this business is dead. Lets have the intelligence, lets have the DECENCY to sign the death certificate, collect the insurance, and invest in something with a future."
Kate Sullivan: Someday the laws will change to put you out of business.
Lawrence Garfield: Change the laws all you want, but you can't stop the game. I'll still by here. I adapt.
[Kate offers Lawrence 'greenmail' to drop an unfriendly take-over bid]
Kate Sullivan: It's not illegal.
Lawrence Garfield: It's immoral - a distinction lawyers ignore.
Lawrence Garfield: I love money more than the things it can buy... but what I love more than money is other people's money.
Lawrence Garfield: Make as much as you can for as long as you can. Whoever has the most when he dies is the winner.
Lawrence Garfield: I take from the Rich, I give to the middle class... Well, the upper middle class.
Bill Coles: Can I speak frankly?
Lawrence Garfield: No. Lie to me! Tell me how thrilled you are to know me. I always speak frankly. I hate people who say, "Can we speak frankly?" It means they're bullshittin' me the rest of the time.
I like the movie so much I have the laser disk. Now that's devotion!