How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (Mass update links)
m (Mass update links)
Line 4: Line 4:
A bit of musical theatre written by Abe Burrows, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, which was first staged in 1961. It's based on a book by Shepherd Mead, which had the subtitle "The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune". Obviously, it is a satire.
A bit of musical theatre written by Abe Burrows, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, which was first staged in 1961. It's based on a book by Shepherd Mead, which had the subtitle "The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune". Obviously, it is a satire.


The story starts out with a kid named J. Pierpont Finch, a window-washer at the World Wide Wicket company (no, that's not a [[Stealth Pun]], this was [[The Sixties]]). He's reading from the eponymous book, quotes from which are often provided by a disembodied Narrator. After a [[Crash Into Hello]] with the president of the company, Finch gets a proper job. Now, with only advice from the book, [[Indy Ploy|Indy Ploys]] and a [[Twinkle Smile]] to aid him, Finch must work his way up the corporate ladder, with the help and/or opposition of (amongst others): Bud Frump, nephew of WWW current president J.B. Biggley; [[Femme Fatale]] Hedy LaRue, who is having an affair with Biggley but causes [[Hello Nurse|instant attraction]] from just about any male character; Rosemary Pilkington, his [[Love Interest]]; and his own plans and schemes, which have a tendency to [[Gone Horribly Right|Go Horribly Right]].
The story starts out with a kid named J. Pierpont Finch, a window-washer at the World Wide Wicket company (no, that's not a [[Stealth Pun]], this was [[The Sixties]]). He's reading from the eponymous book, quotes from which are often provided by a disembodied Narrator. After a [[Crash Into Hello]] with the president of the company, Finch gets a proper job. Now, with only advice from the book, [[Indy Ploy|Indy Ploys]] and a [[Twinkle Smile]] to aid him, Finch must work his way up the corporate ladder, with the help and/or opposition of (amongst others): Bud Frump, nephew of WWW current president J.B. Biggley; [[Femme Fatale]] Hedy LaRue, who is having an affair with Biggley but causes [[Hello, Nurse!|instant attraction]] from just about any male character; Rosemary Pilkington, his [[Love Interest]]; and his own plans and schemes, which have a tendency to [[Gone Horribly Right|Go Horribly Right]].


[[The Movie]] version starring Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee, and Sammy Smith (reprising their respective roles of Finch, Mr. Biggly, and Mr.Twimble/Wally Whomper from the Broadway original) came out in '67. The show was revived on Broadway in '95 with [[Matthew Broderick]] as Finch and [[Walter Cronkite]] reading the book, for which Broderick won a Lead Actor Tony. Its 50th-anniversary revival in 2011 starred [[Daniel Radcliffe]] of ''[[Harry Potter (Film)|Harry Potter]]'' fame. In what may be a [[Casting Gag]], Radcliffe was replaced by [[Darren Criss]], of [[Glee]] and [[A Very Potter Musical]], in January 2012 for a two week run, to be replaced again by [[Nick Jonas]].
[[The Movie]] version starring Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee, and Sammy Smith (reprising their respective roles of Finch, Mr. Biggly, and Mr.Twimble/Wally Whomper from the Broadway original) came out in '67. The show was revived on Broadway in '95 with [[Matthew Broderick]] as Finch and [[Walter Cronkite]] reading the book, for which Broderick won a Lead Actor Tony. Its 50th-anniversary revival in 2011 starred [[Daniel Radcliffe]] of ''[[Harry Potter (Film)|Harry Potter]]'' fame. In what may be a [[Casting Gag]], Radcliffe was replaced by [[Darren Criss]], of [[Glee]] and [[A Very Potter Musical]], in January 2012 for a two week run, to be replaced again by [[Nick Jonas]].
Line 41: Line 41:
* [[Grande Dame]]: Mr. Biggly's secretary, Miss Jones, has some affinities with the type.
* [[Grande Dame]]: Mr. Biggly's secretary, Miss Jones, has some affinities with the type.
* [[Guile Hero]]: Finch, Finch, Finch.
* [[Guile Hero]]: Finch, Finch, Finch.
* [[Hello Nurse]]: Hedy
* [[Hello, Nurse!]]: Hedy
* [[Hey It's That Guy]]: Robert Morse, the original Ponty, plays Bert Cooper on the likewise business-oriented ''[[Mad Men]]''.
* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: Robert Morse, the original Ponty, plays Bert Cooper on the likewise business-oriented ''[[Mad Men]]''.
** Not to mention [[Daniel Radcliffe|Harry]] [[Harry Potter|Potter]] ([[Casting Gag|and later]] [[Darren Criss|Harry]] [[A Very Potter Musical|Potter]]) starring in the 2011 revival.
** Not to mention [[Daniel Radcliffe|Harry]] [[Harry Potter|Potter]] ([[Casting Gag|and later]] [[Darren Criss|Harry]] [[A Very Potter Musical|Potter]]) starring in the 2011 revival.
* [[Informed Attractiveness]]: Hedy. Or not, depending on who's playing her.
* [[Informed Attractiveness]]: Hedy. Or not, depending on who's playing her.
Line 65: Line 65:
* [[Sexy Secretary]]
* [[Sexy Secretary]]
* [[Sexy Walk]]: Hedy's gets its own music cue.
* [[Sexy Walk]]: Hedy's gets its own music cue.
* [[Shout Out]]: Hedy Larue in the 2010 revivial looks quite a bit like another [[Mad Men|gorgeous redhead secretary from the same time period]]...
* [[Shout-Out]]: Hedy Larue in the 2010 revivial looks quite a bit like another [[Mad Men|gorgeous redhead secretary from the same time period]]...
* [[Silly Love Songs]]: Every Broadway musical is required to include at least one, and this show's silly love is "I Believe In You"; it's sung twice, first by J. Pierpont Finch [[Acquired Situational Narcissism|to himself]], and then by Rosemary as a pep talk when it looks like everything has gone wrong and J. Pierpont is probably going to get fired.
* [[Silly Love Songs]]: Every Broadway musical is required to include at least one, and this show's silly love is "I Believe In You"; it's sung twice, first by J. Pierpont Finch [[Acquired Situational Narcissism|to himself]], and then by Rosemary as a pep talk when it looks like everything has gone wrong and J. Pierpont is probably going to get fired.
* [[Stepford Smiler]]: Rosemary looks like she's going to become one (see her [[Establishing Character Moment]], "Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm"). This is clearly played for laughs. It's a tongue and cheek portrayal of a 60's housewife.
* [[Stepford Smiler]]: Rosemary looks like she's going to become one (see her [[Establishing Character Moment]], "Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm"). This is clearly played for laughs. It's a tongue and cheek portrayal of a 60's housewife.

Revision as of 19:16, 25 January 2014

A bit of musical theatre written by Abe Burrows, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, which was first staged in 1961. It's based on a book by Shepherd Mead, which had the subtitle "The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune". Obviously, it is a satire.

The story starts out with a kid named J. Pierpont Finch, a window-washer at the World Wide Wicket company (no, that's not a Stealth Pun, this was The Sixties). He's reading from the eponymous book, quotes from which are often provided by a disembodied Narrator. After a Crash Into Hello with the president of the company, Finch gets a proper job. Now, with only advice from the book, Indy Ploys and a Twinkle Smile to aid him, Finch must work his way up the corporate ladder, with the help and/or opposition of (amongst others): Bud Frump, nephew of WWW current president J.B. Biggley; Femme Fatale Hedy LaRue, who is having an affair with Biggley but causes instant attraction from just about any male character; Rosemary Pilkington, his Love Interest; and his own plans and schemes, which have a tendency to Go Horribly Right.

The Movie version starring Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee, and Sammy Smith (reprising their respective roles of Finch, Mr. Biggly, and Mr.Twimble/Wally Whomper from the Broadway original) came out in '67. The show was revived on Broadway in '95 with Matthew Broderick as Finch and Walter Cronkite reading the book, for which Broderick won a Lead Actor Tony. Its 50th-anniversary revival in 2011 starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. In what may be a Casting Gag, Radcliffe was replaced by Darren Criss, of Glee and A Very Potter Musical, in January 2012 for a two week run, to be replaced again by Nick Jonas.

How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying contains examples of the following tropes:

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/How_to_Succeed_In_Business_Without_Really_Trying?oldid=586737"