There are some movies that get better and better each time you see them. And when you run across them on TV, you stop channel surfing and instantly get drawn in, watching the movie until the end. For me, 9 to 5 (1980) is one of those movies.
9 to 5 is pure comedy genius, written and directed by Colin Higgins and produced by co-star Jane Fonda, but this deft satire of the plight of women in the workplace touches on issues that remain unresolved today. It’s never preachy or didactic, though--it’s played purely for laughs. And who can ever forget the Oscar-winning title song by Dolly Parton?
Watching this ensemble cast work is a joy to behold. After years of playing serious characters in “message” movies like Coming Home and The China Syndrome, Fonda gets her comedy back on as Judy Bernly, a timid divorcee just reentering the workforce. Comic genius Lily Tomlin is Violet Newstead, the cynical, world-weary middle manager who shows Judy the ropes at Amalgamated. And making her big screen debut is country superstar Dolly Parton as the generously endowed, no-nonsense executive secretary Doralee Rhodes. The chemistry among the three women is a rare delight—it’s the x-factor that propels this film from mild entertainment to enduring film classic.
Adding to the movie’s magic are inspired performances by Dabney Coleman as the slimy, chauvinistic boss Franklin Hart and veteran character actress Elizabeth Wilson as Roz, the office manager and company spy, who writes transcripts of office conversations on toilet paper while crouching in a bathroom stall.
It's one of the funniest movies ever and know every line by heart. I own it on DVD, but still stop and watch when it’s on TV...I must have seen it at least 95 times by now.