Enter Fred Staples (Van Heflin), the "new man" promoted to upper management and groomed by Ramsey to replace the unwanted "old guard" Briggs. Staples' wife Nancy (Beatrice Straight) is even more ambitious than Fred. Briggs' only ally is his loyal secretary, Marge Fleming (Elizabeth Wilson).
Once Fred Staples realizes he is taking Briggs' job, he begins to feel guilty, as well as sorry for the hapless Briggs. But not so guilty, or sorry, to do something that would cost him his plum position.
The screenwriter is Rod Serling, well known for his "Twilight Zone" television series of the early 1960s. Patterns is a film remake of a Kraft Theater production that was televised live the year before, 1955. The telecast caused such a sensation that a second live broadcast occurred a few weeks later.
That teleplay was also written by Serling, directed by Cook, and starred Sloane, Begley, and Wilson. Interestingly, the teleplay had Elizabeth Montgomery and Bea Arthur among the cast.
How others will see it. The teleplay predecessors of Patterns had a cultural impact because they so effectively presented boardroom strife. The film itself was old news, aside from giving the reliable Van Heflin a good role.
Though the movie continues to stun viewers today, usually when they accidentally come across it on television, it remains fairly obscure, with less than 1K user votes at imdb.com. The user ratings are consistently high except among thirtysomething women, who might dislike the would-be hero Staples' wife. She wants her man to do the wrong thing (become a Yes Man) for the wrong reasons (strictly financial).
How I felt about it. Up until the final couple of scenes, the film starkly presents Ramsey as a villain, Briggs as a victim, and Van Staples as the fence-sitter who will inevitably confront Ramsey and tell him off, even if it gets him fired.
But Rod Serling give us an expected plot twist, as well as food for thought. Ramsey doesn't care that Staples tells him off. All along, he wanted Begley gone because Begley was a labor sympathizer. It was Begley's views, rather than his opposition, that Ramsey could not tolerate.
Thus, Ramsey doesn't care when Staples opposes him, as long as his reports are superior. That is, they allow the company to make sound decisions and make money. He bribes Stamples to stay, and allows him to despise and oppose him. Staples will continue to work for a ruthless and amoral boss. Staples believes his own behavior is ethical because he can openly express his contempt of Ramsey. But he is incorrect, since it is Ramsey's behavior and decisions that are unethical, and not his management style.
Briggs is naive to believe that capital and labor can reach, and maintain, a mutually beneficial arrangement. Labor seeks to maximize gains at the expense of the long-term competitiveness of the company. Capital, though its upper managers, seeks to exploit labor, or make it disposable, to reduce the costs of providing its products, and increase shareholder value.
Thus, Ramsey's view is correct, that capital and labor are adversaries. But a crafty manager knows better than to express such views openly. The plan is to give labor inexpensive concessions that allow labor to believe it is highly regarded, or even empowered, when it is not. What is wrong about Ramsey isn't his goal, but his methods. He is a huge jerk.
Some people can't stomach jerks, even when they are getting paid to do so. Briggs is the poster child for work-related stress, and Fleming leaves as soon as she is no longer in any position to help him. But most people simply take the money and follow the lead of their boss regardless of whether he is right or wrong. It's prudent self-interest.
Staples decides, though the cunning steering of his wife and Ramsey, to take the money too. Staples' wife couldn't care less about Ramsey's personality. She simply wants to enjoy the higher standard of living associated with her husband's big salary.