Window washer J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) finds the self help book, âHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Tryingâ at a magazine stand and decides to use its advice to become a corporate executive in less than a week. Through the help of the guide, plus his own brashness and trickery, he moves quickly up the corporate ladder, occasionally opposed by Bud Frump (Anthony Teague), the slimy nephew of the company president, J.B. Biggley (Rudy VallĂ©e). He also catches the eye of secretary Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee), who thinks heâs sweet and sincere.
Itâs hard to figure what the cultural significance of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is, but it seems that most of our current view of corporate culture of the 1950s and 1960s comes from this satire. It isnât an accident that Robert Morse was cast in Mad Men. Films, songs, jokes, memesâthis is where it starts.
The musical was based not on a novel, but on a 1952 bestselling humor book that was structured as an instructional manual. It was turned into a play, and then into a musical by the same team thatâs made Guys and Dolls, with the most important player being composer Frank Loesser. The musical became a biting satire on the emptiness, sexism, narcissism, hypocrisy, and nastiness of the corporate world, while also being a fun romp with memorable songs. It was a huge hit and critical darling, winning not only eight Tony Awards, but the Pulitzer Prize.
The film, made just six years later, changes little though softens it a bit, cutting some songs and repositioning one, but keeping the story and characters essentially the same. It avoids the unnecessary âopening upâ for film that dragged down so many cinematic takes on stage shows (you expand your scope when there is a reason to, not just for the hell of it). The appealing artificiality of the setting is retained, with rich primarily colors everywhere. Characters will freeze while others sing or advice from the book is read from an off screen narrator. Bob Fosseâs choreography was ported over from the stage, giving the dance numbers his eccentric and modern feel. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying keeps its focus, and whips along.
Morse, VallĂ©e, and Lee all recreate their Broadway performances. Morse is an impish powerhouse as Finch, who fawns, lies, and parasitically attaches himself to anyone he can use, yet is charming and likeable the whole time. Itâs a neat trick considering how he is literally stroking most everyone he comes in contact with. Lee is delightful and itâs Rudy VallĂ©e best cinematic work, though I suspect his adoring female fans of the 1930s would disagree. The rest of the cast is solid. Having stars who can sing is a relief after listening to other â60s film musicals (Camelot and Guys and Dolls are particularly painful), and no dubbing was needed.
Iâd have preferred if theyâd kept the missing songs, and not changed the placement of I Believe in You, so that when Ponty sings it, itâs 100% narcissistic instead of 90%, but those are minor quibbles. This is as good a stage to film transition as has been made. Basically, if you like the show, your only complaint with the movie is missing those few cut numbers. And itâs hard not to like the show. It was a smart stage musical, and it is a smart film.