All language subtitles for 1954 Executive suite

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.

- Goodbye, Julius.
- A pleasure, Mr. Bullard.

Caswell.

Mr. Bullard.

Good afternoon,
Mr. Bullard.

Straight wire.

That'll be $1 even, please.

Out of $5?

And $4.

Thank you.

Taxi!

Hey, there-- taxi!

Taxi-- aah! Oh, no...

Your friend Avery Bullard

didn't come all the way up here
from Millburgh

just to taste the steamed
finnan haddie

in our private dining room.

Salty today.

And all those hints about his

upcoming earnings report?

He was just softening us up

for another debenture deal--

another five million teeth
for us to pull

for his Tredway Corporation.

Such talk from a member
of his board of directors.

The only reason
he put me on

was to wrap up Steigel
and company for bond issues.

Tredway's board--
a rubber stamp for Bullard.

- You've heard of it.
- But always black ink.

Last year-- $5.5 million
net after taxes.

That's beside the point.

Julius, you know
how tough it is to sell

these investment fund boys
on a one-man corporation.

Bullard hasn't had
an executive vice president

since Fitzgerald died.

They want to see
continuity of management--

a second in command
in case anything happens.

My next birthday I'm 71.
Avery Bullard is only 56.

Fitzgerald was 50
the day they buried him.

Why hasn't Bullard
replaced him?

He's got five
vice presidents down there--

All with equal authority,
all waiting, all wondering.

And if you ask me they won't be

waiting and wondering much
longer.

Always Avery Bullard likes
to take his top executive

from inside the company,

but always first he likes
to convince himself

there's nobody better
on the outside.

It is my opinion,
Mr. Caswell,

that at lunch today you were
crossed off the list.

Me?

Obvious.

You didn't warn me.
You didn't say a word.

You wanted it?

Of course not.

So...

Julius, come here-- quick!

What is it?

No-- no, it isn't!

It just looks like--

It's Bullard.

Only a minute ago he was...

Avery Bullard.

Get me Phil Wingate--
and hurry.

A one-man company
without its one man.

Hello, Phil.
This is George Caswell.

You've got 43 minutes
before the close.

I want you to start selling
Tredway common short.

That's right-- short.

Feed out all you can
before the bell.

Yes,
I said all you can.

Everything you can
get rid of.

Do it in your name,
not mine, okay?

Get to it.

When the street finds out
in the morning

that Bullard is dead,

Tredway is going
to break wide open.

Tomorrow is Saturday.
The market is closed.

Well, alright, Monday.

Give them the weekend
to digest the bad news.

This is the kind of gamble
I like-- a sure thing,

and I'll be able
to buy that stock back

for 10 points less
than I sold it.

There are some ways it don't
seem right to make money.

Alright, break it up,
break it up.

Let's move along now.
Move along.

Canady reporting.
I got a John Doe here.

Dropped dead in front
of the Chippendale building

around 2:45.

Beekman Downtown
took him to the morgue.

No. No identification.

Coming through, please.
Going up.

Hey, uh,
wh-what you got there?

Telegram for Miss Martin.

I deliver all messages
to executive suite.

Yes, well, will you
send it to Miss Martin, please?

You wait here.

Yes, I'll see that Mr. Bullard
takes a look at them.

Thank you.
We'll be in touch with you.

Telegram, Miss Martin.

Oh, thank you, Luigi.
How's your cold?

Alright. Thank you.

Good.

Mr. Bullard's coming in.
He's arriving on the 5:49.

You want me to tell Eddie
to be there with the car?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, tell him not to have it

sitting out in the sun again.

Uh, Mr. Bullard
is coming here to the tower?

Called a meeting for 6:00.

Oh, then I tell Maria
not to wait with my supper.

Oh, no need, Luigi.

The night man
can take us down.

No, I don't mind
waiting for him.

- Oh, Miss Martin.
- Is he busy?

- Group insurance meeting.
- Oh.

Come in.

Excuse me. Jim.

There's a wire
from Mr. Bullard.

He's called
an executive meeting.

- Tonight?
- 6:00.

Uh, just a minute,
Miss Martin.

Gentlemen, we'll, uh,
continue this on Monday.

Alright, I'll check with Collins
in the meantime.

- Good.
- Have a nice weekend, Fred.

Thank you.
Goodbye boys.

Do you have any idea
what this is about?

No.

Uh, did he say anything else
in the wire?

No, Mr. Alderson.

Yes, sir.

Phone my home, please.
Tell Mrs. Alderson

if I'm not there
when the guests arrive,

not to wait for me.

Is he in?

Oh, gosh, Miss Martin,
you just missed him.

He got an early start
on the weekend.

Well, you'll have to
call him back.

Mr. Bullard
wants him at 6:00.

There's an executive meeting.

Oh, he'll hate me.

I know he's already
on his way to the bay,

and I don't see
how I can reach him.

Well, call the Turnpike
toll station.

They know Mr. Grimm.

Well, tell them
to turn him back.

And has once again overrun

the first-half estimate
for experimental work,

this time by $23,254.

In view of the consistent
high profit curve

achieved by our
budget-rated K-F line,

I should like,
at your earliest convenience,

Mr. Bullard,

to discuss with you
the economic soundness

of Mr. Walling's
experimental program.

I'm sorry, Miss Martin.

Executive meeting
at 6:00, Mr. Shaw.

There must have been
some development in New York.

Apparently.

Miss Martin, was there any
information

Mr. Bullard might want
at this meeting?

Anything you suggest
that I have ready for him?

Mr. Shaw, I don't know
what the meeting is about.

I wasn't probing,
Miss Martin. Just asking.

Of course.

Eva?

Why don't you wear bells
or something?

May I go in?

Mr. Dudley is on the phone.

In fact, he's in the phone.

Oh! Well, maybe
you better tell him then.

Executive meeting at 6:00.

But he--
Mr. Dudley has to take

the 7:00 plane
to Chicago--

the furniture show.

Mr. Bullard's orders,
not mine.

Mr. Bullard's orders,
not mine.

I didn't say I'd have dinner
with them at the club.

You did!
Look, will you hold it?

Sylvia, please,
listen to me for a minute.

Bullard's getting ready
to appoint

an executive vice president,
and I-- well, be bored then!

It happens to be the way
I make my living!

Hold it.
Please, hold it a minute.

You don't care
whether I'm with you or not.

It's just if I'm not there,

you won't have anything
to complain about.

Sylvia? Hello, Syl--

Would you like
a transcript of that?

You told me to monitor
all important calls.

You made no commitments.

Nothing was said
by either party

that could be
construed as binding

either
on this company or--

Please. Not now.

Mr. Bullard would like you
at an executive meeting

at 6:00 tonight.

Shall I change
your reservation?

Maybe you'll have to take
the late plane.

Maybe I will.

Hello?
Yes, he's here.

Oh, just a moment.

Mr. Walling, telephone.

- Take a message.
- It's Mr. Bullard's secretary.

She says it's important.

Alright! Here we go!

How is the density?

Building up fine.

Yes, Erica.

Well, there must be
some mistake.

Today is the day we test
the new molding process.

Are you sure
he wants me there?

Well, the wire says
executive committee,

Mr. Walling.

Well, can't you put it off?

It would take months
to reproduce this setup.

Either it comes off on schedule
or not at all.

Yes-- yes,
I'll be there.

What's the trouble?

Bullard wants me
in a meeting at 6:00.

You're going to have to
make this shot without me.

But how can we?
Suppose something goes wrong.

Nothing is going to go wrong.

Do you think he forgot?

Bullard never forgets.

Then I don't understand
why he--

Maybe we're not
supposed to understand.

It's none of your business,
none of mine.

If Bullard calls a meeting,
he's got a good reason.

He's a big man.

It's been quite a day,
Mr. Caswell.

That's a lot of stock Wingate
sold for you in 45 minutes--

inactive issue like Tredway.

Where's that elevator?

Relax, Mr. Caswell.
You said it yourself.

You sold 3,700 shares
of stock you haven't got,

and you'll be
covering it Monday morning

at 10 points less.

Why,
that's a real killing,

so what do you got
to worry about?

You're in good shape...

Unless maybe the man
under the blanket

ain't Avery Bullard.

Julius...

No, no, no.

It was Bullard.
I saw him. He was dead.

You saw him, too, Julius.

I'm an old man,
Mr. Caswell.

My eyes don't see
easy money so good anymore,

but I take your word for it.

Have you got
the late finals yet?

Any minute now.

Can I drive you someplace?

It was right there.

Enjoy your weekend,
Mr. Caswell.

- Late finals?
- Yep.

- Journal, post, and telly.
- After I count them.

Oh, come on, come on.

Taxi!

Stork Club.

Alright.

Hey, don't you want
your change?

Good evening,
Mr. Caswell.

- Be with you in a minute.
- I thought you said 5:00.

Will you get me
the Beekman Downtown Hospital?

Certainly, Mr. Caswell.
Take booth three, please.

Is that "B"
as in Benjamin?

Well, I'm sorry, sir,

but there's been
no one by that name

admitted here during
the past 24 hours.

Perhaps it was
some other hospital.

Don't tell me--
it was Beekman Downtown.

I want you to--
Hello?

Thank you, Mr. Caswell.

I want to make
a person-to-person call.

Mr. Avery Bullard.

B-U-double L-A-R-D,
Tredway Corporation,

Millburgh, Pennsylvania.

Take it in booth four, please.

Okay.

Operator,
this is plaza 3-1940.

Mr. George Caswell
calling Mr. Avery Bullard,

Tredway Corporation,
Millburgh, Pennsylvania--

person-to-person.

That's right.
Time and charges, please.

You have a big nerve.

I told you I'd be right
with you.

- What's happening here?
- I've been waiting a half-hour.

Look, can't you see I'm busy?
Wait for me at the bar.

- Mr. Caswell.
- Yes?

- How long do you think--
- At the bar.

Mr. Caswell,
Mr. Bullard isn't in.

They say he's on his way

and he'll be there
in about 20 minutes.

20 minutes?

- Wallet?
- None.

- Laundry marks?
- None.

Ought to be a federal law.
What about the suit?

No customer label.

How about Andruzzi--
the tailor?

Palm Beach police
trying to locate him.

He closes
for the summer.

We should have been tailors.
Car keys?

GM is checking on it. All they
know it's a '53 Cadillac.

Anything else?

Monogram on shirt-- "AB."

Cuff links engraved "AB."

Couple of predictions.

One-- it turns out to be a guy
with the initials "AB."

Two--
at 6:00, I go home.

I'm on the green in 2.
How much? $300 to $1,000.

"You're on," he says.
So I took my 7-iron--

It's no good.
You're going too fast.

What, are you trying
to carbonize it?

Attaboy, Don.
Give it to them.

Give me the check points on
the time, temperature curve.

- So what happened?
- What happened?

It took me four
to get out of the rough

and two more
to get on the green.

You lost the $300, huh?

Yes, but I got his
French provincial order

for the whole year--

28 stores, 135,000 bucks
on the line.

That bet convinced
Milton Oberfelder

that I was the one guy
in St. Louis

he beat that week
who was really trying.

Were you?

The next time you play
fresh meadows in St. Louis,

let me see you
hook a brassie shot

in back of that tree.

Bill, those RF temperatures
have to be uniform

over the entire surface.
You know that.

- Walt. Jesse.
- Hello.

Fred.

Do you know what
this meeting is all about?

Didn't Fred tell you?

Oh, I'm sorry, Fred.

I assumed Mr. Bullard
spoke to you.

I don't know. See that the lines
are balanced.

You know it's something!

Everything going alright, Don?

Everything is going fine.

Shall I start tearing up my
material rejection charts

right now?

You can start
to reexamine them.

How about that, Jesse?

What does production
got to say about that?

All I'm thinking
about right now

is a mess of soft-shell crabs

fresh out of Chesapeake Bay.

We're rooting for you, Don.

I hope this thing
doesn't string out.

I got a 7:00 date with a DC-6,

and I'd sure hate
to stand her up.

- Taking Mrs. Dudley along, Walt?
- Not this time.

I'll be too busy romancing
the chain and mail order boys.

You're ready for some
pressure on prices,

of course?

Dealers' stocks
are up again.

I assume you've figured
how far you can cut.

Well, no. I thought I'd
work that out on the plane.

Like this?

You'll find a volume
and price chart there

for each major item.

Where the curves intersect,

that's your relative net profit.

Maybe you ought to go to Chicago
and try pushing the K-F line--

see how far
you get with the boys

with your kind
of intersecting curves.

Mr. Bullard
must have missed the 5:49.

Eddie just called
from the station.

He'll wait for the 6:10.

Well, I'm sure none of us
minds waiting, Miss Martin.

Oh, Mr. Alderson, may I see you
for a moment, please?

Pikes Peak, please.

- Julia Tredway is here.
- Where is she?

In Mr. Bullard's office.
She insisted on waiting.

Hmm.
Uh, better let me know

when Mr. Bullard
is on the way up.

Yes, sir.

Julia.

Nice to see you.

Miss Martin says
he hasn't come back yet.

That's right.

I know I shouldn't be here.
Mr. Bullard doesn't like it.

I, uh, I have to talk
to him, Mr. Alderson.

- Perhaps I can help you.
- Well, it's rather important.

I do think it best if I discuss
it with Mr. Bullard.

He'll be pretty busy
when he gets here.

Why don't you call him later,
Julia?

It's about my stock,
Mr. Alderson--

My Tredway stock.

You're thinking
of disposing of it.

That's why I wanted
to see Mr. Bullard.

Naturally.

Am I really as tiresome
as all that?

Julia, I didn't say...

That I've come here
to threaten Avery again?

To play on his fear
that he might lose

control of the company
if I did sell my stock?

No, no, Mr. Alderson,
you didn't say it,

just as you didn't say that
this is the only way I have

to make him
pay any attention to me.

Oh, Julia.

I'm sorry.

How does he do it to us?

Your devotion.
My imagination.

It does take imagination,
you know,

to think up reasons
for coming here--

because he won't come
to me anymore.

I had a phone call
a while ago,

a rather strange call
from someone in New York.

This man said
he had information

that was highly unfavorable

to the future prospects
of the Tredway Corporation.

What's this man's name,
Julia,

and what's the information?

I asked him that,
but he said

it came from
a confidential source.

Ahh. Oh, yes, of course.

Well, if I were you,
I'd ignore rumors like that.

When you see
our earnings report,

you'll realize how senseless

such mysterious
phone calls are.

Then I wonder
why Mr. Caswell

was so insistent that I sell.

- George Caswell?
- Yes.

He said I ought to
sell now and buy back later.

When did you say he phoned?

About 20 minutes ago.

But Caswell
is one of our directors.

All he would tell me
was that he had a customer

who didn't want
his name known

who was willing to buy
3,700 shares of Tredway

at today's closing price.

3,700 shares?

Provided I would give him
an immediate decision.

He said it would have to be
a private sale.

Miss Martin, will you
come in, please?

Mr. Bullard wouldn't want me
to sell, would he?

You know that, Julia.
You've always known it.

But you never let
a simple thing

like gratitude stand
in your way, do you?

Before Mr. Bullard
goes into the meeting,

I want to see him.

Well, yes, Mr. Alderson ,
but I'm afraid that--

What is it?

I just had another call
from Eddie at the station.

Mr. Bullard wasn't
on the 6:10 either.

I called the Waldorf
in New York.

- He hasn't checked out.
- Have you told the others?

- Why, no. I thought--
- Let me do it then.

You, uh, you do understand,
don't you, Mr. Alderson?

Hmm?

The reason I wanted
to see Avery.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I did want to make sure

I didn't say the wrong thing
to Mr. Caswell.

You see, I promised to call him
back by 6:00.

Or don't you think
I should call--

Do as you wish, Julia.

You can use
the phone right there.

Oh... but it would end
all this, wouldn't it,

if I did sell
once and for all?

It would end a lot of things.

I'll check back with you.

I'll see you Monday.

Was that Mr. Bullard
on the phone?

- No. Give anybody a lift? Don?
- I'm going back to the plant--

I guess I can
just about make it.

I'll run you
out to the airport.

That's alright.
I'll get a cab.

Any reason why I can't drop you
off?

Okay, let's go.

- Goodnight, Fred.
- Good trip, Walt.

Oh, uh, Shaw, you haven't by any
chance been in touch

with Caswell lately, have you?

George? No, why?

Oh, nothing.
Nothing special.

Uh, Miss Martin,

if Mr. Bullard gets in touch
with you this evening,

would you ask him
to call me? I'll be home.

- Yes, Mr. Alderson.
- Thank you. Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Yes, Miss Tredway?

Yes. Mr. Caswell?

Plaza 3-1940.

Perhaps you'd like
to order now, sir?

- I would.
- No. Tell Enrique to come here.

- Yes, sir.
- But I'm starving.

She said she'd
call back by 6:00.

Who said?

Can't you talk to me?

What am I here for?

Well, what about
that Millburgh call?

Sorry, Mr. Caswell, not yet.

Would you like to start
your dinner now?

- Cherry stones, perhaps?
- Make it two dozen.

Go back and check
with the operator again.

Yes, sir.

One of these days...

You're going
to stop talking.

- Oh, hello, Farrell.
- Oh, hi.

What have you got there?

Tomorrow morning's
Farrell, what else?

- Do you mind if I look?
- No, go ahead.

You'll have to excuse
my friend.

He likes to read
while he doesn't eat.

"A.B."

"A.B."

Who's Abie?

Thank you.

Your Millburgh call,
Mr. Caswell.

Oh, Enrique, tell the operator
I'm not here

and you don't know
where I've gone.

- But, Mr. Caswell--
- Get me the police department.

- Police department?
- And a magnum of champagne!

Yes, Mr. Caswell.

Can we eat now, George?

Are you hungry?

Am I hungry?

Well, why didn't you say so?

Flight 79
to Pittsburgh and Chicago

now loading at gate 3.

You hear that? When Dudley
dates 'em, they wait.

I'll park the car.

Never mind.
I'll be taking off in a minute.

Good luck.

Don't worry.
With this under my belt,

I'll really keep
the K-F line moving.

Your attention, please.

Final call, flight 79
to Pittsburgh and Chicago

now loading at gate 3.

All aboard, please.

Your attention, please.

Final call, flight 79
to Pittsburgh and Chicago,

now loading at gate 3.

All aboard, please.

- Goodnight, Mr. Walling.
- Goodnight, Bill.

Goodnight.

Forget it.

If only we hadn't
come so close.

Why didn't I give it
all we had?

That might have done it.

Stop knocking
yourself out.

I was afraid to take the gamble,

blow all the mixture
on one shot.

It wasn't your gamble to take.
I should have been there.

- Hi, dear.
- Hi.

- Hello, Bill.
- Good evening, Mrs. Walling.

- There's room for one more.
- I've got my car.

Thanks.
See you tomorrow?

Not unless you're
out at the ballpark.

Ooh, I almost forgot.

Goodnight, Bill, and stop
blaming yourself, will you?

I'll try.

- Darling, I could cry.
- Don't.

You were so sure this time.
What went wrong?

I don't know.
I wasn't there.

Bullard called a meeting.

How's Mike?

Oh, he's nervous as a pup
over the game.

I had to chase him out
to play next door.

- This late?
- Well, sure.

I had to do something
to get his mind off it

or he'd never sleep.

He'll be okay when he
steps to the mound.

What was it for, Don?

What was what for?

Bullard's meeting.

He never showed up.

If I'd had the new equipment
I asked for,

nothing would have
gone wrong tonight

whether I'd been there
or not.

Oh, Don.

I needed equipment.
I didn't get it.

Shaw didn't approve.

Who listened to Shaw?
Who canceled the order?

He doesn't understand.

Nobody's claiming
that a new molding process

is going to revolutionize
the industry.

It's just
one attempt in 100

to make
one improvement in 100.

Improve the profits
but never the product,

that's Shaw's philosophy.

To him, the whole company's
just a curve on a chart!

And to you,
it's always somebody else,

never Avery Bullard.

Oh, darling,
why can't you face it?

The dream is dead.

Bullard made you a promise.
He said, "Plan what you want,

"Design what you want.
Develop new ideas.

We need you, boy."

Sure, he needed you.

And it was good,
a fine dream,

but it's over with,
done, finished.

I tell you, it's Shaw.

And it's Bullard
who listens to him.

Oh, he's changed, Don, and
you're dying a slow death here

because you refuse
to admit the truth,

the truth about Bullard.

I just don't know how long
you can go on this way!

I'll walk.

He's out early.

Test at the plant
must have failed.

You don't sound
disappointed.

Should i?

Your plant.

Every brick, every machine,

every inch
of every production line.

And I didn't need
the boy wonders

and slide-rule experts
to show me how.

You really think
you'll be able

to say
goodbye to it, Jesse?

I would have
told Bullard tonight,

but he didn't get
back from New York.

Monday.

Remember when you used
to bring him home to dinner?

The two of you would
sit up half the night talking.

A long time ago.

Sure that isn't
what's bothering you?

Police have cleared
up the five hour old mystery

of the identity of the man
who dropped dead...

Will you get
some music, Sara?

Don.

Why do we do this
to each other?

- My fault.
- No, it's mine.

Small boy stuff.

I'm selfish.

I'm only interested
in loving you.

Never stop.

I'll fight anything,
anyone-- even you--

if I think it will
make you

into someone
I can't go on loving.

- You know something?
- What?

Mr. Walling, there's
a man on the phone,

a reporter
from the paper.

No, not now.
No statement.

It's Bullard.

He's dead.

Oh, no.

Dead!

We were hating him,
and all the time

he was lying there dead!

Darling, don't.

He was a great man...

The greatest man
I've ever known.

Larry, let me see those
Julia Tredway pictures we got

the night her old man
jumped out of the tower.

Is this the residence
of Jesse Grimm?

May I speak
with him, please?

Joe, tell UP
if they call once more...

Is there any way
I can reach him?

- What about Miss Tredway?
- Getting her right now.

Be careful what you write
about her and Bullard.

That's libel.

Hello?

Yes, this is she.

As reorganized
under Bullard's leadership,

Tredway Corporation rose
to become the nation's

third-largest manufacturer
of fine furniture.

Avery Bullard
would have been 57 on...

Excuse me.

Got Fred pretty hard.

Well,
you know how they were.

You realize
what this means, don't you?

For Fred?

Dear?

There's nothing
you can do for him now.

You've got to think
of yourself.

You've worked for it, Fred,

29 years of it.
You've earned it.

You have a right,
and so have I.

You gave your whole life,
lived in his shadow.

If it hadn't been for you,
Avery Bullard would never--

Oh, Edith,
Edith, please.

We've waited a long time.

I want something
for those years.

I want us
to be paid back.

Excuse me.
Mr. Walling is here.

Don,
he'll need your help.

It's incredible. Incredible!

I thought you'd want
to get over to the tower.

Yes. That's right.

I guess I'll have to get on top
of things right away.

Let's go.

- Goodnight, Edith.
- Goodnight.

If there's anything more
you need to fill out your story,

just get in touch with
Lee Ormond here.

Thank you very much, Mr. Shaw.

Fred, Don,
it's good you came down.

Perhaps you can make
some suggestions here.

I've roughed out a plan
with Lee for handling the news,

but it's possible
we've missed something.

First of all I've taken the
liberty of ordering

the immediate release
of the earnings report.

I didn't authorize that.

I'm sure you'd agree that it's
not only wise but necessary.

Why?

Served up cold the news
of Mr. Bullard's death

would hit Tredway stock pretty
hard at Monday's opening.

By countering with good news
of our increased earnings,

we'll not only
check the decline

but send Tredway stock
up quite handsomely.

Not a bad way to start
a new management, is it?

And there will be
a special release for the Times,

Tribune,
and Wall Street Journal

and the follow-up for the
evening at Sunday papers.

The same basic story but
with a stronger company slant

will be sent to the trades
and the morning papers

in our factory cities.

Lee will telephone business
editors of Time and Newsweek.

That pretty much takes care
of the first-priority stuff.

Anything I've missed?

I'll follow through
on everything, Mr. Shaw.

Gentlemen.

I hope, uh, Ormond there
isn't handling this

like some publicity story.

I'm quite confident we can rely

on his good taste
and judgment.

Don't you think so, Don?

With a situation like this,
you can't be too careful.

That's why I got Ormand down
here right away.

As a matter of fact,
I almost didn't call him

when I was sure somebody must
have thought of it before I did.

Apparently no one did.

I've made
all the other arrangements.

The funeral will be Monday at
4:30 and I've asked--

No, it won't.

The funeral will be at 2:00.

- St. Martin's?
- At St. Martin's, yes.

Perhaps I was misinformed.

When I checked
the church calendar,

I found a wedding
scheduled for 2:00.

Something can be done
about the church.

There's another point
I had in mind.

The, uh, highest proportion
of older factory workers,

those who might want to attend
the funeral,

are on the 7:00 to 3:00 shift.

What difference does it make?

The factories will be closed
anyway.

- For the day?
- Yes! For the day.

I suppose
all you're thinking of

is the money it'll cost.

Not as
a first consideration,

but I did happen to recall
Bullard pointing out

at the time of Fitzgerald's
death that a paid holiday

would represent
a loss of the company

for approximately $87,000,

and that figure, of course, was
before the last wage raise.

It would be somewhat more
at the current rates.

There's another consideration,

minor, perhaps, but it did
seem worth taking into account.

The 4:30 time would
make it more convenient

to close our showroom--

Convenient!

That's always
been your attitude, Shaw,

to make everything as convenient
as possible for yourself!

Even Mr. Bullard's death has
to fit into one of your charts!

I don't rate that,
Alderson.

I don't rate that at all.

I have only one interest--
the good of this company.

Don, tell me, am I wrong,

or did the old boy
seem shaky just then?

Don't you think
he has a right to be?

You know, he was closer to
Bullard than the rest of us.

Don, I was careful to take
that into account.

Surely, you saw
there was every reason for me

to be annoyed at his attitude
and still I did my best not to--

Why don't we just
skip it?

Don, I wish you
wouldn't feel that way,

you particularly.

Why me particularly?

After all, we know things
haven't been run

too perfectly around here.

That's one of the reason
I've often wished we could

work more closely together,

and, frankly,
I'd hoped that now I could,

well,
count on your support.

I've always felt
that you and I shared

a certain community of interest.

In your own words, Shaw,

I have only
one interest around here--

the good of this company.

Erica.

Erica.

Oh, Don!

I'm sorry.

I'm terribly sorry.

Now, don't be.

Don't ever be sorry

for feeling the way
you do about him.

Ohh!

Fred?

Sorry, Don.
Made a mess of it.

Ah, look, Fred, nobody expected
that--

You were disappointed
in me.

I was disappointed in myself.

Thought I could do it,
but I can't.

Look, nothing's settled.

Just because Shaw
took advantage of--

Oh, it wasn't Shaw.
It wasn't Shaw at all.

That was my mistake,
thinking I was fighting him.

I was ready for him,
could have handled him.

That wasn't it.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

It was Avery Bullard
I was fighting.

Can't you see that?
I could have coped with Shaw.

It's easy to fight
somebody you hate,

but I couldn't fight
Avery Bullard. Never could.

Look, Fred, you're tired
and upset. We're all upset.

- It's no use, Don.
- Fred, listen to me!

Avery Bullard doesn't
want me to be president.

He never wanted me
to be anything but what I am,

a number-2 man,
never more, never less.

I don't believe that!

Don, it's true.
If it weren't,

he would have made me
executive vice president

months ago. He didn't want me.

Then who did he want?

Fred, I assume you know
where to reach Jesse Grimm.

Yes.

When you do,
better make sure he knows

about the special meeting
of the board tomorrow at 6:00.

When was that decided?

I'm sure we all agree,
the sooner the better.

The wires have gone
out to everybody.

I'll double-check Walt Dudley.

Goodnight, gentlemen.

One thing I can tell you--

It's not going to be him.

Who's going to stop him?

If it was five years from now,
I could tell you who could.

- Good evening, Miss Bardeman.
- Mr. Shaw.

I want to speak to Mr. Dudley.

Oh, you mean you want
to know where to reach him.

Well, he's staying
at the Blackstone in Chicago.

- I thought you knew.
- I see.

I've got
to talk to him right away.

Would you be good enough
to let me use your telephone?

Well, just a minute!

The phone is over there.

Uh, Mr. Shaw...

Mr. Shaw!

Uh, I've got to talk
to you a minute, Walt.

Which chart did you
find this one on, Shaw?

is that all you're going
to say to him?

Just who do you think you are,
coming in here like this?

Eva, wait a minute.

This is my apartment! Why don't
you tell him to get out!

- Eva!
- What are you waiting for?

Don't you want to get
back to your dictaphone

and make out your special
report to the president?

Apparently you two haven't
had the radio on tonight.

He's dead.

Bullard? Dead?

You're lying!

He had a stroke in New York
this afternoon.

They identified the body
this evening.

The old man?

Dead. I don't believe it.

The company will carry on
with a minimum of confusion.

You can catch
the 11:00 plane to Chicago,

get together with your men
there in the morning,

brief them,
let them take over.

You get back here
on the afternoon plane.

There will be a meeting
of the board tomorrow at 6:00

to elect a new president.

I'll want to talk
to you before then.

And while you're in Chicago,

I'd rather you didn't
take any calls--

Millburgh calls.
Is that clear?

Naturally, Sylvia
won't hear about this.

Look, Loren,
this is not what you think.

I come here because--

Well, I don't know.
It's home.

I guess it's
what keeps me going.

She lets me say
what I want, be myself.

Some people
wouldn't understand,

I mean, not knowing Sylvia.
But you--

All I ask of you...

This is
a fine girl, Loren, and--

The corner of your mouth,
on the ride side.

Put your clothes on.
I'll drive you to the airport.

Would you wait in the car?

Eva.

Baby?

Don't worry, baby.

Everything's going
to be alright.

Sure.

You'll-- you'll take care
of everything

like you just
took care of him.

Nothing will happen.
Now, don't worry.

Look, honey, Mr. Bullard's
dead and I've got to--

Well, Shaw's downstairs.

I've got to go now.

Honey, don't feel like that.

I promise you, it'll be alright.

I'll be home tomorrow
on the afternoon plane.

Eva.

Eva, you alright?

You want me
to call you from Chicago?

Don, you'll be a wreck.

I'll quit in a few minutes.

Did Fred stay long?

Mm, long enough.

Oh, I like that.

Did he change his mind?

Mnh-mnh.
It's going to be Jesse Grimm.

Fred's going to get to him
first thing in the morning.

You sound so positive.

Don't the stockholders
have anything to say?

The stockholders had their say
when they elected the board.

Seven directors will vote.
Four votes will elect.

Jesse Grimm will have
his own vote,

mine, Fred's,
and Walt Dudley's.

I think Dudley's about as fed
up with Shaw as the rest of us.

Well,
what's this question mark

after Julia Tredway's name?

Just that. First her father,
now Bullard.

Who knows what she thinks
about the company?

Anyway, she's never even
shown up at a board meeting.

Bullard had her proxy.

Then that means Shaw has only
himself and George Caswell...

Who helped him come
into the company.

Well, if it's all settled,
why are you still up?

Don...

Maybe this is the time
for you to leave Tredway.

No.

But you could do
what you always wanted--

be on your own,
design what you want,

build what you want.

Well, if it hadn't been
for this room

the past few months,
you couldn't have lived.

I've got to make sure that it
can't be done right here

at Tredway, the way that Bullard
made me believe it could.

You don't walk away
from a thing like that,

not till you know
it's hopeless.

Well, if you couldn't
do it under Bullard,

how do you expect to do it with
Jesse Grimm running the company?

Jesse's
a fine production man.

You told me
he lives in the past.

But he's our best chance
to stop Shaw.

Is that
all that matters?

Well, there's nothing
we can do about it

this late at night, is there?

Fred wanted me to try
for the presidency.

When?

Earlier tonight,
back at the tower.

What did you say?

I told him
to forget it.

I'm not going to die young
at the top of the tower,

worrying about bond issues
and stockholders' meetings.

That's not
why I came here.

That's not
what I'm working for.

I'm a designer,
not a politician...

I think.

I think, too.

Well, anyway, I just
wanted you to know

that you might have been
the president's wife.

Well, come to bed,
Mr. Ex-president.

Yes, that's right,

and when you get
that call through,

tell the garage
to send my car over.

Yes... yes.

Where are we
driving to now?

We're driving no place.
I'm going to Millburgh.

But you promised to take me
to the track.

Did I know about this?

What about this?

You're a director
of the company, aren't you?

And it says here,

"Tredway's increased earnings
for the first--"

Do me a favor, will you?
Read the funnies.

There aren't any in The Times.
Don't you know that?

Then read "Situations wanted."
You may need one.

Yes? Okay.
Put Mr. Shaw on.

Yes. Loren? George Caswell.

What? Yes, terrible.

Yes, I-I was shocked.

Now look, Loren--

I certainly have seen it.
I've got it right here.

Remarkable showing.

Now look, Loren,
I'll tell you why I called.

Yes, I've got the wire
about the meeting,

but it's very important
that I see you before then.

Right.

I'll be expecting you.

Oh, did you
send for Miss Martin?

She's outside.

What about the call
to Miss Tredway?

Mr. Shaw, I checked
with the telephone company

and they said
it isn't just a busy signal,

her receiver's off the hook.

Keep trying.
Send Miss Martin in.

Yes, sir.

Will you go in, please,
Miss Martin?

Would you close the door?

- Sit down, please.
- That's alright, Mr. Shaw.

Uh, well, first, uh,

I want you to know,
Miss Martin,

that even though
there will be certain

inevitable changes
within the organization,

you have nothing
to worry about.

Your closeness
to Mr. Bullard

will naturally be
of considerable aid to us

in handling those matters
of personal policy

which were so vital
in Mr. Bullard's running

of the company.

Uh, what I mean, Miss Martin,
is that, uh,

it would be most helpful
at this time

if I could be sure
there were no facts

or no, uh, dark areas
of misunderstanding

in Mr. Bullard's
personal relationships

that could possibly hurt
Tredway Corporation.

What are you
trying to say, Mr. Shaw?

I want you to tell me
everything you know

about Mr. Bullard's relationship
with Julia Tredway.

Mr. Bullard saved the company

after the death
of Miss Tredway's father.

He helped her regain her health
when she broke down.

They became good friends.

Go on.

Those are the facts, Mr. Shaw.

- But surely--
- All the facts.

I don't think
you quite understand

the seriousness of all this.

Perhaps I do,
Mr. Shaw.

That will be all.

Strike three.

And Philly
goes down swinging.

Pretty sharp there today,
Lopat.

Oh, not Lopat. He's a lefty.

- I'm Allie Reynolds.
- Alright, Allie.

Just be sure you do as well
against the Eagles.

- Who's up?
- Eddie Joost.

Dad.

Yeah, yeah.

Low.

Looked good to me.

Hold it.

Gee whiz mom will get it.

- Just a minute.
- Fred Alderson?

- It's Bill down at the plant.
- Oh. Hello, Bill.

Yeah... yeah.

You what?

Now, wait a minute.
Give me that again.

Are you sure?

Well, of course that's it.
It's got to be.

Now look,
stay where you are.

Don't touch a thing.
I'll be right down.

How do you like that?
We had it all the time.

Oh, good.

Now if we can just
duplicate the same thing

at the correct pressure.

Pick me up at the plant
before the game.

- Pop, you coming?
- Change in the lineup, Mike.

I'll see you later.

Aw, I would have
struck Joost out.

- How do you feel, baby?
- Okay, I guess.

- Perspiring?
- Nah.

Well, then come on.
Let's go to work.

Now, none
of that soft stuff.

Mom, I don't want
to hurt you.

Never mind "mom."
You just burn 'em in.

Come on now,
right in here.

It's better than Yogi Berra.

Ha. Are you kidding?

- Mom?
- Yep.

Was Mr. Bullard
a nice man?

Yes, he was.

When does pop
become president?

Oh, Mike, get them up.

Don't you want him to be?

Mom.

Less talk and more pitch,
sonny boy. Come on.

You'd better not wait.

That mixture's liable
to kick over

and we'll be nowhere again.

- What do you say?
- I'm with you.

- Joe? Steve?
- Right.

Benedeck!

Benedeck, how long
would it take your men

to reset the platens
and get rolling?

Sorry, Mr. Walling.

Not this minute.
I mean after the whistle.

Can't do it-- no work
except straight production

until further notice.

What are you talking about?

Orders from the tower.

Okay, knock off.
That's all for today.

When do you think we'll be able
to have another go at it?

Maybe never.

Hello, Fred, any news yet?

He's still
out on his boat.

Now, now, now, don't worry
I'll get to Jesse

if I have to send
the coast guard after him.

No, no need to.

Well, there's nothing
for you to do.

Well, I checked
with Walt's secretary,

and he's coming in
on the afternoon plane.

So you go ahead.
I'll know where to reach you.

Right.

Where do we go
from here, Mr. Walling?

Four years since we've done
anything good like that.

This is what we make now,
the K-F line.

Look at it.

I remember when Mr. Bullard
used to come down here,

see stuff
not half as bad as this,

and just pick it up, and smash
it against the wall.

"Not good enough,"
he used to yell.

"Not good enough."

Huh. Not good enough.

Why did he allow it,
Mr. Walling?

What happened to him?

What's going to happen
to us?

Hello, Mr. Walling.

Hello, Tom.

Hello, Mr. Walling.

Mr. Walling?

Yes, Liz?

Everything's going to be
alright, isn't it?

Don't you worry
about a thing.

But you weren't here in '33.

You don't know
how it was in Millburgh

when Tredway shut down.

Now, nobody's going to shut
down anything around here.

Mr. Bullard brought us
a long way from that.

The trouble with us, George,

is we understand
each other too well.

I know that
all this talk of yours

about the earnings report
is part of a campaign

to put me on the defensive

because you want something,
and you know

that whatever it is,
you'll probably get it.

So why don't you just save time
and get to the point?

There are 50,000 shares

of unissued
Tredway common stock

in the company reserve.

I want you to arrange

that 4,000 shares
of that stock

are sold to me immediately

at yesterday's closing price.

How do you expect me
to do that?

Well, there are ways.
You'll find one.

Why 4,000 shares,
George?

I have my reasons.

I mean,
why the extra 300?

What are you talking about?

"Yesterday afternoon,
between 2:51 and 3:29..."

Starting approximately
six minutes

after Avery Bullard
dropped dead

beneath your office window,

"Mr. Philip Wingate sold
3,700 shares

of Tredway common stock...
Short."

- Wingate told you.
- Unh-unh.

How do you know?

As you said, there are ways.

I had a sure thing.

If you hadn't released
that... earnings report...

You knew.
Is that why you did it?

Now... now look, Loren,

I can't go into the open
market Monday morning

and cover that short sale.
I have no liquid assets,

not a thing
I can lay my hands on.

I-- you know
the way I live.

I'll be wiped out
inside of an hour.

Mr. Shaw, have you seen
Mr. Alderson around?

- He hasn't been in today.
- I wonder...

- Perhaps I'd better--
- What is it?

There's a call for him. I have
a feeling it may be urgent.

- Who is it?
- Miss Tredway.

Have it transferred in here.

Yes, sir.

Hello?

Uh, Miss Tredway,
this is Loren Shaw.

No, Mr. Alderson
isn't in right now.

Perhaps I can help you.

Yes...

I see.

Well, certainly.

As comptroller
of the company, I--

Yes, I believe I can
give you that information.

By all means.

In about an hour.

I'll be waiting for you.

Goodbye, Miss Tredway.

- Well, what's the answer?
- Hmm?

Are you going to get
that stock for me or not?

Why should I?

Because you want
the presidency.

Do I?

It's the only reason
you joined this company.

It's the kind of setup
you've been dreaming about

ever since you came
on the street

with that night school CPA
in your hand.

For years,
I've been working for it,

and now I'm going to get it,

but not by larceny.

And not without my vote.

You'll need four votes, Shaw.

Without me,
you don't stand a chance

and you know it.

You realize, of course,

as comptroller,
my hands are tied...

Do a Houdini-- untie them.

But as president,

I'll be in a better position
to help you.

Suppose I vote for you
and you don't come through?

The only chance you have
to get that stock, George,

is if I become president.

Well, uh, I guess I don't have
much choice then, do I?

That's right.
I guess you don't.

6:00, George.

Miss Nordley,

right away, I want
a complete breakdown

of Julia Tredway's holdings
in this company,

And, uh, bring me

the personal file
on George Caswell.

You know,
the SEC Committee report

on the Luckheim case, and...

Strike three!

Attaboy, Sandy.

Set it down, kid,
set it down!

Alright, now, Mike,
they've had enough.

There's Fred.

Come on.

Play them close.
Come on, Mike.

Well, I finally got Jesse
on the phone.

He hadn't heard
about Bullard.

I gave him the whole setup.
He said no.

What do you mean "no"?

He won't take the presidency.

He's going to retire,
made up his mind weeks ago.

Nothing I could say
would change it.

You know Jesse.

Yes, I know Jesse.

Well, that's it then.

- Wait a minute.
- What for?

- It's all over.
- There's still a way.

Look, Fred, I told you last
night--

Let me finish.

Jesse feels the way we do
about Shaw.

So we still have four votes--
yours, mine, Jesse's,

Walt's, and maybe Julia's.

- Four votes for what?
- For Dudley.

Oh, Fred.

Walt's got a lot of standing,
Don--

He's been on two
government commissions,

he's been president
of the association,

made institutional speeches
all over the country.

He knows
how to keep people happy.

He's a darn good salesman,
and that's all.

There isn't a man in the
business who's more popular.

Bullard didn't build
a company being popular.

We're not going to get
another Avery Bullard, Don.

You've got to make up your mind
to that.

Look, you can't put Tredway--
you can't put Millburgh

into the hands
of J. Walter Dudley.

You'd rather have Shaw,
is that it?

Okay, it's Dudley.

I'll get right to the airport
and meet him at the plane.

Walt's going to need help
running this company, Don.

That means
he's going to need you.

Ball one!

Let's have a new pitcher!

Tighten up in there!
Tighten up!

Ball two!

What happened?

Grimm won't take it.
He's going to retire.

Fred's going to offer it
to Walt Dudley.

Did you agree?

Yes.

Come on. Get it over!
Get it over!

Ball three.

- Well, come on!
- Come on, Mike.

Come on!

Strike two!

131 from Chicago
and Pittsburgh...

Fred!

Now arriving at gate 4.

Is that his plane?

You didn't have to come.
I could have handled it.

I'm not going to
go through with it.

I don't care what I said.
He hasn't the guts.

- He can't do it.
- With you there to help him--

it wouldn't work.
He's just dead weight--

something we'd have to ease
out of place

every time we wanted
to get anything done.

Alright then if not Dudley, who?

Me.

- Did you hear me?
- Yes, I heard you.

- Well...
- Forget it.

- Why?
- You haven't got a chance.

Well, then what were you
talking about last night?

That was last night.

You've had a chance to change
your mind, is that it?

I'm not ready yet.

Five more years to be
properly seasoned

while the company
goes down the drain.

I've never had my picture
in Fortune.

I get my hands dirty once in
a while. I don't know the rules.

I'm not old
and tired or weak and afraid.

- Now, listen to me.
- Not anymore.

This was my idea, remember that,
not yours.

Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe I didn't realize just
how hot your head really is.

One thing Bullard always had
was respect.

Now, look, Fred, I--
I didn't mean to--

Walt will be coming out.
Now, we haven't got much time.

Don't you understand?
It can't be Dudley.

Look, with you and Jesse
behind me--

No, Don. Not Jesse.

I was hoping I wouldn't
have to tell you this.

What?

When I talked to Jesse,
I brought your name up.

- Well?
- He wouldn't go along.

I don't understand.

Jesse and I have always
worked together.

I can't believe he feels
that way about me.

- He does, Don.
- Why?

Oh, 20 years from now
when you're Jesse's age,

maybe you'll understand.

At least now you can realize
that giving Dudley

the presidency wasn't just
an old man's crazy idea.

- Will you forget about Dudley?
- Without Jesse--

I don't need him.
I can do it without him.

- How?
- Four votes. We're two.

- Yes.
- Julia Tredway is three.

Why now? The fourth one is
coming off of that plane.

You've got to talk to him, Fred.

- But how do you expect me--
- I don't care how.

It's got to be done.

Is that an order?

- Yes, that's an order.
- Alright.

I'd better get over
to Julia Tredway's.

Maybe you better let me
talk to her.

There are things you don't
know about her and Bullard.

You take care of Walt Dudley.

- Walt.
- Fred.

It was good of you to come.

I still can't believe it
about the old man.

I've got my car.

Well, no. I'm expecting
someone to pick me up.

I thought we'd go
to the tower.

- I want to talk to you.
- What about?

- About the presidency.
- Not now.

I just can't be with you now.

Look, we've got to talk before
the meeting. This is important.

We're counting on you to help
us stop Loren Shaw.

Not now.

You do feel the way we
do, don't you?

I just told you I don't want to
discuss it now.

Isn't that plain enough?

Very plain.

J. Walter Dudley,
kindly report

to the United ticket counter.

J. Walter Dudley, report
to the United ticket counter.

Oh, Mr. Dudley.
I have a message for you.

Mr. Shaw won't be able
to meet you here,

but he'd like
to have you join him

at the federal club at 5:00.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Edith, don't wait for me.
I won't be home.

No, no, everything's alright.

I have a job to do
for Don Walling.

Yeah. Goodbye.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Well, honey, how nice.

I didn't want to leave
without saying goodbye.

You've got to understand
about last night.

But I do.

I'm not helping you,

and you're certainly
not helping me,

so I'm getting
out of here.

I won't let you go.

Oh, yes, you will.

You've never faced
an unpleasant situation

in your whole life.
You never will.

You're too busy
being popular.

Eva, what do you
want me to do?

About me? Nothing.
About yourself...

There's nothing
you can do,

not while you're so afraid.

- Please, honey.
- No.

You go find yourself
another aspirin tablet.

Look, baby,
I have to be at the club.

Drive me there and we
can talk this over, huh?

Walt, the taxis
are right over there.

Okay, Eva.

I-I don't know
where you're going,

but this isn't the end.

Goodbye, Walt.

You don't know me
as well as you think you do.

A guy can change, you know?

Want to bet?

Mary!

Mary!

- Right here.
- Fred call yet?

- We just got home.
- Then ask Louise.

- Oh, Don?
- Yeah.

- Where are you?
- In here.

Oh. Nobody called.

Well, try the Alderson house.
He may be there.

Thanks.

Hello, Edith? Don Walling.
Fred there?

Well, do you know
where he went?

Oh, I see. No, never mind.
Thanks anyway.

If I marry you, will you
tell me what's going on?

- Where did you run off to?
- The airport.

Oh, that explains
everything. And now?

Julia Tredway's.

- What for?
- Her vote.

- For Walt Dudley?
- No, for me.

Well, did you hear
what I said?

I'm going for the presidency.

Yes, I heard you.

Is that all
you're going to say?

What would you like me to say?

Well, a good word.
A few cheers.

Do you really think
you can get it?

I've got to try.

- Why?
- Why not?

Well, for one thing,
because I love you,

and I wouldn't enjoy
seeing you crack

that handsome head of yours
against a stone wall

trying to do
the impossible.

Nothing's impossible.

Bullard's line,
not yours.

Still true.

Okay, I know
what you're thinking,

but last night was years ago.
I've changed my mind.

Look at your face in the mirror.
Look at your hands.

It's because
I'm in a hurry,

and you're not helping
one bit, Mary. Will you--

Five years now I've stood by
and watched you,

harassed, frustrated,
and denied-- and for what?

To try to keep a dream alive.

I'm selfish, Don. I want the man
I was in love with and married.

I won't let you
do this to yourself.

And I'm not going to stand by
and let the company

fall into the hands
of a weakling like Dudley

or an adding machine
like Shaw.

There are too many
lives involved.

The whole town is at stake.

Tredway has got to be
kept alive.

Avery Bullard's got to be kept
alive, isn't that what you mean?

You want to sit
in his chair, be his ghost.

You're even beginning
to sound like Bullard.

Oh, let's not.

Don. Don.

- Hey, pop.
- Later, Mike.

Gee whiz. He didn't even
ask me who won the game.

Oh, don't worry, sweetie.
He will.

Hello?
No, he just left.

Mary, this is very important.
I want you to call the tower,

get hold of Don, and have him
delay the meeting

until I get there.
That's right.

Tell him to hold up
the voting. Right.

Are you sure Mr. Grimm
will be coming through this way?

Yes.

Tredway corporation.
Good afternoon.

Hello?

Over there, please, Luigi.

- By the window, please.
- Yes, Miss Martin.

Thanks, Luigi.

Luigi, don't go
in his office, please.

Erica, has Mr. Alderson
arrived yet?

- I haven't seen him.
- Well, did he call me?

- Any messages?
- Why, no, Mr. Walling.

Is Miss Tredway here?

Yes, she's
in Mr. Bullard's office.

She left some of her
personal papers in his safe.

She insisted I open it
for her.

Mr. Walling, is there--

is there anything I can do?

Thanks, Erica.

Miss Tredway, I'd like
to speak to you for a moment.

I know how you feel.

Then let me alone.

I hate to bother you,
but this is important.

Important?

- It has to do with the company.
- The company.

I don't want to hear another
word about it.

I've said all I'm ever
going to say to Mr. Shaw.

Shaw?

I've given him full
instructions.

Miss Tredway, I don't want
you to think I'm here to--

To urge me not to sell out?

In another minute Mr. Alderson
will come in also

not to urge me
not to sell out.

- I don't know what you mean.
- This, Mr. Walling!

The funeral pyre
of nothing at all.

Bon voyage, Julia.

Sorry you couldn't
stay longer.

Miss Tredway,
you mustn't let this--

Oh, no, no.
You mustn't, Julia.

You mustn't be unreasonable.
We wouldn't want that, would we?

There, there, my dear.
You'll be alright.

That's a good girl.

You've got everything
in the world to live for--

money, brains, beauty.

So, you just sit here
and wait.

And if you wait long enough,
say 10 or 20 years,

maybe something else
will happen.

Because, you know, Julia,
no matter how horrible

things are, they can
always get worse.

Miss Tredway.

You said something about
instructions to Mr. Shaw.

Yes, Mr. Walling.
The holdings of Julia Tredway.

39,500 shares of common stock
of the Tredway Corporation.

There it is, there it was,
and there it goes.

The liquidation will be
prompt but swift.

I quote Mr. Shaw.

You're not going to
throw your stock

onto the open market,
are you?

I don't know
and I don't care.

Mr. Shaw will take care
of everything.

You can't do that! You're
selling out the company

Avery Bullard's company,
your own father's.

What did I ever get out of it
but loneliness and sudden death?

What did I ever get out of them
but the sight of their backs?

Bullard gave you everything
you have.

There wouldn't be any stock
if it hadn't been for him.

You wouldn't be here
at all.

I gave him 10 years
of my life and all my love--

Isn't that enough?

Please. Please go away.

Miss Tredway,
at this meeting--

I'm not interested.

But surely you want to see us
elect a man who will stand--

I told you I don't care, it
won't make any difference to me.

Well, whether you care or not,
your vote will count.

Mr. Shaw has my proxy.
Now will you let me alone?

If you want
to stab a dead man,

why don't you do it yourself,

instead of having
someone else do it for you?

- Get out of here.
- Go on, sell out!

Smash everything
he lived for.

That's what you want to do,
isnt it?

Pay him back for loving
the company

more than
he could love you?

Will you get out of here?

Aah!

- Hello, walling.
- Caswell.

No use. I tried.
It's only water.

Where's the rest
of this seance?

Don't worry.
They'll be here.

Oh, hello.

How about a little
3-handed gin?

Personally,
I prefer to have

a little vermouth-played
martini instead...

A must for the early bird
who fails to catch the worm--

3,700 wriggling worms.

Evening, everyone.

- Everything alright, George?
- Oh, perfect.

- Where's Fred?
- I don't know.

Well, didn't he talk to you?

Don, why don't you
sit down?

Well, gentlemen,
shall we begin?

We can't begin.

Perhaps my watch is fast.
I have 3 minutes past 6:00.

There are only four
of us here.

Five--
Miss Tredway's proxy.

Miss Martin, am I correct
in assuming that, uh,

five constitutes a quorum?

Yes.

Am I also correct
in assuming

that four votes out
of the total of seven directors

are sufficient
to pass the usual motions,

as well as to elect?

Yes.

Then I see no reason
why we shouldn't proceed.

Well, don't you think
this is important enough

to wait for Fred and Jesse?

Mr. Alderson and Mr. Grimm
have been officially notified

of this meeting,
have they not,

and you've had verification

of their receipt
of notification?

Yes.

George, any objections
to proceeding?

No.

Walt?

- No.
- Alright, let's get started.

Now then.

Gentlemen,
I take pleasure in--

Miss Tredway...

Uh, you know everybody--

Mr. Caswell, Mr. Dudley,
Mr. Walling.

Will you sit here?

This won't be necessary,
Mr. Shaw.

I'll do it myself.

Walt?

Miss Tredway, gentlemen,

I take pleasure
in nominating,

as the next president
of our company,

the man whom I believe
best qualified

to fill the terrible void
left by the death

of our beloved president.

I nominate Loren P. Shaw.

Thank you, Walt.
George?

I second the nomination.

Miss Martin?

Mr. Loren P. Shaw has been
placed in nomination

for the presidency
of Tredway Corporation

before this 116th meeting
of the board of directors

on the 20th day of June, 1953.

There being present a quorum
of the total number

of directors
as of this date,

an affirmative vote
delivered four times

shall constitute
an elective majority.

Are there any other
nominations?

Nominations on this first
ballot are now closed.

If you'll please place your
ballots in these envelopes.

Your ballot, Mr. Walling.

One "no" for Mr. Shaw.

One "yes" for Mr. Shaw.

Two "yes" for Mr. Shaw.

Three "yes" for Mr. Shaw.

One "abstain."

No decision
on the first ballot.

Miss Tredway, could I speak
with you for a moment?

Perhaps I failed
to make my position clear

this afternoon.

How about a break
before we go on with this?

Anybody got an aspirin?

In there.

Miss Tredway, I don't know
how you just voted,

but I wanted to tell you
how sorry I am

for what I said.

No matter how I feel
about the company,

I had no right to do that.

Well, Loren, how does it feel?

What?

Not getting it.

I had her.
I know I had her.

Oh, you still do.

It was you. Why? Why?

3,700 reasons.

I told you I was going to do
my best for you, didn't I?

I didn't realize
this afternoon

how much bargaining power
I really had.

It's not just that my no
keeps you out,

my yes puts you in.

Loren, I want the delivery
of that stock guaranteed.

You blasted idiot.
I have it for you right here.

Julia Tredway's pulling out
of the company,

and I'm handling the sale
of her stock.

Here's your 3,700 shares
right here--

a letter of transfer
signed by me as president.

Oh, do you mind?

Now let's go.

Alright now, Miss Martin.

Mary, is there anything wrong?

- Is it all over?
- No, not yet.

Don, please don't hate me.

I did a terrible thing to you.
I really did.

Honey, what is it?

Fred called you
right after you left.

Where is he?

He said it was important
for you to hold up the voting

until he got here.

I didn't call you, Don, and then
when I did try to get through

I couldn't find you.

It's okay, honey.
It's alright.

Oh, darling,
I was so wrong.

If it's what you want,
really want,

it's all that should matter
to either of us.

Don is there still
a chance in there?

Nothing's impossible, remember?

You're funny.

Am I?

We're getting ready
for the second ballot, Don.

- Already?
- Miss Martin?

At 6:19, after a brief recess,
the meeting was resumed,

and Mr. Dudley once again
placed the name

of Loren p. Shaw in nomination
for the presidency

of Tredway Corporation.

Miss Tredway, gentlemen--

We all seem to be in a big
hurry around here, don't we?

I'd like to second
the nomination.

Maybe we're too accustomed to
quick decisions in this room,

to directors' meetings that
never really meant anything.

If you mean that's pretty much
the way

Bullard ran this
company,

we might all be inclined
to agree with you.

After all isn't that why we're
here,

to replace that kind
of dictatorial leadership?

- With what, Loren?
- Well, I was about to...

- Replace it with what?
- Just a second, George.

I want to answer
that question.

After all, Miss Tredway
is a major stockholder

in this company, and if she

or anyone else
wants to know where I stand--

I believe that a company
is answerable first and last

to its stockholders.

To fulfill that obligation,

primary emphasis must be placed
upon return on investment.

- Jesse.
- Don.

- Anything happened?
- Not yet.

I thought I could swing him.
He's a mule.

Jesse, Fred,
we're into the nominations,

and I was just trying
to make clear to everyone here

what I believe to be
the only sound basis

for corporation management
today.

When the average stockholder
buys Tredway stock,

he makes an investment.

Now, the only reason he makes it
is to get a return,

and that's why I believe that
a corporation today

must be governed to be
what its owners want it to be--

A financial institution yielding
the highest and safest return

on investment.

You know why more
and more corporations today

are drawing their leaders
from the ranks

of comptrollers
and investment bankers?

Because the problems that come
to the president's office today

are predominantly financial.

I get it. Manufacturing and
selling don't count any more.

Of course they count, Fred, but
they're not ends in themselves.

Only the means
to the end.

It's a matter of management
levels. I just said it.

At the presidential level,
the emphasis must be financial.

Take our own case.

Jesse and his staff
have done a wonderful job

of reducing costs
on our finishing operation,

and we all appreciate
the creative effort

that's been poured
into our experimental program

at the Pike Street Plant,

but the truth is such efforts
add comparatively little

to our net earnings,
even when they succeed.

Last year, they contributed
less than a quarter

of what we gained from one
new tax accounting procedure

I got the government
to approve.

You see,
that one piece of work,

all purely financial--

Yeah, we see alright.

While Jesse and Don
are turning out product,

you figure-jugglers
and chart men

are busy flyspecking it
with decimal points.

Well, some of us
have had enough of it

and some of us are sick
to our stomachs from it.

I've had enough
of that attitude.

I know how I've been regarded
around here by most of you.

Efficiency has become
a dirty word.

Budget control
has a bad odor.

Well, that's my job,
that's my responsibility--

to plug every profit leak,

to run to earth every case

of waste and inefficiency
in this company.

If I have to step on toes and
hurt feelings in the process,

that can't be helped, but
nobody's going to say

I ever had anything
but the best interests

of this company at heart'
while I was doing it.

You take a look at the record
of the last three years.

Fight that record.

- My record.
- Your record, Shaw?

It couldn't have been done
without me.

Understand, I don't mean
to belittle Mr. Bullard.

We all recognize
his magnificent contribution

to this company
during its period of growth.

In other words, Avery Bullard
was the right kind of man

to save this company
from disaster

to build it up
and set it on its way.

But now we need a different
kind of management--

one that will
dedicate itself to paying

the maximum dividends
to the stockholders.

Is that it?

I don't know that I'd express
it in exactly those terms,

but, yes, that's
substantially what I do mean.

Shaw, let me ask you
something.

The president of a company
like Tredway

would have to be a man
of outstanding qualities.

- Wouldn't he?
- Naturally.

A man prepared to make
a good many personal sacrifices,

willing to devote himself
to the company,

mind and heart,
body and soul.

If he were the right man,

there would be no worry
on that score.

Why? Why would he do it?

What would be his incentive?

You mean outside of salary?

There's such a thing
as success, isn't there,

a sense of accomplishment?

Exactly.

Now, let's assume, Shaw,
that you're the man

running the Tredway
Corporation your way.

Would you be satisfied
to measure your life's work

by how much
you raised the dividend?

Would you regard
your life as a success

just because you managed
to get the dividend

to $3 or $4
or $5 or $6 or $7?

Would that be enough?

Is that what you want engraved
on your tombstone when you die?

The dividend record
of the Tredway Corporation?

Are you suggesting
earnings aren't important?

I'm suggesting no such thing,
and you know it.

Shaw is right when he says
that we have an obligation

to our stockholders,

but it's a bigger obligation
than raising the dividend.

We have an obligation
to keep this company alive,

not just this year or next
or the year after that.

Sometimes you have
to use your profits

for the growth
of the company,

not pay them all out
in dividends

to impress the stockholders
with your management record.

There's your way, Shaw.
There's your inefficiency.

Stop growing, and you die.

Turn your back on
experimentation

and planning for tomorrow

because they don't contribute
to dividends today,

and you won't have
a tomorrow

because there won't be
any company.

Avery Bullard didn't
seem to think

my policies were exactly
destroying this company.

No. No, he didn't.

And he was wrong,

the way a lot of people
are wrong these days--

grabbing
for the quick and easy,

the sure thing.

That's just a lack of faith
in the future--

Something that's in the air
today,

the groping of a lot of men who
know they've lost their faith

but aren't sure
of what it is

or how they happened
to lose it.

Avery Bullard
was one of them.

He'd been so busy building
a great production machine

that he finally lost sight
of why he was building it,

of why he was the man he was,
if he ever really knew.

Do you know,
Mr. Walling?

Yes, I think I do.

Avery Bullard
was driven by pride,

pride in himself,
the urge to do things

that no other man on earth
could do.

He was the man
at the top of the tower,

needing no one,
wanting no one,

only himself.

That's what it took
to satisfy his pride.

That was his strength,

and that
was his weakness, too.

Why shouldn't a man have
pride

if he's earned it?

Alright.

But why should that
set him apart

from the people
he's working with?

The force behind
a great company

has to be more
than the pride of one man.

It has to be the pride
of thousands.

You can't make men work
for money alone.

You starve their souls
when you try it,

and you can starve a company
to death the same way.

Avery Bullard must have
known that once,

but he'd become a little lost
these last few years.

The company had been saved.

There were no more battles
to win.

Now he had to find
something else

to feed his pride--

bigger sales, more profits, something.

And that's when we started
doing things like this--

the K-F line.

Walt, are your boys proud

when they go out
and sell this stuff,

when they know
the finish is going to crack,

the veneer is split off,
and the legs come loose?

Now, wait a minute.
That's price merchandise.

It serves a definite purpose

in the profit structure
of this company.

- We're not cheating anyone.
- Ourselves!

At that price,
the customer knows exactly

what he's going to get.

This?

This is what Tredway
has come to mean!

What do you suppose the people
think of us when they buy it?

How do you suppose the men
in the factories feel

when they make it?

What must they think
of a management

that's willing to stoop
to selling this kind of junk

in order to add a dime a year
to the dividend?

Do you know there are men
at Pike Street who've refused

to work on the K-F line?

Who's taken a seven and a half
dollar a week

cut to get transferred
to something else?

After all that's only a part of
our business.

Eventually, we can cut down
on the line.

We'll drop that line,

and we'll never again
ask a man to do anything

that will poison his pride
in himself or his work.

We'll have a line
of low-priced furniture--

a new and different line,

as different from anything
we're making today

as a modern automobile
is different

from a covered wagon.

That's what you want,
Walt, isn't it?

What you've always wanted.

Merchandise that will sell
because it has beauty

and function and value,

not because the buyers
like your scotch.

You think you're a good...

The kind of stuff that you,
Jesse, will be able

to feel in your guts
when you know it's coming off

your production line.

A product that
you will be able to budget

to the nearest 100th
of a cent, Shaw,

because it'll be scientifically
and efficiently designed.

And something you'll be proud
to have your name on,

Miss Tredway.

We're going to give the people
what they need,

at prices
they can afford to pay.

And as fresh needs come up,
we'll satisfy them, too,

with something new
and even more exciting.

And when we achieve that,
we'll really start to grow.

We're not going to die.
We're going to live!

It's going to take every bit
of business judgement

and creative energy
in this company,

from the factories
to the top of the tower!

And we're going
to do it together--

every one of us,
right here at Tredway.

I'm with you, Don!

I take great pleasure
in nominating

Mr. McDonald Walling
for the presidency

of the Tredway Corporation.

Second. I move we make it
unanimous.

All those in favor?
Miss Tredway?

Yes.

Mr. Caswell?

Mr. Shaw?

So voted.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Loren.

Uh, Loren,

about that stock?

You're Mary walling,
aren't you?

Yes.

You must be
very proud of him.

I am. I'm a little
frightened, too.

Because you don't quite
understand him?

We never do,
not completely--

not men like that.

It will make you
very lonely at times

when he shuts you
out of his life,

but then he'll always
come back to you,

and you'll know
how fortunate you are to--

to be his wife.

Will you tell him
something for me?

Say, "Thank you
for saving my life."

Congratulations, Mary.

Oh, darling!

- Oh, uh, Erica.
- Yes, Mr. Walling?

Better call a committee meeting
for 10:00 Monday morning.

We'll be appointing
an executive vice president.

Yes, Mr. Walling.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

Hey, by the way,
who won today?

We did.