How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) User Reviews

Good musical film based on Broadway show

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 6 December 2008]

Today, at 77 years old, Robert Morse is still going strong as Mad Men's Cooper, but there's no question that his heyday was the late '50s to the early '70s, when his toothy grin, amiable tenor and boyish acting made him the toast of Broadway. Here, he repeats his Broadway success as J. Pierpont Finch in "How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying," a 1967 film also starring Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee, and Anthony Teague. Lee and Vallee also repeat their Broadway roles.

With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, "How to Succeed" is the story of window washer J. Pierpont Finch, who in a matter of days, thanks to a book he carries around by the same name as the film title, has risen through the ranks of the Worldwide Wicket Company without doing any work. He has his enemies, but one very good friend in Rosemary (Lee), a secretary with a crush on him who wants Ponty, as he is called, to make good.

I'm not all that familiar with the musical, but I understand that there are several songs missing, including "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm." The standouts are "I Believe in You," which became a hit song, and the rousing "Brotherhood of Man." What makes the music for me is the wonderful orchestrations.

Sexist today in some of its themes, this is a brightly-colored musical, done the old-fashioned way, without cutting the numbers to pieces. Morse is delightful and never had any trouble adapting to film. Ditto a young, pretty Lee who sings "I Believe in You" like a dream. Vallee is well cast as the head of the company who has a girlfriend on the side. Anthony Teague is very good as the boss' nephew, but Charles Nelson Reilly played this role on stage, and I can only imagine how hilarious he was in the role.

Good movie, and director David Swift keeps the pace moving.

How To Succeed Rules Haven't Changed Since 1967

[craig_smith9 · 8/10 · 19 May 2006]

The longer I watched the movie the more convinced I became that the world of business in 2006 is the same as it was in 1967. Robert Morse as J.P. Finch finds a self-help book that he uses as his guide to get ahead in the corporate world. Nothing different there than now. Go to any bookstore and there are an amazing number of "how to" books simply written and easily read (don't get me wrong, many are indeed very good).

J.P. Finch follows every page's instructions very carefully. He learns how to utilize people's weaknesses to promote himself. Along the way he sings several quite original songs that are quite entertaining and definitely add to the story.

It was evident that everyone making the movie was having a good time. Yet they took their roles seriously and did not overplay their roles. The comedy is high level and the satire is nothing less than brilliant.

Much better then I remembered

[marbleann · 8/10 · 7 May 2005]

I saw this movie on a local PBS station for the first time since it originally came out in the movies. I was only 10 at the time so I didn't get it and I remember not being crazy about it. ALthough the song "I believe in you" was a favorite of mine. I actually looked at the TV schedule to see what else was on. And I vowed to change the channel at 12, the coming hour. But a funny thing happened, I forgot about the other movie and I remained glued to the screen and saw it to the end. The movie is about a window washer who pledges to become a CEO within a short time by reading a "How To Book", hence the title. How delightful to see Michelle Lee singing..what a voice. I didn't remember her singing I Believe in You. Then we have Robert Morse. I was never a big fan of the slap stick comedy ala Jim Carrey Chevy Chase and Robin Wiliams. Robert Morse could give them all a few lessons on playing broad comedy without going over board. Rudy Vallee and the man who played Big Deal in West Side Story (one of my favorite musicals) were hilarious. He was the nephew of the CEO Vallee so we all know what type of character he was playing. We also have the CEO's bimbo girlfriend who wants to get out of the Secretary pool. She actually is not as dumb as we are suppose to think she is. It was a very upbeat funny movie. And for some reason I believe a lot of people in the business world probably know even less then the Robert Morse character, a window washer Maybe they should read the same type of book he was reading. This musical actually would be good if it was just the story. The book could stand on its own. I felt the same way about Carousel. Which deals with very serious issues. The music adds to the story which IMO separates a OK musicals from a great musical. This is a great musical. Oh beware a few songs were cut for the film. The Broadway musical was almost 3 hours, as a lot are. They have intermissions on Broadway. So they cut musical numbers from movie musicals. They did that with Guys and Dolls, one of the great songs at that. HTSIBWRT they cut the Coffee break scene, a great scene. So just as a caution to people who look at movie versions of Broadway musicals. Don't expect to see/hear all of the songs. It's a dumb practice because there are movies made now which are running 3 hours which have a whole lot less going for them then a Broadway musical.

I Believe In You!

[Eric-62-2 · 3 September 1999]

Except for four songs being dropped and a slight altering of the original story's pacing, this is a flawless translation of a Broadway classic to the big screen, making great use of New York locations and retaining Robert Morse in the best role of his entire career as the ambitious window washer J. Pierrepoint Finch who climbs his way up the corporate ladder by every little trick in a book that the musical takes it's title from. Morse's timing and delivery is perfect and everyone who's played the part of Finch since on Broadway (most notably Matthew Broderick a few years back) have had to emulate his basic approach to the part.

Michele Lee is also perfect as the secretary Rosemary who is madly in love with Finch. Her sexy solo of "I Believe In You" (a vast improvement over the stage's "Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm") makes you wish she hadn't given up Broadway for TV success because she has one of the best singing voices you'll ever hear.

Office politics spring eternal

[marcslope · 7/10 · 30 May 2001]

This was one of the rare Broadway musicals whose book is actually more interesting than its score. So while roughly a half-dozen Frank Loesser songs from the stage version are deleted, they're not really missed. What survives is a witty skewering of office politics, featuring much of the Broadway cast. And while such '60s business staples as rampant sexism and smoking now look quaintly offensive, the gleeful satirizing of backstabbing and skulduggery in business will always be relevant. David Swift, whose training was in TV, doesn't do much with the widescreen format (except for the ingenious ballet-mechanique in "A Secretary Is Not a Toy"), but he cuts cleverly away from the production numbers just as the musical-comedy silliness is on the verge of becoming embarrassing, and he splices in some delectable location shots of '60s New York. The color scheme is bright, the pacing brisk, the cast friendly, the production values refreshingly modest. At a time in movie history when so many adaptations of stage hits were overbudgeted and overlong, what a pleasure to see something to faithful to its source material -- and so unpretentious.

Stinging Satire

[Lechuguilla · 10/10 · 23 May 2005]

In this film version of the 1960's Broadway musical that won 7 Tony Awards, Robert Morse (Tony winner) plays J. Pierpont Finch, a New York City window washer, who takes the advice of a how-to-succeed book, and quickly ascends the corporate ladder.

This is one of the best musicals ever made. The songs are forceful and original. The dialogue is sharp-witted. The plot is a hoot. The pace is brisk. And the casting is perfect. In addition to a superbly funny Morse, the film features talented Michele Lee, and the great Rudy Vallee. Of special mention is Maureen Arthur. She is hilarious as the curvaceous (39-22-38), but vacuous secretary, Miss Hedy LaRue. In one scene, Finch asks her if she can type fast; her self-confident response: "like a jack rabbit, 12 words a minute".

Underneath the humor, "How To Succeed In Business ..." is, of course, a scathing indictment of corporate culture. The film also takes a gleefully irreverent jab at pop-psychology books.

The visuals look dated now, with those awful 60's hats and hairdos, and that bright orange, yellow, and red decor; yet, even that is part of the film's charm.

"How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" is wonderfully entertaining. And its biting social commentary is as timely now as it was in 1967.

A Pared Down Version of the classic Frank Loesser Musical....

[Isaac5855 · 7/10 · 20 March 2007]

HOW TO Succeed IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is the 1967 film version of the Pulitzer Prize winning 1960 Broadway musical that broke Broadway box office records and made a star out of Robert Morse. Morse was thankfully allowed to recreate his Broadway role in this exuberant film version as J. Pierpont Finch, an ambitious young window washer who, through the aid of the title book, cleverly manages to work his way up the corporate ladder at World Wide Wickets, Inc. Morse lights up the screen in the best role of his career. He sadly never really got a role of this caliber again and I've never been able to figure out why. He gives a smart and brassy performance and is well-supported by 20's crooner Rudy Vallee, also reprising his Broadway role as company president JB Biggley and Michele Lee as devoted secretary/girlfriend Rosemary Pilkington. There is also standout work by Anthony Teague as company brown-noser Bud Frump and Maureen Arthur as Miss La Rue, Biggley's outspoken mistress whose physicals assets clearly outweigh her secretarial skills. David Swift's fast-paced direction is a plus as is Bob Fosse's inventive choreography. Sadly, the original score has been severely tampered with and several great songs from the stage show have been cut, but we still have "How to", "The Company Way", "A Secretary is not a Toy", "It's been a long day", and the show's most famous song, "I Believe in You." A clever and entertaining screen adaptation of a classic Broadway musical.

Cynical and fun--and incredibly fresh.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 13 September 2011]

This is an interesting musical. Unlike many movies that were originally Broadway musicals, this film does little to try to make it look like a movie. Instead, it plays a lot like watching a play--complete with many musical and dancing numbers where you can easily see how it was performed on stage. Now this is NOT meant an a negative--just stating how it's almost like watching a filmed version of the play. And, because of this, the sets are often very surreal--like sets from a play that are easily moved and disassembled. And, if you are interested, this play is currently playing on Broadway--with Daniel Radcliff in the revival. I am not sure if tickets are now so expensive because of its star or because it's a darn good musical--but I suspect it's both.

The innocuous looking Robert Morse stars in the film (he played the same role on stage previously). He's a very, very cynical young man who used a book entitled "How To Succeed in Business"--and follows it for his meteoric rise through the ranks of a corporation. In fact, in only a matter of days, he moves from the mail room to a vice president...and his stock keeps on rising. Along the way are a lot of peppy and cynical songs--my favorite of which is "A Secretary is NOT a Toy" though "I Believe in You" has become a standard. And, to get ahead, he sucks up, manipulates and lies--all which the movie seems to heartily endorse, as in every case Morse is wildly successful! As a result, it's a funny comedy and ultimate movie for cynics! I thoroughly enjoyed it--and I really don't even like musicals all that much! Apart from good songs, a fun and goofy plot and good acting, the film manages to be entertaining and new. There just aren't any other films like it--and it's a bit surprising that it didn't make Morse a star, as he was very good here. Ironically, he's been brought back to the small screen for a recurring role on "Mad Men"--a drama that seems, at times, inspired by this film.

By the way, George Fenneman plays himself. If you wonder why his face is familiar, he was the announcer for the TV show "You Bet Your Life". Also, doesn't the boss' nephew look a LOT like a 1960s version of Napoleon Dynamite?! Look at him yourself--you'll see what I mean.

How to have fun when you plop on the couch? Why, get this classic movie!

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 10 June 2010]

Finch (Robert Morse) is a greenhorn, just arrived in Manhattan. However, on the shelves of the corner refreshment stand is a small book. Entitled How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, it puts forth a step by step plan to rise quickly to the top of a major corporation. What a discovery! And, soon, Finch puts the book into action as he arrives at the threshold of a big firm. Before long, he has a job in the mailroom, although the company is "not really hiring at this time" and he is not there long. In the wink of an eye, he is a junior exec! That book knows its stuff. However, because Finch is working his way up by flattering the head honcho's (Rudy Vallee) secretary and devoting himself to knowing the personal likes of the other important bigwigs, he is really an exec with feet of clay. How long before they give him the boot? Also, although Finch doesn't want any romantic attachments at the moment, he can't help but notice the lovely secretarial worker, Rosemary (Michelle Lee) who, likewise, has eyes for him. Will there be an office romance, too? This is a nice film version of the classic musical with songs like "A Secretary is not a Toy" and other sly digs at the corporate environment. The cast is nice and can truly sing. What a treat to see Vallee, who was entertaining folks before the second World War! Lee does a fine job, too, and Morse is enjoyable as the astute "faker", with a demeanor and hairstyle that recalls Jerry Lewis. All students of the sixties will savor the sets, costumes, and amenities as a quick trip back in time and the direction is lively and sure. As for the songs, they are definitely hummable. Since musicals are truly a rare animal in the 21st century, why not look for this one on the next trip to the store, all you fans of showtunes? How to have fun in the home theater is this flick's credo.

We'll Do It The Company Way!

[theowinthrop · 10/10 · 12 February 2006]

Based on a very successful Broadway comedy of the 1960s, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING was a marvelous look at climbing the corporate ladder at the height of American Business Success (from 1945 to 1970). Instead of climbing by means of showing superior executive abilities, the successful climbers make it by back stabbing, ass-licking, and trickery. The hero of the fable is window washer J. Pierpont Finch, who is played by Robert Morse (who played the role on Broadway). Morse purchases a pamphlet entitled "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". Throughout the musical and movie we see Finch making his plans while reading the pamphlet, hearing a voice over telling us what he's reading. He starts off in the mail room, and quickly becomes a friend of the retiring mail room head, but also meets his arch-nemesis Bud Frump (Anthony Teague). Throughout the film Bud constantly tries to thwart the rise of Finch, but while his schemes seem fool-proof, Finch constantly outwits him.

Complicating the story is the behavior of the President of the firm, Jasper B. Bigley (Rudy Vallee). Vallee too played the eccentric millionaire on stage - and it is wonderful that both these performances are preserved, for Vallee's greatest film performance is as Bigley - the "old Groundhog" supporter of his alma mater "Old Ivy", as well as the man who relieves his tensions by either going out with his mistress Hedy LaRue (Maureen Arthur), or by knitting covers for his golf clubs.

Finch too finds romance with Rosemary (Michel Lee), a secretary at the corporate giant WORLD WIDE WICKETS. But will he be single minded in his determination to rise to the top, or will he take time out to marry the girl he loves? A splendid spoof, which while exaggerated does suggest more of the reasons for promotions in the corporate and real world than we care to acknowledge usually.

J. Pierpont Finch -- The first yuppie

[dimplet · 7/10 · 28 May 2011]

Don't let the 1967 release date fool you. This is really a 60s musical spoof of the 50s. The book and the original draft of the Broadway version were written in the 1950s, and the Broadway musical came out in 1961. One of the clues of its 50s roots is in the treasure hunt TV show's concern over proving it wasn't rigged -- a reference to the quiz show scandals of the 1950s.

I saw the original Broadway show, and had listened to the Broadway cast LP album, when I was a kid. I enjoyed it, but it's so long ago, I can't really compare the two reliably. I do think the Broadway version had more power, and the album seemed to have more music. I see that the movie dropped some numbers of Rosemary's, and gave her the first version of "I Believe in You."

This was a big mistake. Finch singing "I Believe in You" to the mirror was the highlight of the show. It was a love song to himself, a sign of his total narcissism. The movie's approach makes it seem like he is thinking of Rosemary, and that Rosemary believes in him. Plus, there is too much dancing around in the men's room while he sings -- he should be looking at himself in the mirror, singing it to himself, as though he is in love with himself. So the movie took some of the edge off; it could have been better.

I think it is easier to tell a story like this, absurd and surreal, on stage more easily than in a movie, where the viewer, especially a modern one, expects a bit more realism. You really have to suspend disbelief totally and go along for the ride to enjoy this movie. If you do, you can enjoy it, and really laugh, even thinking about it when it is over. We know where the story is going, but there are enough twists and turns to make it surprising and amusing.

It is interesting looking back on this movie so many decades later. There is real wit here, not just gimmicky slapstick, if you pay attention:

Finch reading The Book as he begins his day as a window washer: "If you have education, intelligence and ability, so much the better. But remember that thousands have reached the top without any of these qualities."

It is humor that stands the test of time, especially in light of what we have seen of Wall Street in recent years -- you get the feeling there are a lot of Finches who have risen to the top without qualifications running the show in many businesses. It is sad, but this movie is an opportunity to laugh at them.

The American 50s and 60s were actually pretty hip, and capable of a satirical look at itself. A year after this movie came out, Mel Brooks released The Producers. I see there is a recent revival of the Broadway version of How to Succeed. Robert Morse really defined the part, though he reminds me of a young Jim Carrey. But I don't think he's such a lock, as Zero Mostel was with The Producers. So I think this could be one of the better revivals, if done right.

When you watch How to Succeed, at first it seems like a look back at a simpler time of clearly defined male and female roles in the workplace, etc. But really what you are seeing is art making fun of those roles, and the beginning of more modern values, for the 60s were the beginning of our modern world. And in some ways, the 60s were more modern and hip than America is today, for a large portion of America is becoming more conservative, and less willing to laugh at itself.

So when you watch How to Succeed, think about some young yuppie climbing the corporate ladder today, and it will all make sense. Of course, Hedy LaRue didn't need The Book to succeed; she had other assets.

I've got to add that I loved the scene of Morse dancing down Park Avenue, with a film truck driving alongside him, secretly filming him. New Yorkers are so cool and nonchalant that nearly everyone just ignores him. Maybe they thought he was doing a Teaberry Shuffle ad.

And did you notice that World Wide Wickets is abbreviated WWW? Cool.

Still a great comedy after 35 years

[BottyGuy · 9/10 · 13 June 2002]

I just watched HTSIBWRT on DVD with my sons (14 and 11), both of them said that is was the best movie they have seen in a while (including Spiderman). Funny, great songs and Frank Loesser lyrics can't be beat. The 60's sets are terrific, the bright colors echo the optimism of the film.

Bad songs

[debo-mills · 6/10 · 4 April 2008]

I can't say I enjoyed this movie. I fast-forwarded through all of the songs as I found them dull, uninspired, and repetitive. Not Loesser's best, and no way near as good as those in Guys and Dolls. I found Robert Morse interesting to watch, although I kept hoping right up to the end that he would somehow get his comeuppance and be knocked back down to window washer! Although his tricks were fascinating, he was rather obnoxious and unpleasant in how he used people and didn't care who he crushed on his way to the top (yes, I know it is satire, but he still was irritating!).

I did find that things picked up near the end, but the ending itself didn't make sense to me. Why was it suddenly forgotten that Ponty had caused 6 offices to be wrecked and the company to lose money? Why did Michelle Lee suddenly forget that she was disgusted with Ponty for stealing Bud's idea and become his fiancée again? The art direction and colours were fabulous though, and I really enjoyed the sets and those enormous offices!

How not to succeed in movie-making

[MikeMagi · 5/10 · 29 July 2013]

"How to Succeed..." is proof once again that it takes more than expanding the scenery to turn a hit musical into an entertaining movie. There's lots of shots of Robert Morse as the tale's corporate clamberer dancing giddily through Manhattan traffic. And the key setting, the headquarters of the Worldwide Wicket Company, contains a colorful array of cubicles, offices, washrooms and board rooms. But the style is pure proscenium arch. The acting is stagy, the Frank Loesser songs are shoehorned in on cue, the choreography is mannered and the comedy is aimed at the patrons in the third balcony. Only Michelle Lee as the secretary who falls for Morse's puppy-dog appeal brings a touch of romantic reality to the proceedings. Compare "How to Succeed..." with a superb adaptation like "Chicago" and despite a few things to enjoy -- starting with Loesser's lyrical send-up of office politics -- the result is pretty darned dated.

Good Musical, Excellent Score and Great Performance by Rudy Vallee

[Mike S-4 · 9 January 2000]

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.

The Modern Prince

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 21 April 2007]

If the movie seems "dated" today (and it does), it's not just because the men wear tightly tailored narrow-collared gray suits, stovepipe trousers, and short haircuts. It's not the apricot carpets either. It seems dated because now the cynicism that informs it is taken for granted. It's presented as amusing and shocking but a modern audience is likely to shrug and say, "So what?" When I was in college, Macchiavelli, author of "The Prince," an essay on how to manipulate people in order to bend them to your will, was considered a bible of rotten conniving. I recently saw a paperback copy of "The Prince" with a cover illustration. The giant palm of your hand, with "the world" in it. (Read this book and you have the world in the palm of your hands -- get it?) Macchiavelli, the lying, greedy, underhanded suppurating scum, The Prince of Darkness, has become a modern hero.

The movie's no longer as shocking as it was in the mid-1960s, but it's still very funny. J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) is a window washer who happens upon a book, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." By simply following instructions he manages to worm his way into a huge company that manufactures and distributes wickets. He starts in the mail room and rises in a few days to Chairman of the Board through deception and skulduggery. In the last scene he is introduced to the President of the United States.

What's a wicket, you ask. Nobody knows. The play doesn't show us any, or describe any, or tell us what they look like or what they do. The business is content-free. I am referring here to the "business" because that's the metaphor used in the story. You can substitute any other bureaucracy that fits the model if you like -- a hospital, a government. The point of the story is the same as that of Macchiavelli's book -- not wickets but power.

I don't really want to get into the movie in detail because it would involve giving away too many amusing sight gags and bits of dialog. Much of the success is owed to the smoothly practiced cast. It looks like a filmed play in which the actors know their roles inside and out. Robert Morse is quite good. He's clever but he looks cute in a boyish way, with those gapped incisors. He uses his cuteness as a tool but convinces us that this is part of the character, not the actor. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't personally think he's cute or handsome. I don't know why the secretary, Michelle Lee, falls for him. Why, hell, on a bad day I'm ten times as handsome and cute as Robert Morse. Come to think of it, I'm not sure he's so "cute" after all. Furthermore, when he sings he sounds like Marlene Dietrich did in "Destry Rides Again" when she jiggles her speech organs between thumb and forefinger.

The songs are usually sprightly, sometimes sweet, and the lyrics have to be heard to be fully appreciated. One falls a little flat -- The Brotherhood of Man. It works if taken to be meant as the baloney that it so obviously is. None of the tunes is really powerful, though "I Believe In You" is, marginally, a standard today. I'd have enjoyed seeing more vigor in the songs and dances. Bob Fosse would have done wonders with the numbers but then it would have turned the film upside down. The songs are only ancillary. The real story depends on plot and character and doesn't need too much music because it would be a distraction.

There are some laugh-out-loud moments in it, and it's well worth seeing.

Whatever happened to Kay Reynolds?

[myfreakingaddress · 10/10 · 7 September 2005]

Not really a review but an appreciation. Kay Reynolds was absolutely delightful as "Smitty" in the 1967 movie version of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". She had a small but memorable part in the film and sang a terrific trio with Robert Morse and Michelle Lee in "It's Been a Long Day". She apparently had a very short career in movies and TV (1965 - 1969) and I've never seen her in anything else, although she's listed as having made a movie in 1969 called "The Picasso Summer". I've never seen it. I admit it - I'm quite in love with her. Whatever became of her? Does anyone know? Is she still around?

I don't understand the popularity

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 19 March 2014]

I must admit, I'm baffled. How did this story become such an acclaimed Broadway musical and successful film musical? Perhaps the sheer presence of Robert Morse? That's about the only thing I can figure (although others have reprised the role on Broadway successfully).

There are some things I like about this film (aside from Morse). Michele Lee is great as the love interest; wish she had done more films. It's nice to see Rudy Vallee, not that he is any great shakes here. I really did enjoy Anthony Teague as the ultimate kiss-up; a really bright performance.

But aside from that, nothing. It's basically a one joke film (kissing ass to get ahead), and a one-notable-song musical ("I Believe In You"). It took me over 30 years to finally watch this film; must have been my intuition; I'll never watch it again.

A Sharp Rap Across The Corporate Knuckles

[gftbiloxi · 9/10 · 4 May 2005]

One of the most often overlooked movie musicals of the 1960s is also one of the most successful: the screen version of the Broadway smash HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, which delivers a sharp comic rap across the corporate knuckles in its tale of a nobody (Robert Morse) who uses a self-help book to rocket up the corporate ladder--and by the time our hero reaches the heights, romantic complications leads him to wonder what price corporate success.

Although the business world has changed quite a bit since 1967, SUCCEED is so dead-on with its attack that even modern corporate leaders will be bloodied from the fray. The company is just large enough so that no one knows what is actually going on, leadership cries out for creative solutions then promptly fires any one who shows a talent for it, and promotion doesn't hinge so much upon ability as it does upon sucking up, backstabbing, and looking like you know what you're doing. There are jabs at dressing for success, the idea that employees don't engage in sexual hankypanky, hidden nepotism, and the importance of belonging to the "right" clubs. And along the way our hero meets the classic business crowd: the company man, the bombshell secretary, the boss' nephew, and a host of largely incompetent yes-men VPs.

The film is very stylized, making no pretense at naturalism per se, and the cast follows suit, playing in a way that blends beautifully with the self-boosting and jingoistic tone that pervades the piece. Robert Morse gives a truly brilliant performance in the lead--and one wonders why Hollywood so seldom used him in later years; Michele Lee, as the secretary who befriends him, is equally fine, and the supporting cast is wonderful all the way around. The musical numbers (which includes such numbers as "The Company Way," "A Secretary Is Not A Toy," "It's Been A Long Day," and "Brotherhood of Man") are remarkably sly and memorably performed. All in all, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is sure to appeal to any one who has had the misfortune to grapple with the idiocies of corporate America--and it will almost certainly outrage every "company man" on your city block. Strongly recommended, but make sure you get the widescreen version; pan-and-scan doesn't cut it on this one! Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Possible Spoilers: Amusing but Irritating

[arieliondotcom · 7/10 · 31 August 2006]

My TIVO automatically recorded this movie which I hadn't seen since I was a young boy. I decided to fast-forward to the song that I remember, the classic "I Believe in You", just for fun but ended up watching the entire movie because it is amusing. But as I watched it and saw more and more of Morse, the lead actor, I had this uneasy feeling of wanting to punch him in his gapped teeth. I couldn't figure out why until I read his biography on IMDb and realized they hit the exact word: irritating. He was irritating the h@ll out of me! I don't know what it is. All of the movie is a cartoon-like creation from the bright colors to the musical numbers, everything is "over the top" so Morse's acting is rightly in keeping with that for which he won well-deserved awards. But there is something so cloying and annoying that it's hard to take. I doubt if I'd be able to watch him in anything else.

But as a time capsule of the culture of the 60s (warning that secretaries are not toys "for fondling", etc., it is a fun trip in the "Way Back Machine" as J. Pierpont Finch grins and cloys his way to the top. He starts off with the pigeons out on a window ledge and ends up, well, you'll have to watch the movie. Along the way are some fun moments.

Just be forewarned that you might find yourself clenching your fists and not knowing why. :o3

Timeless classic

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 15 December 2013]

Cynics may say that the film merely copied the play, which was ALREADY a smash. Bad argument. Whether this film merely copies a superb piece of entertainment which already existed, or takes an existing work to the next level is irrelevant. It is superb and it holds up extremely well. Morse is nothing less than brilliant as both the lead character and the "master of ceremonies" who is always talking directly to the audience. I have seen this at least half a dozen times and every time I have to ask myself, why was Morse not known for other roles aside from this? He had talent. It is one of those odd Hollywood quirks that sometimes an actor will become known for just one role. In this case one is more than enough. Michelle Lee is not only glamorous but intelligent, a mix that was rare in the era. Those same cynics will tell you that mores have changed and the workplace is not like this anymore. They are wrong. The same games exist, the rules have changed slightly. Guaranteed entertainment.

Should be annoying, but it's oddly charming

[cricketbat · 7/10 · 9 June 2023]

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying should be annoying. After all, the protagonist is a manipulative ladder-climber in a company where everybody seems a little bit miserable. However, there's something charming about this workplace musical. Perhaps it's the music. Some songs are forgettable, but there are some toe-tappers in there. Or maybe it's the choreography. Bob Fosse has a way of making every little movement feel unique and interesting. And the cast seems to be having a good time, too. Honestly, I can't quite put my finger on why I like this movie, but I like it, nonetheless.

The more things change, ...

[eye3 · 8/10 · 23 February 2001]

I've loved this for over twenty years but I had feared it had become dated. I recently watched it again with someone I know who works at Disney. He'd never seen it before but he screamed, "TRUE!" when he wasn't howling with laughter throughout. And this was nearly forty years later!

Needs To Try Harder

[TheFearmakers · 6/10 · 10 April 2024]

In HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, Robert Morse as J. Pierpont Finch plays a skyscraper's window washer so quickly that by the time he's climbing the corporate rungs... while reading the titular book that doubles as narration... the NOT REALLY TRYING aspect fails to make the character's plight very interesting...

And after a few semi-memorable songs, one might feel more sympathy for the main boss's whiny nephew, who Finch much too quickly leaves in the dust and, instantly beloved by gorgeous secretary Michele Lee while seduced by overall distracting bombshell Maureen Arthur, our squeaky hero only looks the underdog in a musical that needed more time struggling from the outside to really click within the vibrantly colorful 1960's singing/dancing interior.

Dated jokes and style

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 23 December 2014]

J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) is a lowly window washer in NYC. He buys the book "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and starts following it up the corporate ladder at The World Wide Wicket Company. Secretary Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee) tries to be kind to the bumbling Ponty. J.B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee) is the company big boss. Bud Frump (Anthony Teague) is Biggley's incompetent nephew who battles Ponty as his rival. Biggley gets a job for his young squeeze, the dumb bombshell Hedy LaRue.

This is definitely still filled with its Broadway musical sensibilities and the age which it's trying to spoof. The workplace jokes don't translate well over the years. The songs aren't very catchy or the least memorable. The dances are not so exciting. The style is particularly dated which is actually a little bit fascinating. Humor is something very peculiar. With the exception of slapstick, it can go out of date from one era to the next. This is like a time capsule to be seen by people for what was funny at a certain time. It's basically a Mad Men satire.