Patterns (film)
Patterns is a 1956 American "boardroom drama" film starring Van Heflin, Everett Sloane, and Ed Begley; and directed by Fielder Cook. The screenplay was by Rod Serling, who adapted it from his teleplay of the same name, which was originally broadcast January 12, 1955 on the "Kraft Television Theatre" with Sloane, Begley and Richard Kiley. Plot. Ruthless Walter Ramsey runs Ramsey & Co., a Manhattan-based industrial empire he inherited from his father. He brings Fred Staples, a youthful industrial engineer whose performance at a company Ramsey has recently acquired has impressed him, in for a top executive job  at the headquarters. Though Staples is initially clueless, Ramsey is grooming him to replace the aging Bill Briggs as the second in command at the company. Briggs has been with the firm for decades, having worked for and admired the company's founder, Ramsey's father. His concern for the employees clashes repeatedly with Ramsey's ruthless methods. Ramsey will not fire Briggs outright but does everything in his power to sabotage and humiliate him into resigning. The old man stubbornly refuses to give in. Staples is torn by the messy situation, his ambition conflicting with his sympathy for Briggs . The stress gets to Briggs, who collapses after a confrontation with Ramsey and later dies. This causes a heated showdown between Ramsey and Staples, in which Staples announces he is quitting. Ramsey rebukes him, asserting only men with his talent have what it takes to make a corporation like Ramsey & Company succeed. He offers Briggs' job and a enormous increase in salary. Staples resists. Ramsey increases the fever of his pitch, adding that Staples will never be able to reach his full potential anywhere else. Staples counters with double his salary, stock options, and the right to punch Ramsey in  the jaw if he feels so inclined—adding that he will do all he can to replace him. Ramsey enthusiastically agrees to all of the conditions. Reception. Critical response. Film critic Dennis Schwartz gave the film an A and highly praised it in his 2002 Ozus review: Added Schwartz: In the April 27, 2008, edition of "TV Week", the television critic Tom Shales compared the movie unfavorably to the live TV production: