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Office Space: Executive Suite and the Business Movie
Steyn On-Line ^ | January 6, 2024 | Rick McGinnis

Posted on 01/06/2024 12:42:43 PM PST by Twotone

In the commentary track he recorded for the 2007 DVD reissue of Executive Suite, director Oliver Stone tells us that there are so few movies about the world of business that he ended up going back to this 1954 Robert Wise picture when he was looking for inspiration for his 1987 film Wall Street.

Wise's film was a hit when it was released and netted four Oscar nominations, but it is as obscure now as when Stone studied it for his own picture. As crucial as finance and management are to the working of capitalism, the business picture remains a subgenre, with only a few films considered classics (Stone's picture, The Big Short, perhaps The Wolf of Wall Street and The Social Network, Citizen Kane at a stretch. But most movies about money are really about finance and the markets and not boardroom politics.)

Any list of business pictures you'll find online is full of documentaries, most of them taking a polemically dim view of American capitalism – Michael Moore films like Roger & Me, The Big One and Capitalism: A Love Story, alongside The Corporation, Inside Job and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. It would be safe to assume that the only people making movies about business are people who profess to hate it.

And if you believe Stone, the failure of American capitalism begins with the story told by Executive Suite. "It begins here," he says in his commentary. "This is the germ. The Fredric Marches of the world are winning."

March plays Loren Shaw, the bad guy in the film – a vice president and controller at Tredway Furniture, a major manufacturer based in Pennsylvania.

(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: movies; rickmcginnis

1 posted on 01/06/2024 12:42:43 PM PST by Twotone
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To: Twotone

From the headline, I thought this was about the movie. “Office Space” one of my favorites, and I got excited. Oh well.
By the way, why did you post this article? (No comment from you about it.)


2 posted on 01/06/2024 1:03:40 PM PST by norcal joe
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To: norcal joe

I wasn’t familiar with this movie, but thought others might find the commentary interesting.


3 posted on 01/06/2024 1:12:20 PM PST by Twotone (I used to worry there'd be a civil war. Now I worry there won't be. - Mark Steyn)
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To: Twotone
Stellar cast in this one, and a strong story.

Another interesting movie in the same vein - Patterns (aka Patterns of Power), 1956. Smaller cast, including Ed Begley, Van Heflin, Everett Sloane. As much emotional intensity, or perhaps more - as Executive Suite, but with fewer characters.

Amazing performance by Begley. Heflin and Sloane weren’t far behind.

4 posted on 01/06/2024 1:31:22 PM PST by yelostar (Spook codes 33 and 13. See them often in headlines and news stories. )
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To: Twotone

5 posted on 01/06/2024 1:46:26 PM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: norcal joe
“From the headline, I thought this was about the movie. “Office Space” one of my favorites, and I got excited. Oh well.”

My reaction as well. Such a great movie.


6 posted on 01/06/2024 1:46:36 PM PST by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell>)
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To: norcal joe
“From the headline, I thought this was about the movie. “Office Space” one of my favorites, and I got excited. Oh well.”

My reaction as well. Such a great movie.


7 posted on 01/06/2024 1:46:52 PM PST by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell>)
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To: Twotone
Wonderful film. William Holden vs. Fredric March for the company presidency with guns ablazing in a boardroom showdown, with interesting subplots (including a skinny Shelly Winters). Enjoyed Walter Pidgeon, Paul Douglas and Nina Foch. For once I could tolerate Barbara Stanwyck. And who knew June Allyson could play ball?! Turner Classic Movies runs it frequently.

Another one worth your time is Rod Serling's Patterns, with Van Heflin.

8 posted on 01/06/2024 1:50:26 PM PST by Hebrews 11:6 ("The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." Romans 8:19)
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To: Sicon; norcal joe
terrible headline to not be about this classic.

Don't forget your cover sheet!

9 posted on 01/06/2024 1:53:42 PM PST by HonkyTonkMan ( )
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To: Hebrews 11:6

I’ve always loved William Holden. Funny that I’ve never run across this movie before.


10 posted on 01/06/2024 1:54:57 PM PST by Twotone (I used to worry there'd be a civil war. Now I worry there won't be. - Mark Steyn)
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To: Twotone
Boardroom 17 on the River Kwai.
11 posted on 01/06/2024 2:51:37 PM PST by Hebrews 11:6 ("The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." Romans 8:19)
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