This made a big impression on me back when it was first put on TV. When was that, back in the late fifties? There was a similar scene to the final confrontation in this story. It was in the "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" (by Sloan Wilson?). In that confrontation, the chairman says to his protege, "Dammit, man, SOMEBODY has to do the big jobs!" Well, something to that effect. And a line in a song from GYPSY, "Some people sit on their butts, they've got the dream but not the guts". It's a common theme; there have always been people who want to do more, better, bigger and some people who simply want to enjoy today. The world needs both kinds.
There is something about Ed Begley (as William Briggs) that reminds me of my father who was a senior civil servant (officer) always at war with his corrupt ministers. Not just the appearance-that infectious smile and warmth that goes straight to your heart, that transparency about his whole character and demeanor. Ironically enough, my father also died at 57 from sheer pressure he had to face from his superiors and the politicians. (I consider him having been 'murdered', but there would be just too many killers for me to try to avenge his death. Some of those 'murderers' have met ends that serve them right, thank God. ) PS: Elizabeth Wilson's performance as Marge Fleming won my heart. REGARDS AND LOVE FROM INDIA.🙏💚
I spent almost 40 years in a large corporation. I saw machinations like this all the time. Things were rarely as they seemed on the surface. Looking back after retiring, I wonder how I put up with it for so long. This movie portrays this complex story magnificently. Kudos to Rod Serling.
Never saw this...really good acting for the period. People were wound reeeaaalllyyy tightly back then. I am old enough to remember. They worked their knuckles raw most of the time. In every line on every mature person's face there was a deeply ingrained pain. I knew one thing: I didn't want anything to do with it, and I never will.
I watched this movie because Rod Serling wrote it, but I walked away with one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my life and it is a crime that he did not win several awards for this story. It is as real and gritty as anything I have ever seen and gruesome as well without one person being shot or chopped up. Real life stress is far worse then physical abuse. There is no greater crime than murdering a man's soul and nobody on Earth ever conveyed that better than Rod Serling.
POLAR HI MURDERING A MAN'S SOUL IS THE BIGGEST CRIME ON EARTH NEXT TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL ABUSE. BEEN THERE LIVED THROUGH IT ALL. A STRONG CONSTITUTION IS THE KEY IN RECOGNISING HOW TO SURVIVE. 💖💖💖
I'm 54 years old and have never even heard of this movie. I only clicked on it because i love old movies that are dialog intensive (which requires a brain to watch). Holy SMOKES!!!! This movie is one of the greatest I've ever seen! The acting, the writing ..... wow! I will watch this movie over and over. No doubt.
I’ve seen it 4-5 times in just a few months. Never get tired of the writing and the brilliant performances, by everyone. It’s so authentic you feel like you’re on the sidelines watching real people go through their intense and complicated lives, while trying to maintain a semblance of civility. Van Heflin is one of my favorite actors, and this film introduced Beatrice Straight, who is fantastic. One scene that gets to me every time is the conversation between Miss Fleming and Fred after he invites her to sit down to have her coffee. The actress playing Marge Fleming was fricking outstanding. I’ll keep watching this one.
@misspearltaylor Spot on! I agree with everything you typed. My favorite scene is that speech the boss makes at the end. "We're only in this position because we produce! One day, when we no longer produce, we'll be replaced by others who CAN produce." They nailed what corporations are ... exactly! Enjoy watching this classic as many times as you can!
If there were a re-make, Fred Briggs would have to be portrayed by an oppressed, disabled, multi-ethnic, transsexual, married to a gay beta-male, with five multi-ethnic adopted children, each one undergoing sex reassignment.
What a powerful movie . Hard-hitting with no vulgar language, no violence and exploitations of sex of any kind . Only great script writing and performances
Van Heflin will never receive the accolades he deserves. He was a superb actor and his casting in this film was genius. PATTERNS remains one of my favorite films and never gets old, no matter how many times I watch it.
I can’t agree more. I’ve just found this movie on TH-cam and already I’ve watched it three times, with the same enjoyment and appreciation each time. Van Heflin is one of my favorite all time actors, yet you rarely hear about him. He is FANTASTIC in this movie. And so are all of the other actors; the actress playing Nancy is incredibly good. I think that, like you, I will watch this one on a regular basis. Cheers….
@@misspearltaylor Heflin was a very well known actor in his day. Won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1942, was in Shane, Airport, 3:10 to Yuma, Greatest Story Ever Told, Once A Thief and many others. Had his share of B movies and such but he was certainly well respected and had a pretty successful career.
I personally believe there should be a Rod Serling Award. 🏆 For incredible thought provoking movies such as these, and of course, the Twilight Zone! Love this stuff! ❤️
Hahaha I am living in the Twilight zone 🤣🤣🤣🦧MALTA 🇲🇹💯 is where the Malta 1 country, 2 governments live in cuckoo land as they abuse the nation using the NSO GROUP HACKWARE and abusing the Malta Communications Authority equipment to manipulate
65 years after this brilliant movie was released and nothing has changed. Corporations dump loyal & productive staff for the most fickle of reasons in the most underhanded Soul crushing ways as they advise you that "It's not personal... It's just business" Rod Serling was a master wordsmith and film maker.
Being in the corporate world for 15 years made this movie hit home a bit. I too saw higher ups run good people right out into the streets and even better people into the doctors offices. I didn't like my boss also and at the end when they let me go as well it was a blessing. This movie is timeless.
This capitalist dream has destroyed so many people. My philosophy has always been that life should be fun and games! I loved solving puzzles, so I earned a PhD in mathematical physics doing what, to me, was fun. Self-important jerks are nothing but a huge 'drag.' Nothing has the least importance, but very few human beings are aware of this fact. It's all about perspective😉 Reinhold Von Treffencaunbowz, MBBS, PhD
The same thing was done to me. They didnt like I cared and wouldnt even reply to my emails. I couldnt stand their digging to turn anything around to make me appear the demonic one. I wonder how they sleep of a night, especially one of them.
@@barneyronnieSo agree. Any world system could work if we didn't have greed☹️ If we could just respect each other, all jobs could be fun, because we'd be doing what we were made for, not what will keep us housed! Even people who are doing what they are best suited to are miserable because the bosses are so unsuited (often, not always). We're always making each other miserable...
at chronomark 3:55 some may recognize the woman on the right, coffee cup in hand. Twelve years after this flick she starred as Dustin Hoffman's mother in The Graduate.
“character” 1997 - the VP fairly SHOUTS the word in his drunken tirade... “Karakter” is one of my all-time favourite Dutch films and it's remarkably similar to this b/w jewel 💎
they lowered standards so certain groups of people could "feel" better about themselves. Then they made that certain group of people "cool" in pop culture and inevitably the successful emulated the losers. Now we have what we have today. brought to you by liberalism.
@@billwilliamson9842 and to what end? Last night, I asked my wife if she thought I was crazy to have come to a conclusion that this is a huge crime, keeping the economy shut down. In my fantasy, it would be part of a process, started by undermining and criminalizing the current Administration by the last one, continuing into the Mueller probe that affected the midterm election, which was immediately followed by a false impeachment. The very moment that ended, a disease pandemic with a 99 + percent survival rate and questionable transmissibility, and the refusal of State authorities to relax their grip and allow folks to continue their lives, prompted by people like Dr Fauci as a state actor and a media that will magnify any illness or death, blaming it on an open economy. I told her that we would see six more months of absolute frenzy going into the fall election to sway the minds of voters. Get Satan out of the White House!" So finally the why. Because the current Administration derailed the plan and would continue to badly damage global socialism. All this to destroy and to end the policies of the current Administration. No cost too high. Worst thing is, she didn't think my conclusion was crazy. How about you?
A lost art. The heated argument without a single cuss/swear word. Mr. Rod Serling & company, you are irreplaceable. The quality is so far above most anything in today's writing. Can't believe this gem of a film.
@@bowdoin5063 no, the point literally was that this would have never cleared production with the script having vulgar language. You honestly don't believe people really watched their language even then behind closed doors??? He would have been called an asshole right to his face. 😄
Yes, he's known for the comment about "being in a fox hole with others and not being concerned about the color of their skin", that tells a great deal about Rod Serling.
The revolving door spins, as we, in turn, pass through to take our place on this wheel of life. Too few of us do it on our own terms. The photography and set work reminds me why I served 47 years as a professional woodworker, millman and cabinetmaker. We have all lost so much. This bit of theater must be Mr. Serlings very best. I thrill to have seen it.
I work with no illusions about the business end of who I work for. We have a choice of who we want to work for most of the time. And sometimes we don't. Sometimes there is a choice, but we don't pull the that trigger out of the fear of the repercussions of that decision. But one thing is true, life was never fair to everyone at any given time ever.
👍, I DID NOT, I REPEAT NOT expect that ending. I swore up and down he was going to hit Ramsey and shuffle on back to Mansfield. Wow, total surprise ending for me. Great movie!!!!! Loved it!!!!!!
@AMT The exteriors certainly were. The interior appointments were pretty standard furnishings for the mid-fifties. I grew up in Mansfield (an unusually wealthy American industrial town) Members of my Moms family lived in or near Manhattan, NYC. That style is what I remember from my youth.
There is something about Ed Begley (as William Briggs) that reminds me of my father who was a senior civil servant (officer) always at war with his corrupt ministers. Not just the appearance-that infectious smile and warmth that goes straight to your heart, that transparency about his whole character and demeanor. Ironically enough, my father also died at 57 from sheer pressure he had to face from his superiors and the politicians. (I consider him having been 'murdered', but there would be just too many killers for me to try to avenge his death. Some of those 'murderers' have met ends that serve them right, thank God. ) REGARDS AND LOVE FROM INDIA.
I couldn’t help but think of my father during this entire movie. Already inclined to alcoholism he was never in a position to fight it due to Air Force officer pressure and corporate military environment. The culture and expectations of off duty life at the Officers Club was too much to resist. A successful B-52 command pilot died of alcoholism at 57. I’m still a stanch supporter of our military and appreciate the benefits my mother had after his death. But will not forgive what was taken away from our family.
They don't make movies like this anymore. The lighting,cinematography, actors, plot, subtle nuance, everything is well done. No special effects, nudity or chase scenes. Just good movie making. Four stars. 🌟
Yes, they don't anymore, Black Mirror is the only one that comes close and only by several episodes. I'm reminded of Smithereens when watching this, but this still cannot be beat.
@@mikeu5380 howdy! Do we know eachother? I don't recognize your screen name. Though I've seen this movie before I decided to check it out again a few days ago.
This movie is a masterpiece!! It shows the corporate world through naked eyes. Now I see why I couldn’t further move up the career ladder. Because I was to much focus on the mercy of my peers. Looking back to the opportunity I had , I am proud to passed it up . It made me to the person who I am today:)
Who else remembers the Rod Serling Twilight Zone in which a wife is abused by her husband and a "knick-knack" she has of a doberman pinscher comes to life and changes the man's behavior...but fast?!!
@@bjb0808 Barbara!! 💗🌿 Thank you so much! I saw it the first time and then never a word of it again. That episode should be in the top 5 all-time favorites and should apply to all forms of abusive bullying situations. Thanks again.
OMG I worked for a little shit like this who bullied me day after day and I finally had to leave because my health broke down under the constant bullying. This is a magnificent film showing how day-to-day stress can grind somebody down
Serling's ability - and willingness - to explore the nuances of this morality tale is impressive. There are no absolute villains, no unvarnished heroes, and no easy answers. This was a rare movie experience, and it's nice not to be spoken down to or to be catered to, but rather challenged and forced to reflect. I'm sure glad I came upon it, and thanks to the poster for posting
What an excellent bit of writing, Rod Serling knew his stuff. Even the 'evil heartless boss' was given depth and nuance instead of a caricature villain.
Been on both sides of this. Turned a blind eye when I was the bright young replacement. And didn't see it when the company decided to get rid of me. Until it was too late.
I didn't give them mother suckers a chance to play me. I walked out of them. Let them fork over somebody else's nerves. Im Not getting a damn Ulcer!!!!!!
@@joebloe1401 good movie but the tired theme of "big bad capitalist hurts all humans" is wearing thin. They always fail to mention that the capitalists made the US the most productive with a high standard of living for most of its citizens.
@@doubleghod And the reason why half the world would like to live here. A chance to be free to compete and grow. As life has been from the beginning of all life - survival of the fittest.
Never heard of this movie and I almost passed it up. What a gem. Great writing and acting. Simply one of the best movies I have ever seen in 60 plus years.
But at the end, isnt it sad, that he was compromised by his boss and agreed to stay. I wanted him to leave that building forever. The salary and stock raise and promotion bought this fine man's soul????
@@Mooyoba in the end he, like his predecessor, realized he would face the same issue everywhere in that position so unless he became a low man on the totem pole he would simply have to deal with it…and low on the totem pole would mean he would be treated even worse and earn very little money to boot. In this world you sometimes have to hold your nose and keep going. In this world you have to think like a shark or be eaten. The way Jesus put it is: Be wise as a serpent but gentle as a dove.
@@Mooyoba I don’t think the pay etc. is what made him decide to stay, more the opportunity to one day replace Ramsey and run the ship ethically perhaps for Bill and the employees?
i know I worked as a temp in a big corporation...i had a BS in financial accounting...i got some respect with my degree but I was still a temp gig worker...granted I later became an Accounting Manager for Meritage Homes in Englewood Colorado right before the 2008 financial collapse. I know too much information...lol
@@digiver Not all secretaries worked directly with an office manager. Most secretaries typed multiple copies to be distributed or mailed to other offices. Then the photo copier replaced the "girls" in the typing pool.
It applies to today because, at it's heart, it's a piece about human nature, and peoples lust for money and power, which has never changed. Change the setting a little and this story would be as relevant as told 2000 years ago as 2000 years into the future.
This is one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life. The story is so tense, the actors are so competent, the carachters they play become real, alive. Everything is so true to life. A really amazing movie.
I had never seen this movie, and I pride myself on being familiar with many movies from the 40's, 50's, & 60's. This was great. Serling was such a terrific writer. Thank you to whomever posted this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rod serling made us think. What's spooky is the stories that are true to life are the spooky ones. Rod didn't have to have a boogyman. Just plain Man is scary enough. I love Rod serling. Always have always will
@@dorcella8797 .. Yeah too bad Rod Serling died quite young, he was a Heavy Smoker as well, He will alway's be Remembered as a Master of Suspense, the Macabre, Terror, And the Sometimes Terrifying and or Frightening Story writer :D] .v ..
Van Heflin was an Oscar winning actor who should have received more leading roles rather than being relegated to a character actor. He was also fantastic in Shane (1953). So glad I stumbled upon this film.
The contrast in Mr. Heflin's roles, between this film and Shane and how well he portrayed both characters, is a real testament to the man's acting prowess. Truly one of the greatest thespians of all time. Combined with Rod Serling's writing, Van Heflin's acting really drove this story line home. I'd love to see an honest remake of this. Alas, Hollywood would probably drop the ball and/or ruin it with "wokeness".
@@shayshay9764 oh they'll put 20-year olds so all meaning is lost, add cell phones and other technologies to a distraction, make it all very pretty, and wreck the script with fake modernisms that miss the point and dumb it down for the vanilla Netflix masses. You know, Hollywood-marketing-ize it.
There's no question that a modern day remake wouldn't be the same. Yet, there is a fairly strong pattern in Hollywood of remaking old successes even a third or fourth time. The bean counters in the entertainment industry recognize a proven money maker.
@@shayshay9764 Political correct would be everywhere. They'd add a dirty little affair between Bill Briggs and Marge and of course we'd see her breasts. The firm would be bi-coastal. Then, they'd add a real shouting match between Briggs and his son, who'd they'd make older, too handsome and unloving who's got a list of all the secretaries he's banged on the 40th floor and of course we'd had to look at his ass. They'd turn Walter Ramsey into a sadist who scream aloud that he hated his dad for being a warm person and would knock off people just for the fun of, whether it profited him or not for his sexual release and then have him cry as he walked into the dead man's empty office. Nancy Staples would have some silly religious cultist giving her "spiritual guidance" while he put the moves on her. Every office and home would be grander than imagined here and they'd all be showily driving BMW M and Mercedes AMG SUVs but Ramsey would have a custom Maybach. The hero would drive an EV. All executives would be members of the Beverly Hills and the Greenwich Country Clubs. Everyone would have a private jet & never sink low enough to travel commercial. They'd all be 1%ers living on W 57th Street and all evil competitors would all be Republicans. And, names of famous celebs and business tycoons associated with Ramsey's enterprises would be thrown around and the company would not deal in oil or coal but some high tech product.
This film is BRILLIANT! The whole deal, the writing, acting, director and casting are as close to perfect as a movie can get. Rod Serling was at the time writing all kinds of stuff. It was a few years before he focused on SciFi and Supernatural themes. But you can always see the influence of O'Henry, in Serling's love of plot twists and surprise endings that have a sense of justice and humanity. The man was a treasure that keeps on giving. Twilight Zone still great after more than 70 years!
This film is a masterpiece. A trenchant commentary on corporate greed and soulless pursuit of profit, it is nevertheless nuanced enough to look at it from everyone’s viewpoint - including the relentless big boss himself. A story well told, without a frame being wasted.
The scene at the end was brilliant acting from both of these actors.Everett Sloan (Ramsey) committed suicide in 1965 at age 55.Van Heflin died at 62.The acting in this scene was so realistic and raw.It illustrated human emotions at their best and worst simultaneously.
Sloane died by suicide at age 55 on August 6, 1965; he took an overdose of barbiturates because he feared he was going blind[14] as a result of glaucoma. He is buried at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[citation needed] Very sad. He was brilliant without let up in this movie.
Third time I've seen this. Last was a few months ago. Ed Begley is a hidden gem. He epitomizes the overworked, underappreciated old executive. Rod Serling was nothing but brilliant!
Bill was horrible, he made the choice to neglect his son ( probably his wife as well ). His kid says , oh it's alright i have a drawer full of baseball tickets dad didn't show up for. Fk Bill
Some of the best acting and writing I have ever experienced in film. It is a stark contrast with the crap we see today which costs 10s of millions to produce. This is a priceless gem with so many psychological and moral undertones that it will be reverberating for some time. It was riveting.
You mean to say that today's Hollywood is LYING to us? That not all powerful executives are 25 year old whiz kids who jog hard every morning at 4am and went to the ivy leagues schools that we're all supposed to worship and have perfect faces and bodies?
The remarkable thing about the wife's character was that she was always able to find a parking space close to the front door of the office building. She's a keeper!
He did recieve an A List Status but I don't think he ever got any real kudos for the depth of his acting. I feel the same way about Robert Ryan who may have been the greatest actor who ever lived.
Rod Serling can do no wrong!! I miss that genius of a man. Great story, great acting by all, especially Ed Begley in those scenes where he initially befriends Van Heflin and when he realizes his time has come, but doesn't blame Van for it. You genuinely believe he's a good guy who wants the best for Van. Tore me apart to see what happened to him because I've seen it happen in the corporate world. The story is so relatable.
Agree, it was so hard to watch this man's soul being crushed by a ruthless dictator. I think maybe he would have been better off just resigning and walking away with his dignity and respect, than to be continually brow beaten and humiliated. No job is worth sacrificing your peace of mind and principles for. I like the Bible verse that says, What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? So relevant.🫠
WOW this is SUCH an amazing film!! The way they’re able to articulate high-level corporate politics & how those w/ a strong moral compass struggle was UNBELIEVABLE. Left me w/ a strong desire for an update 15-20 years later to see how his marriage & character ultimately suffer from his decision to play such a dangerous game.
What men in these kind of corporations have to go through, so much pressure, so much battering. Makes me grieve all over again for my diseased husband who faced so much stress to give his family a good life, only to loose him at 54. Great movie.
Well, one of the most magnificent, well-acted, relevant, brilliant, most well-written movies ever made, and all done, sustained without a bit of screaming music, racket, to make it so. That is what you call a film, and Everett Sloane is brilliant and Van Heflin. The entire cast is superb, Beatrice Straight, the ladies who played the secretaries, Ed Begley. To coin a phase that I wish I didn't have to say, " They don't make them like that any more " They simply haven't the talent. Rod Serling - what a writer. Magnificent.
This is such a rich installment of the classic period of great film and TV drama. It is so lacking into day's USA writing and presentation. The acting, writing via Rod Sterling couldn't be better, and with such great b/w cinematography only now appreciated by film historians and those who love a time long gone in film writing and acting as well as great camera work.
Thank you PizzaFlix. Stayed glued to the end knowing what the two major characters were going thru as I was SELF EMPLOYED FEMALE executive during those MAD MEN days and saw strong men dwindle under the hypocrisy of the corporate world, many becoming secret lushes after work just to ease the pain of full subservience to a hierarchy they hated. Was a powerful but sad time for me. Learned much tolerance. Here fifty years later i remember some of thos good men who shrank to Biggs condition. Yes I am now 82 YO . Thanks and more if u can find such .
Sophie Seeker Same here and I was a self-employed male. It changed me too, and I saw the lying and cheating, the hypocrisy. I'm no goody-goody, but it went too far for me. The trapped male and female having to put up with self-betrayal - pay mortgages and fear of losing their jobs ( not anyone who worked with me, I'm happy to say, ) but for not playing the game along with their way those who didn't paid a terrible price - were ruined. Best wishes to you, Sophie.
What a great movie. I suggest people give up cable or satellite and find gems like this online. It makes it hard for me to ever sit through most modern films when something like this comes across my path. I came across this while watching old Twilight Zone episodes. I loved the way everyone dressed up and the way they were so formal. Great ending and great drama. Mr. Briggs could not accept his time was up and his stubbornness got him killed. "Pride cometh before the fall"
Being also 62, the same age as the gentleman slowly being forced out, what he said about patterns of behavior towards you when they want you out of the corporation is absolutely true. He's doing the right thing by staying and forcing them to play their hand. He knows where all the bodies are buried so to speak and that gives him leverage.
@@electraruby4078 reading the comments I see that almost everyone misses the many layers of what is going on in this story. The easy first layer is: CEO is evil, corporations are evil, people will die because they are worked to death by the evil corporation. That is NOT the whole story, but that’s what everyone seems to be latching on to.
🦅This film is one of greatest films ever made. Rod Serling did an absolutely masterful job on this screen play. I really loved the casting because every character looks so natural, and real and believable in their roles. And the costumes were just absolutely so tasteful and elegant. I took particular notice of the "sensible shoes" worn by the women and the modest length of skirts. Very conservative and impeccably pressed and tailored and measured. The women's hair styling was perfect for that era. The men's hair cuts were neat and conservative, clean cut. Every hair in place. Each person is a perfect icon and symbol of American Western upper-class, conservative culture. Every detail is controlled and disciplined. The sets are beautiful even to the bouquets of expertly sharpened pencils in the desks. The custom made draperies and the choice of expensive, highly polished and glossy "Early American" furniture and furnishings announces that American Tradition and perfect order permeates the entire space. Everything is measured to perfection. Even Van Heflin's character announces that the home that the bureau has selected and had tastefully decorated for him is so impressive , that it looks like something out of a magazine. As for actors and actresses, they give absolutely "jaw dropping", "show stopping", "breath-taking" performances. Even the ones with a very small part, give to their lines something magical and memorable and significant. Sincerely gospelgirl
Thank you so much for this stunning motion picture! To me, this is the "12 Angry Men" of the corporate world. A brilliant character study of what the business world did to people back then and still does to people today.
I love everything from the fifties and sixties. This movie is great, a timeless plot, fantastic writing, and cinematography is beautiful, the actors are excellent! They were all perfect! Wow!
Wow..that's exactly how they do it today. Create a situation where you can't work in. The stress is horrible, and the micro- management of you is unbearable. I've see it, and I've been a product of it in my 40 years of Nursing. It's how they got rid of all the Seasoned Nurses.
@@mikesmith6838 Yes, agree. I just finished watching again, second time. This movie is fantastic, actors great. And like I said, I've seen it happen in real life, and it kind of hurts to watch it. I think of people I knew that it happened to.
RN here. My first nursing job was at Jackson memorial hospital in Miami, Florida. It was the best nursing job anyone could ever hope for and I didn't know. I moved two hrs north a couple of years later, thinking that one nursing job is like any other. I went through an additional 10 years of working in the pits of hell or what I call the other hospitals. You couldn't get me to work that job again if they offered to pay me quadrupled.
Now all the seasoned nurses are quitting because of the mandate, and the hospitals are up the creek. Hospitals don’t seem to care about human beings anymore anyway, just money. They won’t allow doctors and nurses who care to get in the way of that.
Bill was not much of a guy in my opinion, neglected his kid for a job he knew died ten years before he did. Drawer full of baseball tickets he never showed up for. Dude that's messed up.
I wondered why I hadn’t seen this movie before , then I realised I was only 10 yrs old,and watching cowboys and Indian movies ,with a bit of Flash Gordon, and comedies thrown in ! Now I’m in my twilight years I understand and appreciate these old well crafted movies, and can even see the parallels with today’s society in 2021 ! Another gem , brilliantly acted by all , camera work excellent ,continuity excellent , screenplay beautifully written,in other words a must see experience!
This is a classic. I keep re-watching this movie, and every time I get something new. This work of art remains vibrant and ever, ever, so relevant to our troubled times. I guess this is what is meant by timeless...art....
Yes yet art DOES imitate life. That era read the newspapers everyday, they were shrewd, they based decisions on biblical ideals , they had morals...they had gumption....they had, collectively, ....this!
@@Dr.ZoidbergPhD No not the word; i will use the word....holiness. It is what God expects from us, also. Simply doing his will in our lives. His will is that we live productive and good holy lives, i see this goes against everything the media nee the world is propagating fou us and our youth. SOMETHING IS OFF
Excellent movie, script, writing and all! Bravo to Rod Serling, Van Heflin, Everett Sloane and the rest of the cast! Certainly at par with many of the great films of our time.
"...this business didn't grow..., it's been added to!" Fantastic. That whole speech by Mr. Briggs (55:00) is naked truth to this day. Rod Serling was a great visionary and phenomenal storyteller. Amazing movie.
Absolutely brilliant. Rod Serling wrote a masterful story here, a story that shows corporate America in 2018 perfectly. Except that now they begin to ease you out when you turn 50, not 62. Rod Serling had such a heart for humanity, a heart for the underdog in any circumstance and a heart for the little guy. With Serling nary a word was out out of place and his dialogue crackled with electricity. In the graceless, heartless world we now live in how I wish there was a clear voice, like Rod's, that knew of justice and morality A great film, thanks so very much for posting! PS - If you ever run into, "Requiem for a Heavy Weight" could you please post it.
I've never seen the magnitude and caliber of this level of acting before; these fellow thespians are artists of the human soul. They define the energy & refinement of artistic, human communication and social eloquency!
A time when "actor" and "actress" meant people who could act. So different from today. Seen every Twilight Zone episode 5 times or more but never knew this existed. Sterling was really good.
There is some clue to this fact ! In THAT time, the actors and actresses were not yet pumped up marionettes of the film industry, but had a main carreer in theatre, where real acting art-&-skill is the MUST (otherwise the theatre runs empty) , and only played in films as an intermezzo. They brought the theatre skill to the film. The average actor in movies today, would even fail an audition for a theatre company .... Nowadays it's the chain of film editor people who PIMP the takes on the set, to let it look like good acting....
Writers had to be more creative then because they weren't allowed to be too graphic. Thus we have great classics that have stood the test of time. Today, almost anything can be shown and thus too many writers have become lazy....depending too often on graphic violence, sex & profanity to keep the audience's attention ! So sad.... :-(
Dennis Erickson there is a lot of symbolism starting with the Church bell ringing the time and the song it played. The title is Tantum ergo sacramentum and it's traditionally sung or played during veneration and benediction in the Cathodic Church. Basically, the message is that the corporation is a god and all are rushing into the temple (skyscraper) to serve that false god. Even the corridors resemble the interior of a Church or cathedral.
Mr. Serling at his best; challenging the mind to consider with greater clarity the issues of the time. His time was just too short. A great movie, thanks for uploading.
Superb script, actin,g. production and direction. I was stunned when I heard Ed Begley's use the words "honor", and "character" as I instantly realized I had not heard them used in the last four or five decades! Those concepts are irrelevant now.
Honor... Character... Respect.... are shunned by the modern society, seen as a relic from the past, but if you leave these out, what comes of the civilization? We may have a smartphone, but folks back then had a better civilization it seems.
@@paulmunro3175 Agree with you... sorry to see the path our society is moving towards... people really need to open their eyes and see what qualities we have lost in the past decades....
Good writing always makes a good movie. In this case, excellent writing made for an excellent movie. They should tie down Hollywood producers and make them watch this move ten times. Maybe then they'll understand what makes a good movie.
Awesome movie! I wish that I'd never watched this old movie, and could forget everything about it ........ so that I could watch it all over again and have the same exhilaration as I have now. Superb acting and writing! Terrifying plot that could happen upon any one of us. Scary. Thanks so much for this upload.
Wow. Not a false note even once in this powerful film - script, direction, lighting, production design, casting and every performance impeccable and resonant with depth of character and meaning. Essentially it’s a very simple story and plot, it’s just the superb and very affecting way it’s written and executed. And then there’s the passage of time as we look back over 60 years ago: a New York office designed like an English country house; every board member a middle aged white male, every secretary a single woman sitting outside in the corridor, every colleague a Mr or a Miss, every person formally dressed in tailored suit, a dinner party at an executive home in black tie and formal gowns, all lives revolving entirely around loyalty to a hierarchical company and its ideals. The world has certainly spun on its axis more than a few times since then.
Rod Serling was a gifted and accomplished writer. Much of his writing and shows dealt with issues involving morality, ethics, hubris, and the human condition…it’s weaknesses, frailties, aspirations and complexities. This movie should be required viewing by everyone. It is definitely one of the top 3 movies I’ve viewed.
Superb film. It has echos of Grapes of Wrath; it foreshadows Gordon Gekko and his "greed is good" speech in Wall Street, and is especially on point in this political climate. Grew up with the Twilight Zone, and never fully understood Serling's genius until seeing this amazing film. Thank you so much.
God almighty that was great. Rod Serling was such a master of writing about our human condition. And to think how far we've fallen from the standards that Rod and writers of his time created.
Man, that last 5 minutes. The second he came into the office and closed the double doors. I was in the room with them. For a moment I was sucked into the scene. WoW!
One of the best movies that I have ever seen. THANKS!!!
Thanks for watching PizzaFLIX. May the Sauce be with you.
@@PizzaFLIX
🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕
This made a big impression on me back when it was first put on TV. When was that, back in the late fifties? There was a similar scene to the final confrontation in this story. It was in the "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" (by Sloan Wilson?). In that confrontation, the chairman says to his protege, "Dammit, man, SOMEBODY has to do the big jobs!" Well, something to that effect. And a line in a song from GYPSY, "Some people sit on their butts, they've got the dream but not the guts". It's a common theme; there have always been people who want to do more, better, bigger and some people who simply want to enjoy today. The world needs both kinds.
There is something about Ed Begley (as William Briggs) that reminds me of my father who was a senior civil servant (officer) always at war with his corrupt ministers. Not just the appearance-that infectious smile and warmth that goes straight to your heart, that transparency about his whole character and demeanor. Ironically enough, my father also died at 57 from sheer pressure he had to face from his superiors and the politicians. (I consider him having been 'murdered', but there would be just too many killers for me to try to avenge his death. Some of those 'murderers' have met ends that serve them right, thank God. )
PS: Elizabeth Wilson's performance as Marge Fleming won my heart.
REGARDS AND LOVE FROM INDIA.🙏💚
@@PizzaFLIX Good stuff.
Thanks for the Sauce 🍕
I spent almost 40 years in a large corporation. I saw machinations like this all the time. Things were rarely as they seemed on the surface. Looking back after retiring, I wonder how I put up with it for so long. This movie portrays this complex story magnificently. Kudos to Rod Serling.
This does not only hold true for the corporate sector, but also manifests itself in the government departments
(Civil Service).
🦄
Never saw this...really good acting for the period. People were wound reeeaaalllyyy tightly back then. I am old enough to remember. They worked their knuckles raw most of the time. In every line on every mature person's face there was a deeply ingrained pain. I knew one thing: I didn't want anything to do with it, and I never will.
But did you have a water cooler y'all cld meet at atleast..have a lil fun? Lol
Ditto in the academic world. I’ve seen good teachers/professors pushed out for shiny, new ones.
I watched this movie because Rod Serling wrote it, but I walked away with one of the greatest cinematic experiences of my life and it is a crime that he did not win several awards for this story. It is as real and gritty as anything I have ever seen and gruesome as well without one person being shot or chopped up. Real life stress is far worse then physical abuse. There is no greater crime than murdering a man's soul and nobody on Earth ever conveyed that better than Rod Serling.
All made without vulgarity and gratuitous sex. An excellent standard for great acting.
POLAR HI
MURDERING A MAN'S SOUL IS THE BIGGEST CRIME ON EARTH NEXT TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL ABUSE.
BEEN THERE LIVED THROUGH IT ALL. A STRONG CONSTITUTION IS THE KEY IN RECOGNISING HOW TO SURVIVE. 💖💖💖
Kinna' sucked you right into Fred's world did it?
Well said. The modern movie is just bankrupt of any creativity, decency, with very few talented actors/actresses
@@oncebefore3671 couldn't agree more...
I'm 54 years old and have never even heard of this movie. I only clicked on it because i love old movies that are dialog intensive (which requires a brain to watch). Holy SMOKES!!!! This movie is one of the greatest I've ever seen! The acting, the writing ..... wow! I will watch this movie over and over. No doubt.
I’ve seen it 4-5 times in just a few months. Never get tired of the writing and the brilliant performances, by everyone. It’s so authentic you feel like you’re on the sidelines watching real people go through their intense and complicated lives, while trying to maintain a semblance of civility. Van Heflin is one of my favorite actors, and this film introduced Beatrice Straight, who is fantastic. One scene that gets to me every time is the conversation between Miss Fleming and Fred after he invites her to sit down to have her coffee. The actress playing Marge Fleming was fricking outstanding. I’ll keep watching this one.
@misspearltaylor Spot on! I agree with everything you typed. My favorite scene is that speech the boss makes at the end. "We're only in this position because we produce! One day, when we no longer produce, we'll be replaced by others who CAN produce." They nailed what corporations are ... exactly! Enjoy watching this classic as many times as you can!
Gripping throughout! 1 of the best executive suite dramas of all time. No spoilers from me but the ending was fascinating.
This movie, shear brilliance.
I had never heard of this movie in my life! LOVED IT!!!!❤❤❤❤ THANK YOU!
Hands-down one of the BEST American films of the 1950s. There is no reason to re-make it. It is perfect.
"Heaven!" What ever gave you the idea you were in Heaven Mr. Valentine? This is the other place!
If there were a re-make, Fred Briggs would have to be portrayed by an oppressed, disabled, multi-ethnic, transsexual, married to a gay beta-male, with five multi-ethnic adopted children, each one undergoing sex reassignment.
@@jimjimsandburg2754 m
@@NoosaHeads ... So true. Sad but true.
@@sbalogh53 - You are agreeing with an idiotic statement by Ian Rivlin. Hope you are both proud of yourselves.
What a powerful movie . Hard-hitting with no vulgar language, no violence and exploitations of sex of any kind . Only great script writing and performances
Yes, no sex of any kind. But my God, the couple actresses that were onscreen were mouth watering
Ha! Bill Briggs sure to it in the rear!
Those were the early steps for the later THE TWILGHT ZONE adventures.
@@tarzanappleseed5424 Mouth watering indeed!
@@tarzanappleseed5424 get your eyes checked.
How did this not win awards?? Unreal movie. We have thrown away so much in our society.
This is my 4th time watching this. So real.
Van Heflin will never receive the accolades he deserves. He was a superb actor and his casting in this film was genius. PATTERNS remains one of my favorite films and never gets old, no matter how many times I watch it.
I can’t agree more. I’ve just found this movie on TH-cam and already I’ve watched it three times, with the same enjoyment and appreciation each time. Van Heflin is one of my favorite all time actors, yet you rarely hear about him. He is FANTASTIC in this movie. And so are all of the other actors; the actress playing Nancy is incredibly good. I think that, like you, I will watch this one on a regular basis. Cheers….
Same here my friend.
Well he was an Oscar winner. I think he had a very prolific career and was recognized as such.
@@misspearltaylor Heflin was a very well known actor in his day. Won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1942, was in Shane, Airport, 3:10 to Yuma, Greatest Story Ever Told, Once A Thief and many others. Had his share of B movies and such but he was certainly well respected and had a pretty successful career.
At the risk of being boring and pedantic, never is a long time.
I personally believe there should be a Rod Serling Award. 🏆 For incredible thought provoking movies such as these, and of course, the Twilight Zone! Love this stuff! ❤️
Great idea! He deserves an honor like that.
Absolutely! Brilliant idea!🍻🛸
Hahaha I am living in the Twilight zone 🤣🤣🤣🦧MALTA 🇲🇹💯 is where the Malta 1 country, 2 governments live in cuckoo land as they abuse the nation using the NSO GROUP HACKWARE and abusing the Malta Communications Authority equipment to manipulate
Agree. But are any writers worthy today? 😉
@@Tyrell_Corp2019 Good question. I would think so. Hope springs eternal!
65 years after this brilliant movie was released and nothing has changed. Corporations dump loyal & productive staff for the most fickle of reasons in the most underhanded Soul crushing ways as they advise you that "It's not personal... It's just business"
Rod Serling was a master wordsmith and film maker.
And that’s what they’ll say when AI starts eliminating humans.
Corporations don't survive on sentiments.
And they can't be figure out what is causing the "great resignation"
And they’ll fire you via Zoom.
He made a deal with the devil.
Simple as that.
Being in the corporate world for 15 years made this movie hit home a bit. I too saw higher ups run good people right out into the streets and even better people into the doctors offices. I didn't like my boss also and at the end when they let me go as well it was a blessing. This movie is timeless.
This capitalist dream has destroyed so many people. My philosophy has always been that life should be fun and games! I loved solving puzzles, so I earned a PhD in mathematical physics doing what, to me, was fun. Self-important jerks are nothing but a huge 'drag.' Nothing has the least importance, but very few human beings are aware of this fact. It's all about perspective😉
Reinhold Von Treffencaunbowz, MBBS, PhD
@@barneyronnie The Communist dream has literally destroyed many people.
The same thing was done to me. They didnt like I cared and wouldnt even reply to my emails. I couldnt stand their digging to turn anything around to make me appear the demonic one. I wonder how they sleep of a night, especially one of them.
@@barneyronnieSo agree. Any world system could work if we didn't have greed☹️ If we could just respect each other, all jobs could be fun, because we'd be doing what we were made for, not what will keep us housed! Even people who are doing what they are best suited to are miserable because the bosses are so unsuited (often, not always). We're always making each other miserable...
@@barneyronnie. You must be like a lot if schizophrenics, so intelligent your psychotic.
Sad that Rod Serling died at only 50 years old. But he left us a wonderful body of work.
They don't make movies like this anymore, and they broke the mold when they made Rod Serling.
THANK GOD--IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at chronomark 3:55 some may recognize the woman on the right, coffee cup in hand. Twelve years after this flick she starred as Dustin Hoffman's mother in The Graduate.
“character” 1997 - the VP fairly SHOUTS the word in his drunken tirade... “Karakter” is one of my all-time favourite Dutch films and it's remarkably similar to this b/w jewel 💎
No they didn't there's legions of them
@@joebloe1401 Pretty much sums up your taste buds!
After watching this film I have come to a central and overwhelming conclusion, people have been dumbed down to a frightening level.
Every time I watch the Twilight Zone I feel the same. In cultural terms, I feel we are devolving.
Yes, TV used to have some real quality programs. A lot of thought went into it.
they lowered standards so certain groups of people could "feel" better about themselves. Then they made that certain group of people "cool" in pop culture and inevitably the successful emulated the losers. Now we have what we have today. brought to you by liberalism.
Adults don't have any common sense anymore
@@billwilliamson9842 and to what end?
Last night, I asked my wife if she thought I was crazy to have come to a conclusion that this is a huge crime, keeping the economy shut down. In my fantasy, it would be part of a process, started by undermining and criminalizing the current Administration by the last one, continuing into the Mueller probe that affected the midterm election, which was immediately followed by a false impeachment. The very moment that ended, a disease pandemic with a 99 + percent survival rate and questionable transmissibility, and the refusal of State authorities to relax their grip and allow folks to continue their lives, prompted by people like Dr Fauci as a state actor and a media that will magnify any illness or death, blaming it on an open economy. I told her that we would see six more months of absolute frenzy going into the fall election to sway the minds of voters. Get Satan out of the White House!" So finally the why. Because the current Administration derailed the plan and would continue to badly damage global socialism. All this to destroy and to end the policies of the current Administration. No cost too high. Worst thing is, she didn't think my conclusion was crazy. How about you?
I cannot believe that I saw this movie for free! It's a masterpiece!
A lost art. The heated argument without a single cuss/swear word. Mr. Rod Serling & company, you are irreplaceable.
The quality is so far above most anything in today's writing.
Can't believe this gem of a film.
Look at 'Shane', a film in which Van Heflin played his part marvellously.
only because people didn't cuss in those days. and no cussing was allowed on tv.
@@orangewarm1 You missed the point
@@bowdoin5063 no, the point literally was that this would have never cleared production with the script having vulgar language. You honestly don't believe people really watched their language even then behind closed doors??? He would have been called an asshole right to his face. 😄
@@samivayajd Nope, they got the same point across without using vulgarity
Much respect, Mr. Serling. For your military service, your imagination and your courage. RIP.
Amen! Truth, his shows never get old, always great!
Yes, he's known for the comment about "being in a fox hole with others and not being concerned about the color of their skin", that tells a great deal about Rod Serling.
The revolving door spins, as we, in turn, pass through to take our place on this wheel of life. Too few of us do it on our own terms.
The photography and set work reminds me why I served 47 years as a professional woodworker, millman and cabinetmaker. We have all lost so much.
This bit of theater must be Mr. Serlings very best. I thrill to have seen it.
I work with no illusions about the business end of who I work for. We have a choice of who we want to work for most of the time. And sometimes we don't. Sometimes there is a choice, but we don't pull the that trigger out of the fear of the repercussions of that decision. But one thing is true, life was never fair to everyone at any given time ever.
👍, I DID NOT, I REPEAT NOT expect that ending. I swore up and down he was going to hit Ramsey and shuffle on back to Mansfield. Wow, total surprise ending for me. Great movie!!!!! Loved it!!!!!!
Yes, thrill is the right word. Im with you on that.
The sets in this production are astounding.....
@AMT The exteriors certainly were.
The interior appointments were pretty standard furnishings for the mid-fifties. I grew up in Mansfield (an unusually wealthy American industrial town) Members of my Moms family lived in or near Manhattan, NYC. That style is what I remember from my youth.
There is something about Ed Begley (as William Briggs) that reminds me of my father who was a senior civil servant (officer) always at war with his corrupt ministers. Not just the appearance-that infectious smile and warmth that goes straight to your heart, that transparency about his whole character and demeanor. Ironically enough, my father also died at 57 from sheer pressure he had to face from his superiors and the politicians. (I consider him having been 'murdered', but there would be just too many killers for me to try to avenge his death. Some of those 'murderers' have met ends that serve them right, thank God. )
REGARDS AND LOVE FROM INDIA.
Regardless of dying young, your father sounds like he was a very successful man.
Typical corporate weasel
Nothing but a blood sucking vampire
I couldn’t help but think of my father during this entire movie. Already inclined to alcoholism he was never in a position to fight it due to Air Force officer pressure and corporate military environment. The culture and expectations of off duty life at the Officers Club was too much to resist. A successful B-52 command pilot died of alcoholism at 57. I’m still a stanch supporter of our military and appreciate the benefits my mother had after his death. But will not forgive what was taken away from our family.
They don't make movies like this anymore.
The lighting,cinematography, actors, plot, subtle nuance, everything is well done. No special effects, nudity or chase scenes. Just good movie making. Four stars. 🌟
Yes, they don't anymore, Black Mirror is the only one that comes close and only by several episodes. I'm reminded of Smithereens when watching this, but this still cannot be beat.
They don’t do ANYTHING like they used to
They do. Michael Clayton. Margin Call.
Hi from Japan. A wonderful experience having Rod Serling as a teacher, years ago at Ithaca College.
Tomkins !
Hello from the USA
@@mikeu5380 howdy! Do we know eachother? I don't recognize your screen name. Though I've seen this movie before I decided to check it out again a few days ago.
@@mikeu5380 lol oh, was my name listed?
@@mikeu5380 oh, that's a little intrusive. Do you do that often?
This movie is a masterpiece!! It shows the corporate world through naked eyes. Now I see why I couldn’t further move up the career ladder. Because I was to much focus on the mercy of my peers. Looking back to the opportunity I had , I am proud to passed it up . It made me to the person who I am today:)
Have a listen to Dogs from the album Animals by Pink Floyd, sums it up perfectly th-cam.com/video/6UKsDe5_YYc/w-d-xo.html
Congratulations! I left a company for those reasons. I may not have become rich, but I've done pretty well and have a clean conscience for it.
Who else remembers the Rod Serling Twilight Zone in which a wife is abused by her husband and a "knick-knack" she has of a doberman pinscher comes to life and changes the man's behavior...but fast?!!
@@diananutt1517 It's the episode "Acts of Terror." th-cam.com/video/JZkALRQnNX8/w-d-xo.html
@@bjb0808
Barbara!! 💗🌿 Thank you so much!
I saw it the first time and then never a word of it again. That episode should be in the top 5 all-time favorites and should apply to all forms of abusive bullying situations. Thanks again.
OMG I worked for a little shit like this who bullied me day after day and I finally had to leave because my health broke down under the constant bullying. This is a magnificent film showing how day-to-day stress can grind somebody down
Did you ever work for Uncle Sam?😮🙄😳🤔
you didnt have the strength skill to stand up to him, like the ending showed.
Serling's ability - and willingness - to explore the nuances of this morality tale is impressive. There are no absolute villains, no unvarnished heroes, and no easy answers. This was a rare movie experience, and it's nice not to be spoken down to or to be catered to, but rather challenged and forced to reflect. I'm sure glad I came upon it, and thanks to the poster for posting
the top guy was based on his commanding officer in the army.
What an excellent bit of writing, Rod Serling knew his stuff. Even the 'evil heartless boss' was given depth and nuance instead of a caricature villain.
Yet you were left with the feeling that someone should have punched him in the jaw.
Wonderful, all of it.
I couldn’t help but be left with the possibility that Staples is going to become Ramsey......
In hindsight, Ramsey was incredibly convincing and maintained the ‘alpha~dog’ position.....imo
An interesting thought: A few years later, Everett Sloane starred in a Twilight Zone episode "The Fever".
Been on both sides of this. Turned a blind eye when I was the bright young replacement. And didn't see it when the company decided to get rid of me. Until it was too late.
I didn't give them mother suckers a chance to play me. I walked out of them. Let them fork over somebody else's nerves. Im Not getting a damn Ulcer!!!!!!
@micky mccoy Was that you I saw in film footage taken in the WH on January 6th, 2021, with a MAGA hat?
You're a real doozy aren't you!
Me too. Just posted about the same thing. Life lessons
@@essentials723 right on! Bill is a big fat looser, he gave up a drawer full of baseball tickets with his kid to work late, no respect.
Rod Serling's name peaked my interest to watch this film, sooo glad i did!
BOOOOOOOOORRRRING CRAPPPPPY SOAP-OPERA!!!!!!!!
@@joebloe1401 good movie but the tired theme of "big bad capitalist hurts all humans" is wearing thin. They always fail to mention that the capitalists made the US the most productive with a high standard of living for most of its citizens.
@@doubleghod And the reason why half the world would like to live here. A chance to be free to compete and grow. As life has been from the beginning of all life - survival of the fittest.
@@joebloe1401 The evaporation of the mind is complete then?
“A sense of justice and humanity”
I agree with this... it describes much of what inspires and infuses Rod Serlings’ work.
Never heard of this movie and I almost passed it up. What a gem. Great writing and acting. Simply one of the best movies I have ever seen in 60 plus years.
But at the end, isnt it sad, that he was compromised by his boss and agreed to stay. I wanted him to leave that building forever. The salary and stock raise and promotion bought this fine man's soul????
I am old and was a teen in the 60's. I have seen a lot of movies from that era and the 60's made the best movies.
@@Mooyoba in the end he, like his predecessor, realized he would face the same issue everywhere in that position so unless he became a low man on the totem pole he would simply have to deal with it…and low on the totem pole would mean he would be treated even worse and earn very little money to boot. In this world you sometimes have to hold your nose and keep going. In this world you have to think like a shark or be eaten. The way Jesus put it is: Be wise as a serpent but gentle as a dove.
Ya, but the only way he can make a difference is if he stays. I don't think it was because of the money.
@@Mooyoba I don’t think the pay etc. is what made him decide to stay, more the opportunity to one day replace Ramsey and run the ship ethically perhaps for Bill and the employees?
I was a secretary starting in the mid-60's. This movie gave me goosebumps where the secretarial staff was portrayed.
i know I worked as a temp in a big corporation...i had a BS in financial accounting...i got some respect with my degree but I was still a temp gig worker...granted I later became an Accounting Manager for Meritage Homes in Englewood Colorado right before the 2008 financial collapse. I know too much information...lol
PTSD?
Ramey Zamora Similar for me in a solicitor's office in the 70s
Secretaries back then were pretty much a partner to the executives it seems, a professional.
@@digiver Not all secretaries worked directly with an office manager. Most secretaries typed multiple copies to be distributed or mailed to other offices. Then the photo copier replaced the "girls" in the typing pool.
This movie is my Favorite. I believe this is a timeless Classic. It is so well written and I’m amazed how it applies to TODAY. 👍
It applies to today because, at it's heart, it's a piece about human nature, and peoples lust for money and power, which has never changed. Change the setting a little and this story would be as relevant as told 2000 years ago as 2000 years into the future.
Great movie. It definitely earned a second viewing for me. The principles ARE timeless.
Bill had such a lust for money his kid never got to sit at one baseball game with him. Bill was the worst
@@oeautobody3586 No, Bill didn't have the spine to say to his boss "I'm not staying behind tonight, I'm taking my son to a baseball game".
This is one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life. The story is so tense, the actors
are so competent, the carachters they play become real, alive. Everything is so true to
life. A really amazing movie.
I had never seen this movie, and I pride myself on being familiar with many movies from the 40's, 50's, & 60's. This was great. Serling was such a terrific writer. Thank you to whomever posted this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching PizzaFLIX. May the Sauce be with you.
@@PizzaFLIX lol 😊
Hi Jill 🍕🙃🍕😀
The reason I saw this movie was because of Rod Serling. That genius.
Apple Blair Same!!!
@@TheDarkbutter Me too.🙂
Me too.
Rod serling made us think. What's spooky is the stories that are true to life are the spooky ones. Rod didn't have to have a boogyman. Just plain Man is scary enough. I love Rod serling. Always have always will
@@dorcella8797 .. Yeah too bad Rod Serling died quite young, he was a Heavy Smoker as well, He will alway's be Remembered as a Master of Suspense, the Macabre, Terror, And the Sometimes Terrifying and or Frightening Story writer :D] .v ..
Just saw this gem.
Who knew that a simple story about office politics could be so perfect.
That script was sublime.
Van Heflin was an Oscar winning actor who should have received more leading roles rather than being relegated to a character actor. He was also fantastic in Shane (1953). So glad I stumbled upon this film.
The contrast in Mr. Heflin's roles, between this film and Shane and how well he portrayed both characters, is a real testament to the man's acting prowess. Truly one of the greatest thespians of all time. Combined with Rod Serling's writing, Van Heflin's acting really drove this story line home. I'd love to see an honest remake of this. Alas, Hollywood would probably drop the ball and/or ruin it with "wokeness".
Had some good hits and sold a lot of records.
@@windborne8795 I liked him better in the lead role in the film than Richard Kiley in the television version.
@@anthonynelson9136 😆 LOL
@@windborne8795 I much preferred Van Heflin in the movie role than Richard Kiley in the TV version.
Once again, these old movies never disappoint. This story resonates with our modern times. It takes one person to stand up to injustice.
Outstanding story written by Rod Serling, and an incredible cast. DON'T try remaking this with today's wimpy Hollywood - They'll only RUIN it.
ruin it how?
@@shayshay9764 oh they'll put 20-year olds so all meaning is lost, add cell phones and other technologies to a distraction, make it all very pretty, and wreck the script with fake modernisms that miss the point and dumb it down for the vanilla Netflix masses. You know, Hollywood-marketing-ize it.
Thank you for your service! ♥️
There's no question that a modern day remake wouldn't be the same. Yet, there is a fairly strong pattern in Hollywood of remaking old successes even a third or fourth time. The bean counters in the entertainment industry recognize a proven money maker.
@@shayshay9764 Political correct would be everywhere. They'd add a dirty little affair between Bill Briggs and Marge and of course we'd see her breasts. The firm would be bi-coastal. Then, they'd add a real shouting match between Briggs and his son, who'd they'd make older, too handsome and unloving who's got a list of all the secretaries he's banged on the 40th floor and of course we'd had to look at his ass. They'd turn Walter Ramsey into a sadist who scream aloud that he hated his dad for being a warm person and would knock off people just for the fun of, whether it profited him or not for his sexual release and then have him cry as he walked into the dead man's empty office. Nancy Staples would have some silly religious cultist giving her "spiritual guidance" while he put the moves on her. Every office and home would be grander than imagined here and they'd all be showily driving BMW M and Mercedes AMG SUVs but Ramsey would have a custom Maybach. The hero would drive an EV. All executives would be members of the Beverly Hills and the Greenwich Country Clubs. Everyone would have a private jet & never sink low enough to travel commercial. They'd all be 1%ers living on W 57th Street and all evil competitors would all be Republicans. And, names of famous celebs and business tycoons associated with Ramsey's enterprises would be thrown around and the company would not deal in oil or coal but some high tech product.
This film is BRILLIANT! The whole deal, the writing, acting, director and casting are as close to perfect as a movie can get. Rod Serling was at the time writing all kinds of stuff. It was a few years before he focused on SciFi and Supernatural themes. But you can always see the influence of O'Henry, in Serling's love of plot twists and surprise endings that have a sense of justice and humanity. The man was a treasure that keeps on giving. Twilight Zone still great after more than 70 years!
Also a bit of Jack Finney influence. And, I absolutely love O.Henry stories.
Curt agree totally.
true af
This film is a masterpiece. A trenchant commentary on corporate greed and soulless pursuit of profit, it is nevertheless nuanced enough to look at it from everyone’s viewpoint - including the relentless big boss himself. A story well told, without a frame being wasted.
AI is coming to take a lot of corporate jobs. We’ll see a lot of corporate greed then as many suffer economic hardship.
@@heinkle1 Ai is made by humans. The Jews won't lose their money.
He did point out he was going to double jobs.
A fantastic film with fantastic characters. It was on fire from beginning to end. Bravo!
Rod Serling's first professional sale and the teleplay that won him the first of his six Emmys. What a launch for a brilliant career.
LordZontar You'd think people would learn from it.
The scene at the end was brilliant acting from both of these actors.Everett Sloan (Ramsey) committed suicide in 1965 at age 55.Van Heflin died at 62.The acting in this scene was so realistic and raw.It illustrated human emotions at their best and worst simultaneously.
Sloane died by suicide at age 55 on August 6, 1965; he took an overdose of barbiturates because he feared he was going blind[14] as a result of glaucoma. He is buried at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[citation needed] Very sad. He was brilliant without let up in this movie.
@@jeanbush8791 that is so tragic. I’ve actually enjoyed him and many films. How awful 💔
Sloane played Mr Bernstein, the gentle man who stayed on with Kane thick & thin
@@jeanbush8791 Absolutely agree !
@@jeanbush8791 on
Third time I've seen this. Last was a few months ago. Ed Begley is a hidden gem. He epitomizes the overworked, underappreciated old executive. Rod Serling was nothing but brilliant!
Hardly hidden....Oscar winner
Bill was horrible, he made the choice to neglect his son ( probably his wife as well ). His kid says , oh it's alright i have a drawer full of baseball tickets dad didn't show up for. Fk Bill
This is brilliant. The only thing missing is the computers. Nothing has changed. I’m near retirement I’m glad it’s almost over.
Well, it's been two years, How's retired life treating you.
Now I can throw my laptop in the garbage bin, and apply proper intellectual thinking and heart inspired actions.
Some of the best acting and writing I have ever experienced in film. It is a stark contrast with the crap we see today which costs 10s of millions to produce. This is a priceless gem with so many psychological and moral undertones that it will be reverberating for some time. It was riveting.
You mean to say that today's Hollywood is LYING to us? That not all powerful executives are 25 year old whiz kids who jog hard every morning at 4am and went to the ivy leagues schools that we're all supposed to worship and have perfect faces and bodies?
The remarkable thing about the wife's character was that she was always able to find a parking space close to the front door of the office building. She's a keeper!
LOL
😂
I knew that evil old man Ramsey would be in The Equitable Building!
THAT was REALLY funny😂😂😂
🤣 excellent comment
Van Heflin is one of the best actors. I believe he's underrated by many critics.
Ever seen him in ?3:10 to Yuma?"
Harrison Ford reminds me of Van Heflin.
Did you ever see him in "Johnny Eager" with Robert Taylor? He won a well deserved supporting actor Oscar for that.
He was not underrated in his time.
He did recieve an A List Status but I don't think he ever got any real kudos for the depth of his acting. I feel the same way about Robert Ryan who may have been the greatest actor who ever lived.
Rod Serling can do no wrong!! I miss that genius of a man. Great story, great acting by all, especially Ed Begley in those scenes where he initially befriends Van Heflin and when he realizes his time has come, but doesn't blame Van for it. You genuinely believe he's a good guy who wants the best for Van. Tore me apart to see what happened to him because I've seen it happen in the corporate world. The story is so relatable.
Agree, it was so hard to watch this man's soul being crushed by a ruthless dictator. I think maybe he would have been better off just resigning and walking away with his dignity and respect, than to be continually brow beaten and humiliated. No job is worth sacrificing your peace of mind and principles for. I like the Bible verse that says, What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? So relevant.🫠
This was one of the best dramas I have ever seen. And the acting was superb and writing!
How right you are !! :-)
Absolutely astounding! Timeless. Probably the best writing Rod Serling ever did.
And that is saying something
WOW this is SUCH an amazing film!!
The way they’re able to articulate high-level corporate politics & how those w/ a strong moral compass struggle was UNBELIEVABLE.
Left me w/ a strong desire for an update 15-20 years later to see how his marriage & character ultimately suffer from his decision to play such a dangerous game.
What men in these kind of corporations have to go through, so much pressure, so much battering. Makes me grieve all over again for my diseased husband who faced so much stress to give his family a good life, only to loose him at 54. Great movie.
Well, one of the most magnificent, well-acted, relevant, brilliant, most well-written movies ever made, and all done, sustained without a bit of screaming music, racket, to make it so. That is what you call a film, and Everett Sloane is brilliant and Van Heflin. The entire cast is superb, Beatrice Straight, the ladies who played the secretaries, Ed Begley. To coin a phase that I wish I didn't have to say, " They don't make them like that any more " They simply haven't the talent. Rod Serling - what a writer. Magnificent.
Well said: "They simply haven't the talent." The same has to be said for music.
Talent, imagination, ethics, manners - we've lost so much!
@@gtw4546 But racism ,sexism, classism is being addressed and finally capitalism with its inate cruelty.
The beautiful architecture as well.
This is such a rich installment of the classic period of great film and TV drama. It is so lacking into day's USA writing and presentation. The acting, writing via Rod Sterling couldn't be better, and with such great b/w cinematography only now appreciated by film historians and those who love a time long gone in film writing and acting as well as great camera work.
No cg, no background music...movies back then were so worth watching! Scriptural speaking one of the BEST movies I have watched in a long time.
This is so American and a gem of our language. Truly human. Rod Serling was a genius. It's a treasure for us to just appreciate and honor.
Thank you PizzaFlix. Stayed glued to the end knowing what the two major characters were going thru as I was SELF EMPLOYED FEMALE executive during those MAD MEN days and saw strong men dwindle under the hypocrisy of the corporate world, many becoming secret lushes after work just to ease the pain of full subservience to a hierarchy they hated. Was a powerful but sad time for me. Learned much tolerance. Here fifty years later i remember some of thos good men who shrank to Biggs condition. Yes I am now 82 YO . Thanks and more if u can find such .
@@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits News flash- Our world does not revolve around genitals you testerical nutcase.
So refreshing to find a rare comment from a real person who is not a jack-off teenage idiot or a troll.
Sophie Seeker Same here and I was a self-employed male. It changed me too, and I saw the lying and cheating, the hypocrisy. I'm no goody-goody, but it went too far for me. The trapped male and female having to put up with self-betrayal - pay mortgages and fear of losing their jobs ( not anyone who worked with me, I'm happy to say, ) but for not playing the game along with their way those who didn't paid a terrible price - were ruined. Best wishes to you, Sophie.
This brings tears to my eyes. I was 8 when this was produced. Sterling out did himself. And the acting... my God ! Ed Begley Sr.
Serling
I was 8 too Pastor 😃
Bears no resemblance to his son.
What a great movie. I suggest people give up cable or satellite and find gems like this online. It makes it hard for me to ever sit through most modern films when something like this comes across my path. I came across this while watching old Twilight Zone episodes. I loved the way everyone dressed up and the way they were so formal. Great ending and great drama. Mr. Briggs could not accept his time was up and his stubbornness got him killed. "Pride cometh before the fall"
spoken like a cannibalistic corporate beast - no place decency and kindness, which makes the ending is realistic - our civilization is sick.
I haven't had Cable for Years, TH-cam is My place for Movies,TV Shows Music, everything!
I couldn't agree more... Incredible acting...
Who said modern is better. You watched this movie from the 40s after all. When you have purpose you can go on forever.
"When the Foot of Pride comes down, ain't no turning back" ~~ Bob Dylan
Being also 62, the same age as the gentleman slowly being forced out, what he said about patterns of behavior towards you when they want you out of the corporation is absolutely true. He's doing the right thing by staying and forcing them to play their hand. He knows where all the bodies are buried so to speak and that gives him leverage.
But they killed him!
@@Daniela-Christianson yeah, it was a perfect play … right up until he died at office instead of going with his son to yankees Red Sox game. =\
Such a good man. By the way, the prick CEO didn't look much younger 😆
@emzywillrich7243 Not sure I agree. Trying to fight them from the inside rarely if ever works.
@@electraruby4078 reading the comments I see that almost everyone misses the many layers of what is going on in this story. The easy first layer is: CEO is evil, corporations are evil, people will die because they are worked to death by the evil corporation. That is NOT the whole story, but that’s what everyone seems to be latching on to.
Nobody could have ever played the part of Ramsey as perfectly as Everette Sloane.....just brilliant! He made a great movie outstanding!
Every time I see him I hear "Franklin! Franklin!" from Twilight Zone episode The Fever.
A great character actor, Everett. I was sad to find out he committed suicide with barbiturates at the age of 55.
@@ladamyre1 Because he thought he was going blind
@@ladamyre1 55? How old was he in this movie?
🦅This film is one of greatest films ever made. Rod Serling did an absolutely masterful job on this screen play.
I really loved the casting because every character looks so natural, and real and believable in their roles.
And the costumes were just absolutely so tasteful and elegant. I took particular notice of the "sensible shoes" worn by the women and the modest length of skirts. Very conservative and impeccably pressed and tailored and measured.
The women's hair styling was perfect for that era. The men's hair cuts were neat and conservative, clean cut. Every hair in place.
Each person is a perfect icon and symbol of American Western upper-class, conservative culture. Every detail is controlled and disciplined.
The sets are beautiful even to the bouquets of expertly sharpened pencils in the desks.
The custom made draperies and the choice of expensive, highly polished and glossy "Early American" furniture and furnishings announces that American Tradition and perfect order permeates the entire space.
Everything is measured to perfection.
Even Van Heflin's character announces that the home that the bureau has selected and had tastefully decorated for him is so impressive , that it looks like something out of a magazine.
As for actors and actresses, they give absolutely "jaw dropping", "show stopping", "breath-taking" performances. Even the ones with a very small part, give to their lines something magical and memorable and significant.
Sincerely
gospelgirl
Yes I agree ❤️
Beautifully put ✌️
Agreed. The perfection is remarkable. Everything so composed yet so natural. This film is a jewel.
Thank you so much for this stunning motion picture! To me, this is the "12 Angry Men" of the corporate world. A brilliant character study of what the business world did to people back then and still does to people today.
Absolutely...they are still doing this exact soul destroying behaviour pattern today.. They did it to me.
I love everything from the fifties and sixties. This movie is great, a timeless plot, fantastic writing, and cinematography is beautiful, the actors are excellent! They were all perfect! Wow!
"You're a FREAK !!" one of the best retorts i've heard on film
Wow..that's exactly how they do it today. Create a situation where you can't work in. The stress is horrible, and the micro- management of you is unbearable. I've see it, and I've been a product of it in my 40 years of Nursing. It's how they got rid of all the Seasoned Nurses.
That's because narcissism and greed are timeless; and management/ownership are almost completely full of both.
@@mikesmith6838 Yes, agree. I just finished watching again, second time. This movie is fantastic, actors great. And like I said, I've seen it happen in real life, and it kind of hurts to watch it. I think of people I knew that it happened to.
RN here. My first nursing job was at Jackson memorial hospital in Miami, Florida. It was the best nursing job anyone could ever hope for and I didn't know. I moved two hrs north a couple of years later, thinking that one nursing job is like any other. I went through an additional 10 years of working in the pits of hell or what I call the other hospitals. You couldn't get me to work that job again if they offered to pay me quadrupled.
Now all the seasoned nurses are quitting because of the mandate, and
the hospitals are up the creek. Hospitals don’t seem to care about human beings anymore anyway, just money. They won’t allow doctors and nurses who care to get in the way of that.
Bill was not much of a guy in my opinion, neglected his kid for a job he knew died ten years before he did. Drawer full of baseball tickets he never showed up for. Dude that's messed up.
This is singularly the most brilliant movie I've ever watched.
Then you've never seen "Shane" I guess.
I wondered why I hadn’t seen this movie before , then I realised I was only 10 yrs old,and watching cowboys and Indian movies ,with a bit of Flash Gordon, and comedies thrown in ! Now I’m in my twilight years I understand and appreciate these old well crafted movies, and can even see the parallels with today’s society in 2021 ! Another gem , brilliantly acted by all , camera work excellent ,continuity excellent , screenplay beautifully written,in other words a must see experience!
I rated this film a 10. Outstanding script and impeccable performances.
This is a classic. I keep re-watching this movie, and every time I get something new. This work of art remains vibrant and ever, ever, so relevant to our troubled times. I guess this is what is meant by timeless...art....
Lordy. I've only watch the first 35 minutes. I'm practically biting my finger nails. This is incredible. Don't you just love rod Serling.
I uh cut my nails down 3 days ago! But hey! I uh am looking forward to this movie! As you mentioned your nails!😀😀😀😀😀😀😆😆😆😮😄!
Rod Sterling was a man that understood the human factor far more than most do. He truly saw the future.
Yes yet art DOES imitate life. That era read the newspapers everyday, they were shrewd, they based decisions on biblical ideals , they had morals...they had gumption....they had, collectively, ....this!
@@lindaclark9925 I belive moxy is the word you're looking for
@@lindaclark9925 b
@@Dr.ZoidbergPhD No not the word; i will use the word....holiness. It is what God expects from us, also. Simply doing his will in our lives. His will is that we live productive and good holy lives, i see this goes against everything the media nee the world is propagating fou us and our youth. SOMETHING IS OFF
@@lindaclark9925 they saw the sights...they saw the lights...and know not why,...but why know not....this!
Just as relevant today as it was in 1956. Arguably, more so.
Would that we had movies of this quality being made today. Thanks for sharing a thought-provoking movie.
Excellent movie, script, writing and all! Bravo to Rod Serling, Van Heflin, Everett Sloane and the rest of the cast! Certainly at par with many of the great films of our time.
This film is no less than MAGNIFICENT!. Thank you
💯
"...this business didn't grow..., it's been added to!" Fantastic. That whole speech by Mr. Briggs (55:00) is naked truth to this day. Rod Serling was a great visionary and phenomenal storyteller. Amazing movie.
Absolutely brilliant. Rod Serling wrote a masterful story here, a story that shows corporate America in 2018 perfectly. Except that now they begin to ease you out when you turn 50, not 62. Rod Serling had such a heart for humanity, a heart for the underdog in any circumstance and a heart for the little guy. With Serling nary a word was out out of place and his dialogue crackled with electricity. In the graceless, heartless world we now live in how I wish there was a clear voice, like Rod's, that knew of justice and morality A great film, thanks so very much for posting! PS - If you ever run into, "Requiem for a Heavy Weight" could you please post it.
You sound pretty clear to me - thank you
GF...Nice summary, so eloquently made👍
Gully Foyle
TH-cam has the original, Playhouse 90 version for free, with Jack Palance.
The 1962 movie with Anthony Quinn is $2.99 to stream.
Excellent! Thank you.
Superb so very true ! Message is .... take NO garbage from Anyone!
I've never seen the magnitude and caliber of this level of acting before; these fellow thespians are artists of the human soul.
They define the energy & refinement of artistic, human communication and social eloquency!
Haven't you seen 12 Angry Men?
A time when "actor" and "actress" meant people who could act. So different from today. Seen every Twilight Zone episode 5 times or more but never knew this existed. Sterling was really good.
I had no idea Rod Serling wrote a movie, it was excellent!. Movie industry is dead as far as i'm concerned nothing worth viewing, SOS
Serling not Sterling I hate autocorrect lol
Serling looked into the Soul of Corporate American. And showed us it's demons and angels
@@joancook8454 "Seven Days in May" - "Requiem for a Heavyweight" - must sees for Serling fans.
There is some clue to this fact ! In THAT time, the actors and actresses were not yet pumped up marionettes of the film industry, but had a main carreer in theatre, where real acting art-&-skill is the MUST (otherwise the theatre runs empty) , and only played in films as an intermezzo. They brought the theatre skill to the film. The average actor in movies today, would even fail an audition for a theatre company .... Nowadays it's the chain of film editor people who PIMP the takes on the set, to let it look like good acting....
Outstanding film! RIP Mr. Serling❤
What a great story, well Rod DID write it.
R.I.P Rod you were awesome.
written by Rod Serling.
Jillian: Awesome indeed. Perfect word.
@@PizzaFLIX .. By the Grand Master himself, Yes we know Ha!!! :P] .v ..
Excellent! Hopeful ending for positive changes to be made. And no need for the gross language or violence of today!
Writers had to be more creative then because they weren't allowed to be too graphic. Thus we have great classics that have stood the test of time. Today, almost anything can be shown and thus too many writers have become lazy....depending too often on graphic violence, sex & profanity to keep the audience's attention ! So sad.... :-(
not even a god damn it uttered in the entire movie .....lmao
I loved the symbolism at the end when they walked through the revolving door.
like wall street and congress?
Dennis Erickson there is a lot of symbolism starting with the Church bell ringing the time and the song it played. The title is Tantum ergo sacramentum and it's traditionally sung or played during veneration and benediction in the Cathodic Church. Basically, the message is that the corporation is a god and all are rushing into the temple (skyscraper) to serve that false god.
Even the corridors resemble the interior of a Church or cathedral.
Now this is true movie making at it's best. I really felt the characters emotions and I believed they were real. GLORIOUS!!!!
Mr. Serling at his best; challenging the mind to consider with greater clarity the issues of the time. His time was just too short. A great movie, thanks for uploading.
Superb script, actin,g. production and direction. I was stunned when I heard Ed Begley's use the words "honor", and "character" as I instantly realized I had not heard them used in the last four or five decades! Those concepts are irrelevant now.
Honor... Character... Respect.... are shunned by the modern society, seen as a relic from the past, but if you leave these out, what comes of the civilization? We may have a smartphone, but folks back then had a better civilization it seems.
@@digiver We have allowed ourselves to be pushed into a state of being smart phonies.
@@paulmunro3175 Agree with you... sorry to see the path our society is moving towards... people really need to open their eyes and see what qualities we have lost in the past decades....
@@digiver Start watching Jordan Peterson and clean your room while you're at it.
@@annarodriguez9868 I have watched his videos several times.
Good writing always makes a good movie. In this case, excellent writing made for an excellent movie. They should tie down Hollywood producers and make them watch this move ten times. Maybe then they'll understand what makes a good movie.
What is being mass produced nowadays is Junk
Well said and well put !! :-)
Rodolfo Peña Not Hollywood but when Television was great...
I would say good dialogue to i would say the two dont always go hand in hand even though they should
great Point!
Rod Serling never disappoints ! A great movie ,true to life of how corporations function in modern times .
Its worse now because communications are instantaneous and all corporate offices are bugged.
@@raymondfrye5017 So true
Awesome movie!
I wish that I'd never watched this old movie, and could forget everything about it ........ so that I could watch it all over again and have the same exhilaration as I have now.
Superb acting and writing!
Terrifying plot that could happen upon any one of us. Scary.
Thanks so much for this upload.
yes, Truely missed..
tuutts39: Great comment!
Wow. Not a false note even once in this powerful film - script, direction, lighting, production design, casting and every performance impeccable and resonant with depth of character and meaning. Essentially it’s a very simple story and plot, it’s just the superb and very affecting way it’s written and executed. And then there’s the passage of time as we look back over 60 years ago: a New York office designed like an English country house; every board member a middle aged white male, every secretary a single woman sitting outside in the corridor, every colleague a Mr or a Miss, every person formally dressed in tailored suit, a dinner party at an executive home in black tie and formal gowns, all lives revolving entirely around loyalty to a hierarchical company and its ideals. The world has certainly spun on its axis more than a few times since then.
All so well acted, particularly enjoyed character Briggs performance. I could literally feel every emotion he was portraying. Brilliant!!
Yes Brilliant!
I agree. I had to take a Tums to settle my stomach acid!
The fellow being forced out had been a character actor of many years. He was a real pro.
TIP TOP !
Ed Begley Sr.
Rod Serling was a gifted and accomplished writer. Much of his writing and shows dealt with issues involving morality, ethics, hubris, and the human condition…it’s weaknesses, frailties, aspirations and complexities. This movie should be required viewing by everyone. It is definitely one of the top 3 movies I’ve viewed.
Superb film. It has echos of Grapes of Wrath; it foreshadows Gordon Gekko and his "greed is good" speech in Wall Street, and is especially on point in this political climate. Grew up with the Twilight Zone, and never fully understood Serling's genius until seeing this amazing film. Thank you so much.
Excellent film. I encourage everyone to see this one!
No argument there !!
Some things in the workplace never change.
It’s been decades since I watched a masterpiece of this time period, ten minutes into it I knew the next minute will be even more better!
I simply had to watch this picture again (and shall continue to rewatch). It's a classic!
God almighty that was great. Rod Serling was such a master of writing about our human condition. And to think how far we've fallen from the standards that Rod and writers of his time created.
ya, anyone that came up around that era sees today as a different planet. paradigm shift in culture since that time, almost.
Man, that last 5 minutes. The second he came into the office and closed the double doors. I was in the room with them.
For a moment I was sucked into the scene. WoW!
Seriously! That was some of the manliest dialog I've heard in a long time.
I love this final confrontation
One of my all time favorite movies---well written and acted. I only wish they made movies even half as good today. Thank you.