Working Girl (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
We cheer on Melanie Griffith as top Wall Street secretary Tess McGill in Mike Nichols' 1988 romantic comedy 'Working Girl', an infectious feel-good story of some much-deserved comeuppance. Staten Island resident Tess, living with her low-life boyfriend, Mick (Alec Baldwin), has high aspirations in life, but is held back by her male chauvinist pig bosses. Alongside new co-worker buddy, Cynthia (Joan Cusack), Tess lands a new job as a receptionist at the brokerage firm of Petty-Marsh for driven female exec, Katharine Porter (Sigourney Weaver), who offers her encouragement as one woman to another & listens intently to Tess' brilliant, lucrative plan to put together a deal for a corporate merger with powerful client, Oren Trask (Philip Bosco).
When Tess learns that conniving trickster Katharine, after having broken her leg skiing, steals HER plan and gives her no credit, she decides it is now or never for her big dream of corporate advancement. And so, in Katharine's absence, and masquerading as her equal, Tess works the lucrative Trask deal herself with a little help from handsome investment banker, Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford); he's a suave deal-maker who also happens to be Katharine's lover {of course}. So when ruthless, b*tchy Katharine returns to work early from her injury, she is fuming mad to see that lowly secretary Tess - with professional new haircut, to boot - has taken over her office! Katharine may be formidable ... but she hasn't reckoned with Tess. Cue the drama!
Yes, on paper, 'Working Girl' is the epitome of a chick flick. But it stands apart from that stigma because Tess is strong-willed, & not some whiny victim of men. She dusts herself off, picks herself up & moves forward despite setbacks. So it's quite the empowering motion picture. And the quality of the filmmaking {top-notch cinematographer, designers, editor & musicians} add further clout & pedigree to this mere 'chick flick'. It's a delightful film from beginning to end; and will strike a chord with anyone who has dealt with a horrible boss. I also love the lively & funny script. Eventual lover, Jack (Ford) says to Tess upon meeting her: "You're the first woman I've seen in one of these things that dresses like a woman, not like a woman thinks a man would dress if he was a woman". Griffith's Tess replies: "I have a head for business & a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Melanie Griffith is just great as the irrepressible Tess McGill. Harrison Ford is endearing as Tess' Prince Charming investment broker. Joan Cusack is hilarious as Tess' largely-coiffed secretary buddy; I recall her iconic reaction to Tess' triumph near the end of the film {I suppose that's a spoiler, but did you really think anything else would happen? haha}. And perhaps best of all is Sigourney Weaver who absolutely naillllls the supremely confident, unethical career woman who's out for no one but herself. The rest of the large cast impresses throughout. They include: Olympia Dukakis, Oliver Platt, Kevin Spacey, Ricki Lake, Nora Dunn, and on & on.
Mike Nichols' direction gives this swaggering film the needed snap, crackle & pop to overcome its 'chick flick' roots. He captures the NY atmosphere & Wall Street milieu wonderfully; where egos clash, financial ethics are dodgy & having the aura of success is just as important as attaining it. I also love how this film is a snap shot of a very particular time in the '80s; even capturing the larger-than-life hair-dos & shoulder-padded fashions. 'Working Girl' is a great tale about an unlikely underdog uses her wits to come out ahead. It's entertaining, incisive, compellingly watchable. And the capper of it all is hearing the strains of Carly Simon's fantastic Oscar-winning "Let the River Run" blare from the loud speakers in the film's final moments.
When Tess learns that conniving trickster Katharine, after having broken her leg skiing, steals HER plan and gives her no credit, she decides it is now or never for her big dream of corporate advancement. And so, in Katharine's absence, and masquerading as her equal, Tess works the lucrative Trask deal herself with a little help from handsome investment banker, Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford); he's a suave deal-maker who also happens to be Katharine's lover {of course}. So when ruthless, b*tchy Katharine returns to work early from her injury, she is fuming mad to see that lowly secretary Tess - with professional new haircut, to boot - has taken over her office! Katharine may be formidable ... but she hasn't reckoned with Tess. Cue the drama!
Yes, on paper, 'Working Girl' is the epitome of a chick flick. But it stands apart from that stigma because Tess is strong-willed, & not some whiny victim of men. She dusts herself off, picks herself up & moves forward despite setbacks. So it's quite the empowering motion picture. And the quality of the filmmaking {top-notch cinematographer, designers, editor & musicians} add further clout & pedigree to this mere 'chick flick'. It's a delightful film from beginning to end; and will strike a chord with anyone who has dealt with a horrible boss. I also love the lively & funny script. Eventual lover, Jack (Ford) says to Tess upon meeting her: "You're the first woman I've seen in one of these things that dresses like a woman, not like a woman thinks a man would dress if he was a woman". Griffith's Tess replies: "I have a head for business & a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Melanie Griffith is just great as the irrepressible Tess McGill. Harrison Ford is endearing as Tess' Prince Charming investment broker. Joan Cusack is hilarious as Tess' largely-coiffed secretary buddy; I recall her iconic reaction to Tess' triumph near the end of the film {I suppose that's a spoiler, but did you really think anything else would happen? haha}. And perhaps best of all is Sigourney Weaver who absolutely naillllls the supremely confident, unethical career woman who's out for no one but herself. The rest of the large cast impresses throughout. They include: Olympia Dukakis, Oliver Platt, Kevin Spacey, Ricki Lake, Nora Dunn, and on & on.
Mike Nichols' direction gives this swaggering film the needed snap, crackle & pop to overcome its 'chick flick' roots. He captures the NY atmosphere & Wall Street milieu wonderfully; where egos clash, financial ethics are dodgy & having the aura of success is just as important as attaining it. I also love how this film is a snap shot of a very particular time in the '80s; even capturing the larger-than-life hair-dos & shoulder-padded fashions. 'Working Girl' is a great tale about an unlikely underdog uses her wits to come out ahead. It's entertaining, incisive, compellingly watchable. And the capper of it all is hearing the strains of Carly Simon's fantastic Oscar-winning "Let the River Run" blare from the loud speakers in the film's final moments.