Drama

Patterns

- Ruthless Men And Ambitious Women...Clawing For Control Of A Billion Dollar Empire!!!

Staples, a successful plant operator, is brought in from Ohio to take an executive position at Ramsey & Co. in New York. He forms a friendship with Briggs, the long-time vice president, but it soon becomes apparent that Walter Ramsey, who has inherited the position of CEO, is grooming Staples to replace Briggs. Ramsey will not fire Briggs, instead doing everything he can to humiliate and sabotage Briggs until he resigns.

Release Date : 1956-03-27

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Jed HarrisMichael MyerbergUnited Artists

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Fred Staples

Original Name : Van Heflin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Walter Ramsey

Original Name : Everett Sloane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bill Briggs

Original Name : Ed Begley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nancy Staples

Original Name : Beatrice Straight

Gender : Female

Character Name : Marge Fleming

Original Name : Elizabeth Wilson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Margaret Lanier

Original Name : Joanna Roos

Gender : Female

Character Name : Martha Stevens

Original Name : Valerie Cossart

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sylvia Trammel

Original Name : Eleni Kiamos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paul Briggs

Original Name : Ronnie Welsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Hill

Original Name : Shirley Standlee

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harvey Jameson

Original Name : Andrew Duggan

Gender : Male

Character Name : D.J. Vandeventer

Original Name : Jack Livesey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ed Gordon

Original Name : John Seymour

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ann

Original Name : Sally Gracie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Jameson

Original Name : Sally Chamberlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elevator Starter

Original Name : Edward Binns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Latham

Original Name : James Kelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edgar Grannigan

Original Name : John Shelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carl Portier

Original Name : Victor Harrison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Ethel Britton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Billy (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Dreyfuss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Second Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Elaine Kaye

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Adrienne Moore

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

I reserve the right to break your jaw. Patterns centres around the fierce and dog eat dog world of an executive conglomerate company. Written by Rod Serling (he of The Twilight Zone fame) and based on his own play, it's a stunning picture that relies (and succeeds) on spiky dialogue and a trio of superlative acting performances. Not containing any music at all and filmed primarily within the confines of an interior setting, Serling and his on form director, Fielder Cook, have crafted probably the essential picture dealing with the harsh and at times brutal realities of big business ladder climbing. Everett Sloane, Ed Begley and Van Heflin really provide the viewers with an acting tour de force. Sloane as the big boss Walter Ramsey, creates a strutting despotic character that is as memorable as it is harsh, here's a man who will not "pattern" a sacking of an employee, he would rather break him into resignation!, a totally vile and cruel "pattern" tactic. Begley (superbly playing weary emotion) plays the genial and honest William Briggs, who upon welcoming Van Heflin's Fred Staples to the company, realises it's likely to be at his own cost. This giving the film a deep emotional "pattern" as Staples (Heflin to me, donning a career high) gets conflicted about his role in this company, this leads us to a truly excellent finale as Heflin and Sloane go at each other with a gripping intensity that many modern actors could do no worse than to take note of, it really is something to behold. A fabulous movie that comes highly recommended to anyone who appreciates dialogue driven films with intelligence pouring from every frame. 9/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-07

When "Staples" (Van Heflin) arrives at the "Ramsey" building to take up his new executive job, he meets his boss "Briggs" (Ed Begley) then the guy with his name on the door (Everett Sloane), and is welcomed with open arms. Pretty quickly, though, he realises that "Briggs" - who has recently return from illness is in the firing line - and that he is to be the principal weapon used to replace him. The problem here is though "Staples" is fiercely ambitious, and his wife "Nancy" (Beatrice Straight) isn't so very far behind on that front, he actually quite likes "Briggs" and his more human approach to doing business. Indeed, when that man's secretary is arbitrarily attached to the newcomer, it would appear that the writing is on the wall so just how complicit will his scruples allow him to be? I found this to be one of Heflin's better parts, and he portrays his conflicted character really quite effectively. Begley is also on good form as a man maybe just a little past his use-by date and Sloane epitomises the family business obsessed mogul who cares only about power - and for it's own sake. What choices can "Staples" make? What choices does he want to make? This is a quickly paced look at humanity - warts and all, and for double the salary and an unlimited expense account, what might any of us do?