Executive Suite (1954) :
Brief Review -
Robert Wise was too wise to make you fall in love with a corporate drama. Robert Wise's filmography is a perfect treat for cinelovers. If you have limited yourself just by seeing the two Oscar winners, West Side Story (1961) and Sound of Music (1965), then have some shame. He has The Body Snatcher (1945), The Set Up (1949), The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951), Odds Against Tomorrow (1958), Run Silent Run Deep (1958) and The Haunting (1963) to tell you about his real legacy. Today, I am adding one more to the list, Executive Suite. It's quite fascinating to know that a film like Executive Suite was made in the 50s, exactly when the corporate culture was taking over, almost a decade after World War 2. Since then, words like greed, profit, betrayal, work pressure, hunger, humiliation, bossing, and success have become common. Nowadays, it's too common, but it all started becoming mainstream somewhere back then. Based on Cameron Hawley's novel, Executive Suite is about a group of senior employees of a large manufacturing firm. Their boss dies suddenly from a stroke, and they vie to see who will replace him, having some kind of competition among themselves, which leads to several exposing moments. I would have never cared about a corporate drama made in the 50s, but Robert Wise's name had me in, and I was so right. The faith in him was true and deserving. Wise used a brilliant cast unit to tell a gripping story that didn't have any big conflicts but still felt thrilling. You get moved by it by the end; that's how powerful it is. Now, why and how, don't ask it. You'll have to experience it for yourself. All I can say is that Robert Wise has another film that keeps his standards high. Talk about varieties, man, Wise has a colourful bouquet. Executive Suite is another variety of flower. Pick any flower you want. All of them smell different and nice.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Robert Wise was too wise to make you fall in love with a corporate drama. Robert Wise's filmography is a perfect treat for cinelovers. If you have limited yourself just by seeing the two Oscar winners, West Side Story (1961) and Sound of Music (1965), then have some shame. He has The Body Snatcher (1945), The Set Up (1949), The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951), Odds Against Tomorrow (1958), Run Silent Run Deep (1958) and The Haunting (1963) to tell you about his real legacy. Today, I am adding one more to the list, Executive Suite. It's quite fascinating to know that a film like Executive Suite was made in the 50s, exactly when the corporate culture was taking over, almost a decade after World War 2. Since then, words like greed, profit, betrayal, work pressure, hunger, humiliation, bossing, and success have become common. Nowadays, it's too common, but it all started becoming mainstream somewhere back then. Based on Cameron Hawley's novel, Executive Suite is about a group of senior employees of a large manufacturing firm. Their boss dies suddenly from a stroke, and they vie to see who will replace him, having some kind of competition among themselves, which leads to several exposing moments. I would have never cared about a corporate drama made in the 50s, but Robert Wise's name had me in, and I was so right. The faith in him was true and deserving. Wise used a brilliant cast unit to tell a gripping story that didn't have any big conflicts but still felt thrilling. You get moved by it by the end; that's how powerful it is. Now, why and how, don't ask it. You'll have to experience it for yourself. All I can say is that Robert Wise has another film that keeps his standards high. Talk about varieties, man, Wise has a colourful bouquet. Executive Suite is another variety of flower. Pick any flower you want. All of them smell different and nice.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.