How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

Armed with the titular manual, an ambitious window washer seeks to climb the corporate ladder.

Director:

David Swift

Writers:

Abe Burrows (book), Jack Weinstock (book)

Stars:

Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Morse	...	J. Pierpont Finch
Michele Lee	...	Rosemary Pilkington
Rudy Vallee	...	Jasper B. Biggley
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague	...	Bud Frump (as Anthony Teague)
Maureen Arthur	...	Hedy LaRue
John Myhers	...	Bert O. Bratt
Carol Worthington	...	Lucille Krumholtz
Kathryn Reynolds	...	Miss Smith aka Smitty (as Kay Reynolds)
Ruth Kobart	...	Miss Jones
Sammy Smith	...	Twimble / Wally Womper
Jeff DeBenning	...	Gatch (as Jeff Debenning)
Janice Carroll	...	Brenda
Robert Q. Lewis	...	Tackaberry
Paul Hartman	...	Toynbee
Dan Tobin	...	Johnson

Storyline

Twenty-seven year old New York window washer, J. Pierrepont Finch, believes he can be a success in the corporate world after he impulsively picks up the book "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". The book promises its reader that he can climb the corporate ladder simply and quickly. The Worldwide Wicket Corporation, the business in the office building whose windows he washes is, according to the book, the perfect type of business. There he meets secretary Rosemary Pilkington, who sees in Ponty (as she calls him) an unassuming man who she believes the corporate world will eat alive. But Ponty, memorizing what the book tells him, does quickly climb the corporate ladder but not by doing any real work. Ponty has a few obstacles along the way such as: Bud Frump who sees Ponty as a rival and is the nephew by marriage of the company president J.B. Biggley; Hedy La Rue, a curvaceous but simple woman who has a secret or not-so-secret tie to someone important in the company; Mr. ...

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Plot Keywords:

book | business | how to | secretary | office | 

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Taglines:

Nothing Succeeds Like "Succeed" ! !

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Mirisch Company paid $1,000,000 for the film rights, an astronomical figure in 1964.

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Goofs

When all the secretaries are "working", they first change shoes from white to colored. After they make up their hair and stuff, a man yells "coffee break!" When they all get up to go, they're still wearing their white shoes.

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Quotes

J. B. Biggley: Do you know who I am?
J. Pierpont Finch: No, sir.
J. B. Biggley: I'm J. B. Biggley, the President of this company, that's who I am. In fact, that's who the hell I am.

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Connections

Referenced in That Girl: Kiss That Girl Goodbye (1969)

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Soundtracks

Rosemary
(uncredited)
Written by Frank Loesser
Performed by Robert Morse

User Reviews

Good Musical, Excellent Score and Great Performance by Rudy Vallee

I've lived in the Metropolitan New York area all my life but the first musical I ever saw was the revival of How to Succeed in Business with Matthew Broderick in the title role. This prompted me to purchase the original musical with Robert Morse and I was not disappointed. My wife preferred the live musical, however what attracted me to the video was the performance of Rudy Vallee as Mr Bigly. Frank Loesser's score is marvelous, I think that the song "The Company Way" is a humorous parody of those corporate types who risk nothing that will damage their careers. This video is one that I've watched over and over and I can recommend to any musical lovers other than ardent feminists who might be turned off by the 1960s type relationships between the men and women.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 March 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

How to Succeed in Business...

Filming Locations:

270 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$6,322,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mirisch Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1