This is a cute, fun movie where three very different secretaries extract, most humorously, a gruesome revenge on the inconsiderate, chauvinistic boss who treats them abysmally. Nothing serious, just laughs, other than a (humorous) memorial to women's struggles in the workplace.
The three secretaries are quite diverse, but share a common desire to give that sexist, egotistical boss, Frank Hart, his comeuppance. Jane Fonda convincingly plays Judy, a recently divorced housewife, who is just now timidly venturing forth into the corporate world. Lily Tomlin shines as Violet (not shrinking), the smart but put upon, unappreciated supervisor who shows Judy the ropes, and Dolly Parton (my perennial favorite) is the sweet, well endowed Southern gal, Doralee, who is assumed by many to be sleeping her way to the top.
The plot moves along ridiculously from one set of crazy antics to the next, both fantasies and actual revenge tactics. My favorite scene is the one where the intimidated Judy must do battle with the photocopy machine, which of course has a mind of its own. I totally identified, being quite nontechnically minded myself. Of course it's also pretty funny when Violet thinks she's inadvertently murdered Hart by poisoning his coffee with rat poison. I seem to recall that at one point the ladies have Hart all trussed up.
It's not memorable or rocket science but kinda fun. As one reviewer noted, check your brain at the door. The lasting legacy of the film is, however, Dolly's cute and catchy tune of the same name.
The three secretaries are quite diverse, but share a common desire to give that sexist, egotistical boss, Frank Hart, his comeuppance. Jane Fonda convincingly plays Judy, a recently divorced housewife, who is just now timidly venturing forth into the corporate world. Lily Tomlin shines as Violet (not shrinking), the smart but put upon, unappreciated supervisor who shows Judy the ropes, and Dolly Parton (my perennial favorite) is the sweet, well endowed Southern gal, Doralee, who is assumed by many to be sleeping her way to the top.
The plot moves along ridiculously from one set of crazy antics to the next, both fantasies and actual revenge tactics. My favorite scene is the one where the intimidated Judy must do battle with the photocopy machine, which of course has a mind of its own. I totally identified, being quite nontechnically minded myself. Of course it's also pretty funny when Violet thinks she's inadvertently murdered Hart by poisoning his coffee with rat poison. I seem to recall that at one point the ladies have Hart all trussed up.
It's not memorable or rocket science but kinda fun. As one reviewer noted, check your brain at the door. The lasting legacy of the film is, however, Dolly's cute and catchy tune of the same name.