(Warning: slight spoilers)
A good film with realistic acting and only a little melodrama, EMPLOYEE'S ENTRANCE is worth a look. Warren William as Kurt Anderson, manager of a huge store, uses fear tactics to try to keep his employees in line. He demands loyalty while giving none. This sort of subject matter was rare after the Code went into effect, and remains rare today.
Wallace Ford as Martin West delivers a fine performance as a man who accepts an important position under Anderson in good faith, and finds that if he keeps the position he has to sacrifice all his scruples. He stops before he becomes like the bad boss, but, as so often happens in real life, his career declines as a result of defying the one in power.
I found myself sympathizing a bit with Anderson, however, and I didn't dream that I would; I mean, he's awful. He treats the women in his employ as his personal toys. He's not totally amoral because of his concern for the greater good of the employees of Monroe's Department Store. Although he doesn't mind "killing off" a few employees who disagree with him, he perceives that it's the Depression, after all. If the store goes out of business because of "weakness", thousands more will go hungry. He himself is willing to take a pay decrease to keep the store solvent. Also, he freely admits to his rotten acts. He hides almost nothing, and so is unusual.
The bad bosses I have met in the real world are completely self- serving and interested in power and prestige within the organization. They give lip service to teamwork, profits, productivity and employee success while their behavior they display a contempt for these values. Such bad bosses never admit to any wrongdoing, plot and scheme against members of their staff in closed door meetings, and use their influence as bosses to enlist their company personnel departments in their schemes to wound or destroy an employee's career if they seem to stand in their way toward getting more power and prestige.
You will, however, like the movie. If made today it would get a PG-13 rating, I would bet.
A good film with realistic acting and only a little melodrama, EMPLOYEE'S ENTRANCE is worth a look. Warren William as Kurt Anderson, manager of a huge store, uses fear tactics to try to keep his employees in line. He demands loyalty while giving none. This sort of subject matter was rare after the Code went into effect, and remains rare today.
Wallace Ford as Martin West delivers a fine performance as a man who accepts an important position under Anderson in good faith, and finds that if he keeps the position he has to sacrifice all his scruples. He stops before he becomes like the bad boss, but, as so often happens in real life, his career declines as a result of defying the one in power.
I found myself sympathizing a bit with Anderson, however, and I didn't dream that I would; I mean, he's awful. He treats the women in his employ as his personal toys. He's not totally amoral because of his concern for the greater good of the employees of Monroe's Department Store. Although he doesn't mind "killing off" a few employees who disagree with him, he perceives that it's the Depression, after all. If the store goes out of business because of "weakness", thousands more will go hungry. He himself is willing to take a pay decrease to keep the store solvent. Also, he freely admits to his rotten acts. He hides almost nothing, and so is unusual.
The bad bosses I have met in the real world are completely self- serving and interested in power and prestige within the organization. They give lip service to teamwork, profits, productivity and employee success while their behavior they display a contempt for these values. Such bad bosses never admit to any wrongdoing, plot and scheme against members of their staff in closed door meetings, and use their influence as bosses to enlist their company personnel departments in their schemes to wound or destroy an employee's career if they seem to stand in their way toward getting more power and prestige.
You will, however, like the movie. If made today it would get a PG-13 rating, I would bet.