One of the most popular sub-genres in Hollywood is the workplace comedy. Films such as The Front Page (1931) and its remake His Girl Friday (1940); Desk Set (1957); The Hudsucker Proxy (1994); Clerks (1994); and Working Girl (1988), are all prime examples of the genre. In addition to these films, Colin Higgins's Nine to Five (1980) is considered one of the absolute best and is still highly regarded today as a landmark feminist film.

After discovering that her husband is having an affair, Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) accepts a secretarial job at a large company. On her first day on the job, Judy learns from her supervisor Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin) that their boss, Franklin Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman), routinely engages in sexist practices by not giving credit to female employees when warranted, handing out promotions to men only and openly harassing his female staff--in particular Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton), who is his secretary. The three women become friends, each sharing their elaborate fantasies on how they would seek revenge on Mr. Hart.

Inspired by stories of women in the workplace, as well as the classic Hollywood female-starring screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, Jane Fonda, daughter of Hollywood legend Henry Fonda and a star in her own right, wanted to make a film highlighting the struggles faced by the modern working woman--in particular those coming into the workforce later in life as a result of major life changes, such as divorce or death of a spouse. A close friend of Fonda's had formed an organization of female office workers in Boston, Massachusetts called "Nine to Five." During her research for the film, Fonda discovered that male bosses in the corporate world could not do their jobs effectively without the hard work of their female staff members--most working as secretaries and carrying out a workload of several people, with their male counterparts receiving all the credit. Fonda wanted to make a film proving that an office cannot effectively run without secretaries and female support staff. Developed as a project for her recently formed production company IPC, Nine to Five was initially intended as a drama, but during the pre-production phase Fonda and producer Bruce Gilbert determined that their current approach to the story was far too preachy, and instead opted to make a comedy--which was an easy decision with a comedienne such as Lily Tomlin cast in one of the three main lead roles.

Lily Tomlin got her start in stand-up, eventually landing a spot on the popular television variety program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, a breakthrough in her career making her a household name. Tomlin was on the show from 1969 until 1973 and was best known for her characters Ernestine and Edith Anne. In 1975, Tomlin made her feature-film debut in Robert Altman's ensemble drama Nashville (1975), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Tomlin worked with the esteemed producer and director several more times, including her second film, The Late Show (1977) which was produced by Altman; Short Cuts (1993); and Altman's final film A Prairie Home Companion (2006). Tomlin and Nine to Five co-star Jane Fonda reunited in 2015 on the television series Grace and Frankie, which is currently in its fifth season.

Nine to Five was the film debut of singer and songwriter Dolly Parton. While the Tennessee-native was well-known for her solo work as well as her legendary partnership with country singer Porter Wagoner, her starring role in Nine to Five-- for which she wrote the immensely popular title song-- catapulted her into mainstream stardom, kicking off a successful acting career which includes films such as The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), starring Burt Reynolds, and Steel Magnolias (1989).

Upon its release, Nine to Five was a critical and commercial success, along with its title song, spawning a television series and a stage musical version with new songs written by Dolly Parton. In 2018, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton announced that a sequel was being developed with the three main leads returning to star.

Director: Colin Higgins
Producer: Bruce Gilbert
Screenplay: Colin Higgins and Patricia Resnick
Cinematography: Reynaldo Villalobos
Editing: Pembroke J. Herring
Art Direction: Jack G. Taylor Jr.
Music: Charles Fox
Cast: Jane Fonda (Judy Bernly), Lily Tomlin (Violet Newstead), Dolly Parton (Doralee Rhodes), Dabney Coleman (Franklin Hart, Jr.), Sterling Hayden (Tinsworthy), Elizabeth Wilson (Roz), Henry Jones (Hinkle).
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Resources:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125651063

By Jill Blake