Nine to Five (1980)
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Three female office employees band together to seek revenge against their sexist and autocratic male boss.
The story
After her divorce, Judy Bernly begins working as a secretary at Consolidated Companies under the supervision of the sharp-tongued Violet Newstead. The women work under the leadership of the sexist and autocratic vice president, Franklin Hart. When Hart treats the women poorly and denies Violet a promotion, the trio finds themselves increasingly frustrated by his behavior. After a night of shared grievances and fantasies of revenge, a series of mishaps leads them to believe they have successfully incapacitated Hart. However, the situation becomes complicated when they realize the true extent of Hart's misconduct within the company, forcing them to decide how to handle the situation while navigating the complexities of their workplace.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Judy Bernly, a newly divorced woman, joins Consolidated Companies and befriends her coworkers Violet Newstead and Doralee Rhodes. They all work under the sexist vice president, Franklin Hart, who harasses Doralee and ignores Violet's expertise. After a night of drinking and fantasizing about revenge, a mix-up leads them to believe they have poisoned Hart's coffee. When they discover Hart is actually alive but merely concussed, they decide to blackmail him into silence after discovering he is embezzling company funds. While they hold him prisoner, they implement several progressive workplace policies, such as equal pay and a daycare center. The plot concludes with Hart being sent on a long-term project in Brazil, while the women receive promotions or pursue new paths. A postscript reveals Hart is 'never heard from again' after being abducted by a tribe of Amazons.
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Colin Higgins
- Writers
- Colin Higgins · screenplay; Patricia Resnick · screenplay; Patricia Resnick · story
- Cast and characters
- Jane Fonda · Judy Bernly; Lily Tomlin · Violet Newstead; Dolly Parton · Doralee Rhodes; Dabney Coleman · Franklin M. Hart Jr.; Elizabeth Wilson · Roz; Sterling Hayden · Russell Tinsworthy
- Genres
- comedy; buddy comedy; business film; feminist film
- Themes
- workplace sexism; gender pay gap; women's labor
- Tone and mood
- comedy; satire
- Premise and plot tags
- revenge; office life; female empowerment
- Source material / true-story basis
- An idea by Jane Fonda based on a real association of women office workers.
- Reception
- The film received mixed-to-positive reviews upon release, with praise for Dolly Parton's performance but criticism for the plot. It has since received retrospective praise for its commentary on workplace sexism and the gender pay gap.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 71% · review count: 103; Metacritic · score: 58 · review count: 12
- Awards and nominations
- People's Choice Award · Favorite Motion Picture Song · 1981 · won; Grammy Award · Country Song of the Year · 1982 · won; Grammy Award · Female Country Vocal of the Year · 1982 · won; Academy Award · Best Original Song · nominated; Golden Globe · Best Actress · nominated; Golden Globe · Best Original Song · nominated
- Production trivia
- Dolly Parton's film debut.; The film's theme song was certified platinum by the RIAA.; A remake produced by Jennifer Aniston is in development.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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