Working Girl: Difference between revisions

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This 1988 comedy, directed by Mike Nichols, shows that even if you come from the wrong side of the Hudson, you can make it in business so long as you've got the balls to see through a good idea.

Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is desperate to be taken seriously and recognized for her brains and business skill, and hopes to rise from the typing pool of Petty Marsh. Given one last chance after blowing out "Bob from Arbitrage" , she's made PA to Katharine Parker ([[Sigourney Weaver]]) in Mergers & Acquisitions. Katharine is willing to accept input and ideas from her, and is intrigued by Tess's big idea that would save a large company from a foreign takeover. Katharine then breaks her leg while away skiing in Switzerland, and she asks Tess to look after things in her absence. Tess soon discovers that Katharine is going to try to pass off Tess's idea as her own to the CEO of the threatened company. On top of this, she discovers her boyfriend (Alec Baldwin) is also cheating on her. Tess sets out to do a deal by using her idea herself and teams up with Jack Trainer ([[Harrison Ford]]) to close the deal before Katharine's return. The two slowly fall for each other little knowing that the other is Katharine's boyfriend/secretary...

 

 

* [[Academy Award]]: Nominated for six, ended up winning one. Details above.

* [[Ambition Is Evil]]: Very much averted with Tess. While her actions are ethically questionable to say the least, the film portrays her as only "[[I Did What I Had to Do|doing what she has to do]]" to climb the corporate ladder without the "right" background or connections. Katherine, on the other hand.

* [[Black Bra and Panties]]: Tess, also with matching garter belt and stockings!

* [[Broken Bird]]: Jack Trainer, due to his [[Backstory]].

* [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] / [[There Are No Good Executives]]: Mostly averted. The only obviously corrupt executive is Katharine. Oren Trask in particular seems to be an honest, intelligent, all-around good guy who just happens to be a rich CEO.

* [[Eighties Hair]]: Most of the secretaries and the women on Staten Island. Joan Cusack, to the extreme. Also Melanie Griffith in the early parts of the movie. Averted with Katharine, whose hairstyle would be seen as perfectly normal and professional even in 2011.

* [[Fan Service]]: Melanie Griffith has a couple of ''nice'' [[Lingerie Scene|lingerie scenes]] (see [[Black Bra and Panties]] above). Sigourney Weaver's aren't bad either. And then [[Harrison Ford]] provides [[Fan Service]] both for the audience and his typing pool as he [[Shirtless Scene|changes shirts]] while talking on the phone. The typing pool even gives him a [[Crowning Moment of Funny|round of applause in appreciation]].

* [[Foot Popping]]: Seen in the scene where Tess and Jack fall for each other.

* [[Never Gets Drunk]]: Jack Trainer seems to be a Type 1 of this trope.

* [[New York City]]: The setting of the movie. Most of the business action takes place in Manhattan. Tess and her friends are from Staten Island, and most of the scenes involving her personal life are set there. The movie was shot on location in both places.

{{quote|'''Cyn:''' "Whaddya need speech class foe-wa? Ya tawk foine!"}}

* [[Not What It Looks Like]] / [[I Can Explain]]: Tess comes back early to find [[You Can Leave Your Hat On|Mick]] performing more than just a shirtless scene with [[Nipple-and-Dimed|Doreen]].

* [[Sharp-Dressed Man]]: Jack Trainer.

* [[Shirtless Scene]]: [[Harrison Ford]] provides [[Fan Service]] to his typing pool. Alec Baldwin also has a couple, showing off his [[Carpet of Virility]].

* [[The Triple]]: Cyn, flirting with Jack Trainer while pretending to be Tess's secretary.

{{quote|'''Cyn:''' "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Me?"}}

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Academy Award]]

[[Category:Films of the 1980s]]