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“9 to 5”: A spoonful of Skinny & Sweet and a dash of feminism

by
Ace

You know when you hate your sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot boss and fantasize about poisoning his coffee, and then accidentally poison his coffee, and then keep him in bondage for a while until you can get documents with which to blackmail him, and then while he's indisposed, you make your company women-friendly while you dramatically increase productivity? I know ... it's an old story and we've all been there. But, still, Hollywood managed to make that tired plot fresh back in 1980 with Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin and Jane Fonda in the comedy classic 9 to 5. And now (drum roll, please), 9 to 5 is on the cusp of becoming a stage musical.

Take a moment to guess how much I love the movie. Did you guess “a lot”? If you did, you're right. As a general rule, I'm not a big fan of slapstick — and there are moments when the movie gets too slapsticky for me — but I love that movie. Love it. I don't love every Dolly Parton movie (although, embarrassingly, I do have a certain fondness for Rhinestone), but I love most of them, and I still think Doralee Rhodes is her best role.

And Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda are perfect as Violet Newstead and Judy Bernly, respectively.

To refresh your recollection of the movie, watch this video.



But back to the stage musical news. I wish I could say it was getting ready to become a Broadway musical but, unfortunately for me, it will be opening in 2008 in Los Angeles and is not expected to come to Broadway until 2009. Alas. But still, this is excellent news. Dolly Parton is writing the music and lyrics! Movie co-screenwriter Patricia Resnick is writing the libretto. And Allison Janney will be playing Violet.

And I will be making plans to visit friends in Los Angeles when the show opens.

Since I first heard about the show, I've been wondering whether it will be set in 1980 or will be updated. An element of that musing was wondering how anachronistic the movie's workplace sexism is. I read today that the story will be set in 1980. Although I fear they will overplay the '80s kitsch, I don't disagree with that decision. (I'm sure the creative team will be relieved to know that.) Workplace sexism was a different, very blatant animal in the '70s and early '80s. And women absolutely have dramatically more professional opportunities today.

But ask a working woman over 40 and a working woman under 30 about sexism in the workplace — and ask whether each identifies as a feminist — and I suspect you may get two pretty different answers. It makes a difference to remember when the Equal Rights Amendment was still the news of the day. I know that at my company, there are plenty of women in positions of power, but I've definitely seen a boys' club mentality dominate the promotions process, and I've seen the hiring of women executives concentrated in discrete departments. Additionally, I've noticed that the younger women see “feminist” as a dirty word.

The article I read today about 9 to 5 had this to say:

“Underneath the comedy, the movie was about the smart, industrious but invisible women behind the power structure of corporate America.”

And Patricia Resnick commented, "[t]hat's changed a little, but not as much as you would have thought in the 25 years since the movie came out." (And, coincidentally, Gloria Steinem has a pointed commentary about sexism in politics in today's New York Times.)

What do you think of 9 to 5 and its themes? And do you consider yourself a feminist?

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    • Submitted by
    Ace
    on January 8, 2008 - 3:00pm.
    TAGS :: 
    Jessie Maims's picture

    love love love

    Submitted by
    Jessie Maims (127 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 3:14pm.

    I love 9 to 5! I was watching it on DVD just yesterday, actually. As I watched it, I found it newly relevant amidst the election coverage, as footage of Hillary showing her humanity (le gasp) is met with both disdain (weak! or calculated!) and respect (I for one found it genuine and inspiring).

    I am a radical feminist who often tires of fem blog infighting. People who call themselves "post-feminist" or women who shy away from the label annoy me, and should obviously read more.

    cosmiccowgirl's picture

    kids today

    Submitted by
    cosmiccowgirl (870 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 3:27pm.

    I read a lot of essays written by high-school and college kids, and a lot of them seem to think that the Equal Right amendment actually passed and is part of the constitution. I just assume that the disavowal of feminism is a result of ignorance of history and a lot of work from the right-wing propaganda machine.

    As for 9 to 5, it's one of my favorite movies ever. I doubt anything this fabulously feminist could get made today, and though it's neat that there's a new musical, I'm also afraid the kitchiness could overshadow what is really a very biting social critique in the original. Hopefully I'll make it to either LA or NY in the next few years. I doubt this will top my list of things to do, but with Dolly Parton writing the music and Allison Janney as Violet, it could be pretty high on the list.

    Tabbles's picture

    well...

    Submitted by
    Tabbles (58 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 8:12pm.
    You'd be surprised. Quite a lot of stage plays which were written in the 60's and 70's with a lot of issues relating to 'those days' still have prevalence today - perhaps in not quite the same way as they were meant when they were first performed - 'Abigail's Party' amongst others springs to mind. While we may not have reached the stage that we should have (or at least were hoping for), people will still get that it's an issue. Obviously things aren't as they were back then, but I think theatre audiences do consider the implications of what was being said back then and how much it still affects people nowadays. I too think that this production is a great idea, least of all because Allison Janney is fantastic, and Dolly Parton writing the music is brilliant. I look forward. :).
    EMS's picture

    great movie

    Submitted by
    EMS (42 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 9:21pm.

     Wrote a term paper on that movie...so great.

     -"Humans are inscribable, written on by experience."
    -Franz Boas

    abzug's picture

    I'm more hopeful

    Submitted by
    abzug (87 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 10:29pm.

    > though it's neat that there's a new musical, I'm also afraid the kitchiness could overshadow what is really a very biting social critique in the original.

    Just because it's a musical doesn't inherently mean it'll be kitschy. Well, any more than the film was kitschy, and boy was it! But I trust Dolly to keep the social critique loud and strong. I can't wait for this one--there have been a serious dearth of good new musicals opening in NYC in recent months (well, make that years).

    --abzug

    Visit http://www.badgirlsannex.com!

    clever as a belle's picture

    This is one of those movies

    Submitted by
    clever as a belle (35 posts)
    on January 8, 2008 - 10:52pm.
    This is one of those movies I can't help but watch when I run across it on tv. Love it.
    Elvis730's picture

    9 to 5

    Submitted by
    Elvis730 (65 posts)
    on January 9, 2008 - 1:56am.

    I love this movie....so many funny moments.....I think I'll go watch it right now!

     

    "Oh my god I love your bins, they're so random"

    NOLAGypsy's picture

    Hello Dolly!

    Submitted by
    NOLAGypsy (66 posts)
    on January 9, 2008 - 8:49am.

    Sorry about the title, I just couldn't resist.

     

    Seriously, though, I love this movie, not to mention I love Dolly, Lily, and Jane all on there own. I loved this movie because it was something that my mother - now in her 60's - and I could enjoy together and agree on.

    I consider myself to be a neo-feminist - which is like old school feminist in all ways except one: I make my male roomate kill the spider in the kitchen.

    My mother is an anti-feminist (and anti-gay, for that matter) who has spent her whole life working as various men's secretary.

     This movie is so fabulous because it tempered it's feminist revolution with enough humor (which seems to be mising from most revolutions these days) and subtlety that even a staunch conservative could get behind the message for a fleeting minute..

    beecharmer79's picture

    "I'm no fool...

    Submitted by
    beecharmer79 (48 posts)
    on January 9, 2008 - 5:51pm.

    ...I killed the boss. You think they're not going to fire me for a thing like that?"

    Love this movie more than words can describe, and can't wait for the musical. I think in order for it to work it must be set in the 80's...times are just too different now. Women can sue nowadays for the stuff men got away with back then. Feminism is an ever-evolving role.

    But with Alison Janney, Megan Hilty, and rumoured Stephanie J. Block starring in it, where can you go wrong? Very very excited to see where it all goes!

    camelcamel's picture

    OMG

    Submitted by
    camelcamel (25 posts)
    on January 9, 2008 - 6:42pm.

    I just watched this movie last night on HBO.

    Can't wait to see how this all pans out.


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