Everyone knows the song, but it was only last year that I first saw the film. As soon as the music starts up and the one and only Dolly Parton's voice subtly plays against the sequence of women getting up and going to work you already feel like its going to be a great but tough day.
On the surface, '9 to 5' is a comedy, possibly more in the screwball comedy arena, which is about three women who have to deal with a hideous boss. They hate him but, as they all need their job, they are limited in power. That is, until they day that one of them accidentally lives out a fantasy and almost kills the man. Simmering just below the surface there are voices of three women, who become fast friends, who aren't going to take the treatment anymore and make changes that improve the whole office staff's lives.
Three very different and independant women taking on a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot is a fantasy come true for many people who have had a boss that bad or one that is just plain awful. Violet, Doralee and Judy play out the fantasty as just that, each with their way of getting revenge on Mr Hart Jr. By shooting him, tying him in rope after objectifying him and finally poisoning him in a fairytale dream. Watching all three scenarios come true in some way or other is deliciously satisfying and even more so when they string him up as a prisoner in his own home. The sting of how things really are in the workplace, regardless of the time, some things are still painfully relatable to today's work place. After all the women's efforts to improve the work place they are congratulated but not to theor faces, instead a selfish idiotic man, their boss, is given the credit and told the equal pay things will be squashed. The film even manages to get political about equal pay and good for Colin Higgins (also director) and Patricia Resnick for including this in the film.
For laughter and look back what everyone wore to work, '9 to 5' is an overlooked brilliant film.
Thanks to Park Circus, '9 to 5' is being screened as part of BFI's Girlfriends season. You can catch a screening of the film Sunday 18th March at 5:45pm. Check out other great films being screening in the season HERE.