Nine to Five (1980)

Director:

Colin Higgins

Writers:

Patricia Resnick (story)
Colin Higgins (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 December 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Getting even is a full-time job.

Plot:

Three female employees of a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" find a way to turn the tables on him.

Plot Keywords:

Women | Beautiful Woman | Buxom | Revenge Against Boss | Coffee

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jane Fonda	...	Judy Bernly
Lily Tomlin	...	Violet Newstead
Dolly Parton	...	Doralee Rhodes
Dabney Coleman	...	Franklin M. Hart Jr.
Sterling Hayden	...	Russell Tinsworthy
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Roz Keith
Henry Jones	...	Mr. Hinkle
Lawrence Pressman	...	Dick Bernly
Marian Mercer	...	Missy Hart
Ren Woods	...	Barbara
Norma Donaldson	...	Betty
Roxanna Bonilla-Giannini	...	Maria Delgado
Peggy Pope	...	Margaret Foster
Richard Stahl	...	Meade
Ray Vitte	...	Eddie Smith

Also Known As:

9 to 5

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

10431 Bellagio Rd, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

IPC Films

Trivia:

Violet's fantasy refers to Disney characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (including Violet herself as Snow White), Bambi (1942) and Robin Hood (1973).

Goofs:

Continuity: Just before the first time we see the garage door opener used on Mr. Hart (when Doralee is bringing his lunch in a green sweater), we see him walk into the bathroom looking for something - presumably a weapon. He is very clearly wearing pajama bottoms. When he walks out of the bathroom, he is very clearly wearing shorts (boxers?). He then breaks a leg off the TV tray, planning to hit Doralee with it. Much later in the movie, we see Hart walk into the bathroom - clearly wearing boxers/shorts - when he DOES find the nail file hidden in the drawer. Seems like there were two scenes shot, one in PJs and one in shorts, and they were incorrectly spliced together.

Quotes:

Violet: [sees Roz approaching] Uh oh... here comes General Patton.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in 8 to 4 (1981)

Soundtrack:

Nine To Five

Simply hilarious.

Judy Bernly is a naive, newly divorced woman, who has been forced to try and make it on her own in life. Husband Dick ran off with his secretary, and now Judy has decided to turn her life around. The first step in doing so is to get a new job, and she secures a position as a secretary for a large corporation. On her first day, she is introduced to many new faces. Violet Newstead is the Senior Supervisor on the floor, and takes Judy under her wing to show her the ropes. Violet is widowed and has her own brood of kids to contend with, as well as desperately vying to rise up the company ladder and stop her son from offering her joints. Doralee Rhodes is the secretary to the Boss, and a friendly, good-natured Southern belle. She can't understand why nobody wants to socialise with her, but little does she know that there is some unsavoury gossip about her brewing amongst the employees regarding her conduct within the office. Their endless amount of problems stem from the big cheese on the floor; Franklin M. Hart Jr.

Hart is the Boss from hell, generally known as a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot". Women are nothing more than coffee makers and sex objects to him, and everyone despises him. He also has Roz, his simpering sycophant of an assistant, always at the ready to dispense gossip and information that is doing the rounds. The three women don't have much in common, but after they are all screwed over by Hart in one way or another, they find themselves in a bar, drowning their sorrows. Violet proceeds to whip out one of her son's joints and the three haul over to Doralee's house for a little pot party. Each fantasise about how they would bump off Hart, making a stand for themselves as competent women. The women have trouble lurking after them pretty soon, when Violet, incensed by Hart's behaviour, accidentally puts rat poison in Hart's coffee. Being the goon that he is, he slips out of his chair and knocks himself out, but the women jump to conclusions and believe that Violet killed him. Stealing corpses and deceiving police officers soon follow, but when Hart wises up to what happened, he threatens to sling them all in jail. They wont stand for that, and kidnap Hart and hold him prisoner, dishing out their own kind of blackmail to try and make him see the error of his ways. Meanwhile, the women are making their own changes to life in the workplace, which work a treat. But can Hart stay trapped long enough for them to succeed?

Nine To Five is a film I hold a great affection for. It's deliciously dated, yet sharp and inventive. Three dynamic leading ladies, an interesting supporting cast, a great script, well-paced direction, what could go wrong? Well, thankfully, not much at all. It's almost like dropping in on an inviting old friend when revisiting the film. You can go for a long time where you don't see it, let it escape you completely, then return and enjoy a piece that remains as crisp as it was on first view. Films like this are ones to be treasured, and this doesn't disappoint. However, it may take you a while to get used to the arguably baffling premise. It's a cute idea, but it stretches credibility on occasion. Just walking out of a hospital with a corpse, and only needing a handy white coat to pass as a doctor? The company buying all the stories the women fed them about Hart's constant disappearing acts? I know you aren't meant to take it seriously, but it can play on the mind after a while. Still, with a trio of undeniable talent on offer, it's a minor grievance. Jane Fonda has probably the least taxing role as Judy. Act delicate and proper for a while, then gain confidence and appear like a heroine. Virtually any actress could pull that off, but Fonda possesses a charm that sets her apart from the rest. Lily Tomlin runs away with the film over her shoulder as Violet, a strong yet flawed woman with a few eccentricities thrown in for good measure. She can illuminate a screen when she appears, and had in me in fits of laughter at her antics. Say what you will about Dolly Parton, but she is adorable. It's rare that a performer can make me truly believe that they are the person they are portraying, but Parton does it with ease. She is definitely one of the true stars of the last few decades, even if her choice of roles hasn't always been wise. Dabney Coleman is suitably lecherous as Hart, although not always completely convincing as a fearsome boss. Elizabeth Wilson and Peggy Pope also make some amusing turns to keep you happy. Nine To Five is a piece that, although essentially is a fluffy comedy, is also inspired and at times extremely funny. A strong, solid comedy is nothing to be sniffed at, and this is exactly that. One to enjoy time and again.