As I write this, there is an odd government crusade against diversity policies.  I fear we are headed back to the days of blatant discrimination. 

Back when lawsuits against age discrimination probably had more of a chance in the courts, Ed Begley would have had a solid case, as an executive on the board of Everett Sloane’s company. 

The company isn’t entirely of the dog-eat-dog world of Glengarry Glen Ross, though the tone of 1956’s Patterns is deeply cynical. It is a man’s world, and even scathing critiques of such an environment were rather masculine back in the 50’s.  This is the kind of world where one’s place at the boardroom table is a key indicator of power.  It is no surprise this was scripted by Rod Serling, as this is reminiscent of his work, though what quality that may be I find difficult to fully define.

Begley is obviously going to be replaced by newcomer Van Heflin, a man so new to New York City that he looks up warily at the skyscraper in which he’ll be working and tells wife Beatrice Straight he hopes to eventually cut it down to his own size.  I was amused she tells him she feels like she’s dropping off her child for their first day at school.

Sloane is excited by the new ideas this new exec from Cincinnati (also Serling’s hometown) will bring to the table.  But Heflin will have a crisis of conscience when a report prepared by him and Begley wows the CEO.  The problem is Sloane is dismissive of the older man’s contributions, and is all too happy to bestow all the credit onto the new exec.  The chairman tears into Heflin for the man’s modesty: “Learn to accept success. It is harder to accept than failure” and “You can’t run a business on gratitude!”  Afterwards, Heflin will confide to Straight: “I don’t like stepping on another human being to get into a higher capital gains bracket.”  Straight, rightly, calls him out for still taking the credit, though she is only trying to alleviate his guilt.

Every actor is good in this, which one would expect from a Serling-penned and overly-earnest movie of the period.  That said, this is really Begley’s picture.  This is a friendly man, and obviously a smart one, who is being kicked to the curb just because of the age bias from Sloane—whom I believe is roughly the same age as Begley, if not older.  We don’t see much of the man’s life beyond the office, but there is some interesting interaction in the only scene in his home, where he tries to convince his doubtful son they will finally take in that ball game which he has obviously postponed a great many times before.  Begley also has a powerful speech towards the end when he realizes he has no alternatives but to leave the company. He delivers a tirade against the modern culture of “hired shysters and sharpshooter accountants”.

Another actor who stands out is Elizabeth Wilson, as Begley’s long-time and deeply loyal assistant.  It is telling she is appointed as Heflin’s assistant on his first day there.  She is wary of Heflin, but will gradually come to appreciate him.  One thing she especially likes is he admits when he makes mistakes, a quality I also value in others.

Similar to the current highest levels of government in the land at this time, such attributes as humility are viewed as negative characteristics.  Also like our present administration, complete obedience is valued more than any opinions which challenge Sloane’s.  A six-month halt on production at one plant has Begley expressing concern for 900 men who will be deprived of a livelihood during that time.  While the other members of the board watch apprehensively, Sloane barks that all he wanted was an objective opinion, when obviously all he wanted is acceptance of his plan.

Patterns was not given much of a theatrical release, as there were concerns audiences would not be interested in seeing a work that had previously been adapted for television.  I found it interesting a similar movie that would soon follow the same course (TV and then theatrical film) was 12 Angry Men.  And one of the stars of that movie, in a role that is 180 degrees from the one he has here, was Ed Begley.

Dir: Fielder Cook

Starring Van Heflin, Everett Sloane, Ed Begley

Watched on Film Detective blu-ray