Nine to Five

I first saw this movie on HBO around 1981. Now, as I re-watch it again for the 20th time, it still has me laughing at all the hysterical lines, "....change you from a rooster to a hen....", "....gruesome but cute....", "It looks just like Skinny & Sweet....I might as well save them the trouble and give them the rat poison....", and all the rest of this wildly funny movie. This movie is timeless. Including all the actors who are the perfect choice for this movie. This comedy is a definite 10 out of 10!!!!

This has to be a true classic movie for anybody. Parton, Fonda, Tomlin play the three main characters set in a big business office block, "Consolidated". Dolly Parton is excellent, portraying the country girl, Jane Fonda as the divorced housewife's first job role, and Lily Tomlin as the bosses stepping stone. The film is full of one line crack jokes which can be missed on the first time you watch it. Do watch the movie a few times, and soon you'll pick up on how funny the lines are "Violet, did you get my Memo?", "I did Roz, I tore right through it". Later in the film the plot is well underway and animation is combined successfully with Tomlin's scene of a Snow White type character! I loved this film, and my laserdisc copy is always on the top of the pile. A good all rounder to be watched over and over, and I sometimes find myself using those punch lines. Dolly Parton provides the "9 to 5" opening music, which sets the movie off to a good pace.

I'll take the blame for this: not only am I forty years late to the party, but I'd also underestimated the star power of Dolly Parton; a natural performer who's integral to the success of this movie. On its own, 9 to 5 is a decent comedy, led by the more-than-capable Lily Tomlin, but Parton infuses her scenes with a bubbly independence that really helps sell the feminist message. Dabney Coleman is the consummate company sleaze, the tinpot schemer helming this faceless conglomerate; ideal for the target of such a workplace revenge fantasy. In less capable hands, this may have fallen flat. But I enjoyed myself and have a newfound (overdye) reverence for The Queen of Nashville.

A comedy of its time that still plays well and is amusing. Not too many big laughs but a constent amusement. I liked the hang glider harness put to good use. All the actresses were in stunning shape and beautiful. Everyone was pleasantly playful.