How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (film)

For other uses, see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (disambiguation).

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Swift
Produced by	David Swift Walter Mirisch Irving Temaner
Screenplay by	David Swift
Story by	Abe Burrows Jack Weinstock Willie Gilbert
Based on	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying by Shepherd Mead
Starring	Robert Morse Michele Lee Rudy Vallee Anthony Teague
Music by	Frank Loesser (Songs) Nelson Riddle (Incidental music)
Cinematography	Burnett Guffey
Edited by	Allan Jacobs Ralph E. Winters
Production company	The Mirisch Corporation
Distributed by	United Artists
Release dates	March 9, 1967 (1967-03-09)
Running time	121 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$2,900,000 (US/ Canada)

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a 1967 musical comedy film based on the 1961 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on Shepherd Mead's book. The film was produced by United Artists and directed by David Swift, with original staging by Bob Fosse.

The cast includes Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee (reprising their original Broadway roles), Michele Lee, Anthony Teague, Tucker Smith (in an uncredited role), and Maureen Arthur. The film marks the debut of Lee.

Plot

J. Pierpont Finch buys a book, How to Succeed in Business, describing in step-by-step fashion how to rise in the business world. The ambitious young window cleaner follows its advice carefully. He joins the "World-Wide Wicket Company" and begins work in the mailroom. Soon, thanks to the ethically-questionable advice in the book, he rises to Vice-President in Charge of Advertising, making sure that each person above him gets either fired or moved or transferred within the company.

Finch begins to fall in love with Rosemary Pilkington, a secretary at the company. Finch finds out that the president of the company, J. B. Biggley, has made advances towards Hedy LaRue, a beautiful but incompetent woman the company has hired. Finch uses this information to assist his climb on the corporate ladder.

Biggley's annoying nephew, Bud Frump, also takes advantage of the situation and tries to get to the top before Finch. By story's end, however, Finch has become chairman of the board, and might make the White House his next step to success.

Cast

• Robert Morse as J. Pierpont "Ponty" Finch
• Michele Lee as Rosemary Pilkington
• Rudy Vallee as J.B. Biggley
• Anthony Teague as Bud Frump
• Maureen Arthur as Hedy LaRue
• John Myhers as Bert O. Bratt
• Carol Worthington as Lucille Krumholtz
• Kay Reynolds as Miss Smith/Smitty
• Ruth Kobart as Miss Jones
• Sammy Smith as Twimble / Wally Womper
• Jeff Debenning as Gatch
• Janice Carroll as Brenda
• John Holland as Matthews
• Justin Smith as Jenkins
• Lory Patrick as Receptionist
• Ivan Volkman as President (at end of musical)
• Robert Q. Lewis as Tackaberry
• Paul Hartman as Toynbee
• Dan Tobin as Johnson
• George Fenneman as Himself/T.V. Announcer
• Anne Seymour (uncredited) as Gertrude Biggley
• Erin O'Brien-Moore (uncredited) as Mrs. Frump

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews; it currently holds an 89% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Although the original musical had been a great Broadway success, capturing seven Tony Awards, the film version was not nominated for any Academy Awards.

DVD

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was released to DVD on April 1, 2003 by MGM Home Video in a Region 1 DVD.

See also

• List of American films of 1967

External links

• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at IMDb
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at AllMovie
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Rotten Tomatoes