How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Directed by David Swift
Written by David Swift from the Broadway musical by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert and the novel by Shepherd Mead
1967/USA
The Mirisch Corporation
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

J. Pierpont Finch: This is the secret ingredient: it can’t miss, I’m combining greed with sex.

I was looking for a movie that was sure to make me happy yesterday.  This beloved favorite was just the ticket!

Window washer J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morris) gets ahold of the titular self-help manual.  He picks the World Wide Wicket Company as his target.  He manages to favorably impress CEO J.B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee) and snag a job in the mailroom.

Within two hours he has advanced to the junior executive pool.  As he rises to the top, he has to contend wit ruthless rival Bud Frump, Biggley’s nephew, and flirtation from secretary Rosemary Pilkington (Michelle Lee).  Things get sillier and sillier as one glorious number follows another.

This is basically a filmed stage musical.  That bothers me not at all.  I just love Morse and Vallee, the story, and all the singing and dancing.  Unreservedly recommended to musical lovers.

Clip – “Gotta Stop That Man”/”I Believe in You”