7.4/10
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57 user 21 critic

Executive Suite (1954)

When the head of a large manufacturing firm dies suddenly from a stroke, his vice presidents vie to see who will replace him.

Director:

Writers:

(screen play), (based on the novel by)
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Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Mike Walling
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Bill Lundeen
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Mrs. George Nyle Caswell (as Lucille Knoch)
Edgar Stehli ...
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Sara Asenath Grimm
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Storyline

Avery Bullard, President of the Tredway Corporation has died. But he never named a clear successor, so the Board members must choose a replacement. The most likely is Loren Shaw, a skilled businessman, but some of the others don't like his calculating ways. But to stop him, they'll have to find someone else they can back. Will it be the engineer Don Walling? That will take convincing, they don't trust his youth and idealism. And he isn't even sure he wants the job, he might be happier creating rather than politicking. Written by Ken Yousten <[email protected]>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He had a "love nest!" See more »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

30 April 1954 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Cuando llama el deseo  »

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Box Office

Budget:

$1,383,000 (estimated)
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Western Electric Sound System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Oliver Stone, who did the commentary on the DVD for this film, the beginning was narrated by Edward R. Murrow. See more »

Goofs

When Don tries to delay the start of the meeting, Shaw states that five members are sufficient for a quorum -- the four men present plus Julia Tredway's proxy (and later, Julia in person). But all Don had to do to hold up the meeting was to walk out, thereby depriving it of the necessary quorum. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
[pre-opening-credits sequence; views of skyscrapers]
Narrator: It is always up there, close to the clouds, on the topmost floors of the sky-reaching towers of big business. And because it is high in the sky, you may think that those who work there are somehow above and beyond the tensions and temptations of the lower floors. This is to say that it isn't so.
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Connections

Referenced in The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon (1994) See more »

Soundtracks

Singin' in the Rain
(1929) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Hummed by Tim Considine
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User Reviews

 
Big Business Films Are Never Dated!
27 May 2002 | by See all my reviews

From the very moment I started watching Executive Suite until the very end, I was amazed at how accurate the producer and director and the stars of this film portrayed big business as it has always been and unfortunately as it always will be! Big business films are never dated! The same backstabbing political games were there then and are still there now! Sure, this film was made in 1954 and it is now almost 50 years later and the way in which business is transacted has changed but big business itself hasn't changed a bit. Watch the movie and you will see. Everyone was superb in this film and even though Paul Douglas didn't get very good reviews, I personally thought that he was one of the best actors in this great film. Barbara Stanwyck whose screen time was very short, turned in a grand performance as a family stockholder. Nina Foch was never better in the role of the secretary of the big boss and more than deserved her academy award nomination for best supporting actress even though she did not win. I also liked the casting of William Holden and June Allyson together; at first I thought an odd combination but they worked well together! You gotta see this one! Lots of suspense!


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