9 to 5

**9 to 5** is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Colin Higgins which was released on December 19, 1980 by 20th Century Fox.

## Plot

The film follows three female employees who decide to get even with their "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss.

## Cast

* Jane Fonda as Judy Bernly
* Lily Tomlin as Violet Newstead
* Dolly Parton as Doralee Rhodes
* Dabney Coleman as Frank Hart Jr.
* Sterling Hayden as Russell Tinsworthy
* Elizabeth Wilson as Roz

## Production

The idea for "9 to 5" was created by Jane Fonda, who had recently formed her own production company, IPC.

According to Fonda: *"My ideas for films always come from things that I hear and perceive in my daily life ... A very old friend of mine had started an organization in Boston called "Nine To Five", which was an association of women office workers. I heard them talking about their work and they had some great stories. And I've always been attracted to those 1940s films with three female stars."*

Jane Fonda says the film was initially going to be a drama, but *"any way we did it, it seemed too preachy, too much of a feminist line. I'd wanted to work with Lily [Tomlin] for some time, and it suddenly occurred to [her producing partner] Bruce and me that we should make it a comedy."*

Patricia Resnick wrote the first draft drama, and Jane Fonda cast herself, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton in the lead roles. Then Colin Higgins came on board to direct and rewrite the script.

Part of Higgins' job was to make room for all three in the script. Higgins says that Jane Fonda was a very encouraging producer, who allowed him to push back production while the script was being rewritten.

About Colin Higgins, Dolly Parton said: *"He's a very nice, quiet, low-key guy. I don't know what I would have done if I'd had one of those mean directors on my first film."*

Colin Higgins admitted *"he expected some tension"* from working with three stars, *"but they were totally professional, great fun and a joy to work with. I just wish everything would be as easy."*

Jane Fonda said: *"It remains a 'labour film', but I hope of a new kind, different from the Grapes of Wrath or Salt of the Earth", says Fonda. "We took out a lot of stuff that was filmed, even stuff the director, Colin Higgins, thought worked but which I asked to have taken out. I'm just super-sensitive to anything that smacks of the soapbox or lecturing the audience."*

Fonda says that she did a lot of research, focusing on women who had begun work late in life due to divorce or being widowed.

She said: *"What I found was that secretaries know the work they do is important, is skilled, but they also know they're not treated with respect. They call themselves "office wives". They have to put gas in the boss's car, get his coffee, buy the presents for his wife and mistress. So when we came to do the film, we said to Colin [Higgins], OK, what you have to do is write a screenplay which shows you can run an office without a boss, but you can't run an office without the secretaries!"*

Dolly Parton accepted the role of Doralee Rhodes with the condition that she would write and sing the theme song ("9 to 5") which became a number-one hit on the music charts, won two Grammy awards and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Lily Tomlin originally turned down the role of Violet Newstead because she was working on the 1981 film, The Incredible Shrinking Woman. Tomlin eventually relented and got the film's producer to temporarily postpone acting activities so she could star in "9 to 5."

The character of Tinsworthy looks around a lot, because Sterling Hayden needed cue cards to help remember his lines.

Filming for "9 to 5" took place from January 14, 1980 to April 25, 1980 in California (in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Glendale and Century City).

## Box Office

"9 to 5" grossed $3,966,832 during its opening weekend. Overall, it grossed $103,300,686 worldwide on an estimated budget of $10,000,000.

## Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, "9 to 5" has a certified "Fresh" rating of 83% based on 41 reviews with an average rating of 7.00\10. The site's consensus reads: *"It might not be much of a way to make a living, but 9 to 5 is a wonderfully cast comedy that makes some sharp points about gender roles in the workplace."*

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called it a *"good-hearted, simple-minded comedy that will win a place in film history."*

Variety magazine wrote: *"Anyone who has ever worked in an office will be able to identify with the antics in Nine to Five. Although it can probably be argued that Patricia Resnick and director Colin Higgins' script [from a story by Resnick] at times borders on the inane, the bottom line is that this picture is a lot of fun."*

Pauline Kael from The New Yorker wrote: *"[Lily] Tomlin confirms herself as a star whenever she gets the material, and Dolly Parton's dolliness is very winning, but it's easy to forget that Jane Fonda is around - she seems to get lost in the woodwork. The director, Colin Higgins, is a young fossil who sets up flaccid, hand-me-down gags as if they were hilarious, and damned if the audience doesn't laugh."*

The Chicago Tribune wrote: *"Nine to Five is a film full or surprises - some pleasant, other disappointing. The most pleasant surprise is the appearance of Dolly Parton, who with this one film establishes herself as a thoroughly engaging movie star. The biggest disappointment is that this Jane Fonda comedy about a trio of secretaries out to get their boss doesn't have more bite."*

TV Guide Magazine wrote that the film *"is an amusing way to spend 110 minutes, but hardly memorable."*

Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote: *"The three actresses make an attractive team, but neither the screenplay, by Colin Higgins and Patricia Resnick, nor the director, Mr. Higgins, uses them very effectively. It's clearly a movie that began as someone's bright idea, which then went into production before anyone had time to give it a well-defined personality."*

The Washington Post said: *"For all the trouble taken, Nine to Five comes out as a very ordinary situation comedy about three bubble heads seeking revenge on a boss who is a big old meanie. The justice of the cause, the abilities of the actresses, the intrinsic interest of the scene -- these are all lost in the frantic efforts to cram in satire, social commentary, slapstick and sexual oppression. There is such a thing as working too hard."*