Today’s quick review: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. J. Pierpont Finch, a window washer, stumbles across a book called How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and uses its advice to land a job in the mail room of a major corporation. In a matter of hours he works his way up the company ladder using a combination of deceit and pandering, and within days he has achieved a high-ranking position in marketing. But the path to the top is fraught with peril, and his meteoric ascent is checked by the whiny nephew of the company president, a rival ascendant wise to Finch’s tricks, the ditzy, favored secretary of the president, and a board that feels threatened by his youthful success. It’s up to J.P. Finch to achieve the American Dream with as little effort as possible.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a classic comedy adapted from a Broadway musical of the same name. It’s an effective satire of the business world and self-help books that plays on the premise that you don’t have to work to get ahead. Finch’s tricks are hilarious to see in action, and his bright-eyed optimism makes even what is objectively a very deceptive character likable. His naked ambition is counterbalanced by Rosemary, a secretary who falls in love with him for who he is and not his new-found corporate power. She acts as his voice of reason, although his monomania makes that a difficult job at times.
The songs are catchy and used effectively, mostly solid hits with no clear breakouts. The tone is persistently light: despite the threat to his career, Finch is never in any danger of ending up any worse than where he started, and the movie derives much of its humor from the “easy come, easy go” nature of Finch’s ascent. The characters are enjoyable but are missing the spark of excellence. While Finch’s charm is enough to power the movie, his short-sighted and self-seeking behavior keeps him from feeling like a full character. Rosemary’s one-note voice of reason shtick keeps her in a similar state of stunted character development, a good love interest whose chemistry with Finch is artificially capped by the story’s imposition on the characters.
As a lighthearted satire of the business world, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a very successful movie. Watch it when you’re in the mood for something light and musical, or if you’re looking for some dubious career advice. Skip it if you’re not into musicals or old-fashioned comedy, as those are what How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying brings to the table.
7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for charm and enjoyability, with only its two-dimensional characters and lack of a breakout song holding it back.