Remaking 9 to 5, the Movie

"The press has reported rumors that Hollywood may be planning a sequel to 9 to 5—the 1980 hit film comedy that starred Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and Lily Tomlin as office workers taking abuse from, and then getting revenge against, their sexist boss.
Which raises a question: How much of the story needs to change to make it relevant today? How much of the song?
... what a way to make a livin’
Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it
The song “9 to 5” may be running on a loop in your head these days. You might have heard it when Elizabeth Warren came on stage to announce that she is running for president. Or when Dolly Parton led the audience in a rendition at the Grammys tribute to her. Or when the Democratic Socialists of America ended a recent retreat singing “9 to 5” instead of “The Internationale.”
The movie was the top box office hit of 1980. Drawn from the real-life concerns—and revenge fantasies—of the members of the national organization 9to5, a group of women office workers we both directed over the years, the picture struck a nerve with the millions of women office workers who hadn’t seen themselves in popular culture since secretary Della Street helped Perry Mason solve cases in the 1960s TV series. It wasn’t because they were few in number. While Richard Nixon promoted men in hard hats as America’s typical workers, women at keyboards far outnumbered them. It was about time for a change.
Building on the momentum of the growing working women’s movement, the movie used humor to depict the systemic discrimination against women in the workplace. As in the movie, women turned their attention to what should be done.
A lot has changed since 1980—and yet . . ."

https://portside.org/2019-05-03/remaking-9-5-what-todays-working-women-want-see


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