Don’t know what to watch? Are you overwhelmed by how many movies there are nowadays? Gordon Briggs’ Reel Talk is here for you. Every month, this column highlights three films from movie history that are worth your time.
When I heard that Dolly Parton passed away, I began thinking about her legacy. Not only was she a gifted musician and songwriter, she was an incredibly charismatic actress. In the wake of her death, watching Parton’s movies became a way to memorialize her.
Whether it was “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Straight Talk,” or “Steel Magnolias,” Parton brought both an ease of self and an unmistakable confidence to her roles. For my money, her best film was “9 to 5.” Part office comedy, part heist flick, part feminist manifesto, the film skilfully balances laughs, social consciousness and a friendship between three friends. Plus, it was a perfect vehicle for Parton.
Released in 1980, it follows three working women — Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Parton — who, after suffering a series of indignities in their workplace, team up to overthrow their sexist, tyrannical boss (played memorably by Dabney Coleman). What follows is comic gold.
The heart of the film is the friendship between those three women. At first, they start out as just workplace colleagues, but gradually their characters team up to fight an unfair boss. Specifically, their friendship is defined by teamwork and shared power on screen.
Together, the characters are celebrated because they don’t tear each other down; instead, their varying personalities mesh perfectly to create a comedic story of collective triumph. Parton’s character, who was once the subject of unfair office rumors, becomes the gun-toating defender of the group and manages to keep calm when the others are riddled with anxiety about their crimes.
Plus, the movie is still damn funny. For instance, after smoking some marijuana on a girls’ night out, the three fantasize how each would kill their boss. Those fantasy scenes are funny because they allow each woman to turn the tables on their boss for being a “sexist, egotistical, lying hypocritical bigot.” Parton gets a funny Wild West-inspired scene where she objectifies, hogties, and ultimately roasts her sexually harassing boss over a campfire.
My favorite fantasy scene is from Lily Tomlin, which sports a Disney style fantasy where she plays a Snow White-type of princess who poisons her boss and liberates the entire office from servitude.
Of course, the sequence pays off again when each woman gets to live out part of her fantasy in real life, when Parton and her friends subsequently abduct their boss. Ultimately, these scenes provide big laughs by serving as a chaotic, uninhibited outlet for suppressed workplace frustration.
Lastly, “9 to 5” is still relevant to today’s workplaces. The three women not only kidnap their boss and take over the company, they use their newfound responsibility to manifest their dreams of shared power.
Even going as far to open a company daycare center, letting employees change workhours, and implementing a rehab program. While Parton remains a beloved country music singer, this movie proves she was also a talented comedic actress, whose charm and intelligence will be remembered for generations to come. ★ ★ ★ ½
