Executive Suite Page #7

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, 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 bring me the personal file

on George Caswell.

You know, the SEC Committee

report on the Luckheim Case.

And...

Strike three!

Settle down, kid! Settle down!

All right, now, Mike. They've had enough.

There's Fred.

Come on!

Go! Come on, Mike.

Well, I finally got Jesse on the phone.

He hadn't heard about Bullard.

I gave him the whole set-up

and he said no.

- What 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.

- Now, wait a minute.

- Well, what for? It's all over.

There's still a way.

- Now, 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 and mine and Jesse's and Walt's

and maybe Julia's.

- Four votes for what?

- For Dudley.

- Look, 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's isn't a man in the business

who's more popular.

Well, Bullard didn't build

the company being popular.

We're not going to get

another Avery Bullard, Don.

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

Well, 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 over to the airport

and meet him at the plane.

Walt's going to need a lot of help

running this company, Don.

That means he's going to need you.

Ball one!

- Let's have a new pitcher!

- All right, tighten up in there, tighten up!

Ball two!

What happened?

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

Come on, Mike...

Fred's gonna offer it to Walt Dudley.

- Come on, let's go!

- Strike one!

Did you agree?

Yes.

Come on, get it over, get it over!

Ball three!

Come on!

- Come on, Mike.

- Move! Come on!

Strike two!

Flight 31 from Chicago and Pittsburgh...

Fred!

...now arriving at gate four.

Is that his plane?

You didn't have to come,

I could've handled it.

Forget it. I'm not gonna go through with it.

- But, Don, you said...

- I don't care what I said!

He hasn't the guts, he can't do it.

- Look, 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.

All right, 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.

- Nobody said...

- 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 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 right here.

- Yes.

- Julia Tredway is three.

- Oh, but...

Why not? And the fourth one

is coming off of that plane.

You've got to talk to him, Fred.

- Well, 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.

All right.

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

Maybe you'd better let me talk to her.

There are things you

don't know about her and Bullard.

You take care of Walt Dudley.

- Walt!

- Oh, Fred, it was good of you to come.

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

- I've got my car.

- Oh, no, I...

I'm expecting someone to pick me up.

I thought we'd go to the Tower.

I want to talk to you.

- Well, what about?

- About the presidency.

Look, not now, I...

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, though, 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,

kindly report to the United ticket counter.

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, Mr. Dudley.

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

No, no, everything is all right.

I have a Job to do for Don Walling.

Goodbye.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Oh, honey, how nice.

I didn't wanna leave

without saying goodbye.

Baby, 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.

Wanna bet?

Mary!

Mary!

- Hi, dear.

- Fred call yet?

- Well, 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.

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