Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Nice effects though.

Good concept, poorly executed.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Avery Bullard is the president of furniture manufacturer Tredway Corporation in the small town of Millburgh, Pennsylvania. He runs it as an one-man show with several VPs under him. After talking to his New York bankers, he drops dead in the street. His wallet is stolen and presumed to be a John Doe. George Caswell notices the death from his window and sells short the company stock before others find out. When the news arrive back in Millburgh, various people vie for control of the company including VP Don Walling (William Holden) and Loren Shaw (Fredric March) with the founder's heir Julia Tredway (Barbara Stanwyck).The most memorable characters are Holden and Stanwyck. Otherwise, they are mostly varying shades of old white guys in suits. Fredric March portrays the villain of the piece. It might be useful to concentrate more on his story. Instead, there are lots of character actors playing every one of the roles. Concentrating on Caswell early on may not set up the main conflict properly. There are some great actors galore receiving a few nominations. It is Holden who shines through with the climatic debate. This movie is swimming with greatness although it does lose me at certain times.

Just enjoy this movie. And/or use it for a great teaching lesson. On great drama, On great classic actors, On maybe moral concerns facing all corporations!All fine actors... The devious guys can out Gecko - Gecko (of "Wall Street" fame).The good guy speaks at the meeting...better watch out for flying furniture...as he makes his point.Let's see ...Insider trading (not even sure if it was illegal back then) will destroy someone...Corporate Backstabbing...Power Plays...Lobbying Committee Votes... Trying to sway the company heiress...Quality products made versus...bigger profits. The business suit-clad vultures start circling minutes after the Big Exec is dead!!!Executive Suite could be a good film for your high school (or home school) business class. But if you just want a quality drama...just watch and enjoy!

You talk about an All-Star cast. This casting was right out of the former and present day stars of it's time. An absolute home run all the way.A president of a moderately successful furniture company dies and his minion's all scramble to see who's gonna be the new president. With this happening we realize that 2 main people up for the job are on 2 different wavelength's. One wants to keep the stockholders happy and trim the fat. Keep churning out crappy, poorly made but profitable products. The other wants to return back to the days when they're product line was innovative and was quality by industry standard. The penny pincher is a Night school educated book worm who's more interested in controlling people than anything else. He knows everyone's personal business and he tries to use it against them to gain their vote at the end of the day. He's a weaselly little guy. You know the type, picked on in school and would like to get back at anyone the best way...worming his way to the top. The other is a chemist at their plant that creates new finishes/varnishes for their products. He wants quality products and wants to return to the old way the company was run but at that day and time...is it the bottom line that matters most?I don't think I've seen a better film with this kinda star power. From Walter Pidgeon to Barbara Stanwyck to William Holden to Fredric March. If you don't know your film history, these people are towering figures in acting and they all shine in this ruthless look at the back-biting that goes on behind closed doors at corporations. Fredric March is dead perfect at playing the weaselly little controller/comptroller of the company. William Holden plays the perfect hero with the perfect speech at the end. Walter Pidgeon plays the elder statesman like he always does. Barbara Stanwyck plays the "hidden" love interest of the previous president who died. She doesn't have a lot of scenes or lines but she's effective.Just watch this and see how relevant it is today. If you've seen this and then read this review you'll think, "this is about 2 guys vying for the presidency". Think about it. It's really about 2 different ways of thinking in the corporate world. How much quality do we actually put out in today's world? How many pieces of electronics do you return because of shoddy quality control? See this film and see why so many CEO jobs change hands these days. It's about the bottom line... and not the product.

After a Manhattan-based cooperate president suddenly dies, his "Executive Suite" workers jockey for the leadership position. Within twenty-four hours, the seven-member "Tredway" furniture company board members will vote for a new leader. Your first bet may be William Holden (as McDonald "Don" Walling), who represents his company and country perfectly; he comes with ideal wife June Allyson (as Mary) and wholesome baseball-playing son Tim Considine (as Mike). But, Mr. Holden is no shoe-in...The leadership position is also desired by sneaky and manipulative Fredric March (as Loren Phineas Shaw), who has some powerful strings to pull. Mr. March wants gutless Paul Douglas (as Josiah Walter "Walt" Dudley) to vote for him, or he will reveal Mr. Douglas is having extra-marital sex with Shelley Winters (as Eva Bardeman). The next-in-line seems to be vice-president Walter Pidgeon (as Frederick "Fred" Alderson), but he suggests Mr. Douglas should be the new president...Also watch out for wheeler-dealer Louis Calhern (as George Nyle Caswell) and retiring Dean Jagger (as Jesse Grimm) to be tied-up in the machinations. The seventh vote belongs to high-strung Barbara Stanwyck (as Julia Tredway), who was the dead president's former lover; her father founded the company, and she is the company's biggest stockholder. Ethical secretary Nina Foch (as Erica Martin) collects all of the votes and most of the acting awards. A great cast keeps it interesting.******** Executive Suite (4/15/54) Robert Wise ~ William Holden, Fredric March, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck