Still Working 9 to 5 Is a Doc Brimming With Nostalgia and More Than a Cup of Ambition
9 to 5 — which starred Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda as coworkers who plot revenge on their monstrous boss — is still as relevant today as it was when it took the box office by storm in 1980 is both a testament to its iconic status as a feminist and camp classic, as well as an indictment of our stalled-out and often regressive society in regards to equal rights in the workplace.
It’s that dichotomy that Still Working 9 to 5, which made its world premiere last night at SXSW, explores.The documentary opens with a recounting of the film’s inception, production, and reception.
Its tale is full of anecdotes that will delight fans of the movie — like how out actor Lily Tomlin almost quit the project before it was off the ground, even though her part was literally written for it.
The day was saved by her partner Jane Wagner, who told the comic to get on the phone and get the role back! But it’s not just a film about the making of another one; it places its subject in a historical context.
