SNMR 3.14: "The Secret of My Success"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "The Secret of My Success" (1987, PG, 110 minutes), starring Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, John Pankow, Margaret Whitton, Richard Jordan and Fred Gwynne. The film was directed by Herbert Ross.

This was one of those films that came out in the magical year of 1987 - the summer I worked at the Burlington Mall Cinema. I've seen parts of this film thousands of times and in it's entirety many more times than I can remember. I bought this movie on VHS when it came out and then converted to a DVD when I was able to.

From the DVD's dust case:

Can a kid from Kansas come to New York to conquer the business world and maneuver his way from the mail room to the boardroom in a matter of weeks? Michael J. Fox proves it can be done in this very funny lampoon of corporate business life. Fresh out of college, he's determined to climb New York's corporate ladder in record time by masquerading as as an up and coming executive, even though he's the new mail boy. However, Fox's plans begin to go awry when the boss's wife falls in love with him and he falls in love with a junior executive, who also happens to be the boss's mistress.

From Martin and Porter's DVD & Video Guide 2007, p. 996:

The secret of this movie's success can be found in it's ingredients - a witty script, vibrant direction, bouncy pop score, ingratiating star and gifted supporting cast. Michael J. Fox is terrifically likable as a wildly ambitious Kansas lad who heads for New York City with plans to conquer the corporate world overnight.

This is one of my many favorite movies, I think, because I saw it so many times while working at the movie theater. It's got all the qualities you want in a film, a well written scrip with witty dialogue and an excellent cast from top to bottom, including Herman Munster!!!! Well, the actor who played him, anyway. This is one of those films that draws you in right away with a snappy music score by David Foster of Chicago fame and an excellent slew of songs from the 80's (obviously, since the film came out in '87) including one of my favorite one hit wonders. This is a great DVD to own and is excellent cinematic fluff. If you haven't seen this movie in a while, then you ought to watch it again. I'll give this film five out of five stars for sentimental reasons.