Meggin Watches How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

It's like the new hit Broadway musical with just the most minute alterations. I mean, sure, Paris Original and Coffee Break, two of my favourite songs from the musical, were taken out, but the meaning behind the film is the same as the musical: it's totally okay for a businessman to have romantic relations with his secretary.

No, I kid, that's not the moral of the story. In fact, the moral is one that really shouldn't be practised all too often, and it's stated in the title.

It all starts out when this young little nobody from New York City, the business capital of the world, named J. Pierrepont Finch (that's F-I-N-C-H Fiiiinch *waves hands spastically*), buys a little book called How to Succeed in Business and reads it while cleaning the windows of big business buildings. The rules are fairly simple:

1. Apply for a job in the mail room
2. Get out of the mail room and become a Junior Executive
3. Graduate from that to a Vice President
4. Become entangled in a situation that could threaten your job, and
5. Settle that issue to become head of the company.

It seems so easy, in fact, that one could manage all of this within a week or two without batting an eyelash. And that's exactly what Finch does, with a little more drama added into the mix. For one thing, wearing a dark suit with a loose tie attracts a great number of women, especially one in particular named Rosemary Pilkington, who fell in love with Finch from day one. For another, is it possible for Finch to really climb up the business ladder without really trying?

The first version of this story that I saw was actually on Broadway seven days ago. I went to see the production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with my show choir group after a fantastic competition. Being a fanatic of the '4os-to-'60s era of fashion, music, and film, I was utterly ecstatic about the show from beginning to end. Every single musical number was so brilliant I thought I might cry. (I eventually did break down when Finch was singing the outrageously beautiful ballad Rosemary, and right then and there I decided to waste all of my money on the show's soundtrack.) It's shows like these where it makes me wonder what happened to the glory days of music, film, and especially television.

When I returned home from a ridiculous eight hour drive from the city that never sleeps, I immediately began researching more about the musical, desperate to find out more about it. And that's when I discovered the film version of the musical, made in the year 1967. I knew right then and there that I absolutely had to watch it. And so I did. For a film spun from a musical of that time, I was utterly impressed. So many cinematic aspects seen in the musical were kept in the film, such as the ridiculous office spaces, the typical 1960's woman, the sharp, unison movements among the ensemble that make a musical number, and the classic idea of absolutely nothing to do in the office. The story hits so close to home that it makes me wonder if this musical is actually based on a true story. Except for the ending.

The story follows the basic plot pyramid: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. However, when I first walked into the Al Hirschfeld Theatre that Sunday afternoon, I didn't expect Finch's fall from the top to be so short-lived. I thought he'd be well out of his job and back in the window cleaning business before Biggley and Wally came back to him for the company's head position. I think that's the only disappointing thing to me that occurred throughout both the Broadway show and the film version. But really, why couldn't Finch have fallen further? Have the big business tycoons ever heard of the Doctor's rise to power during the battle of Demon's Run?

Sorry, getting carried away with Doctor Who there...But it would make such a more brilliant story (despite the even more happy ending) with that in mind. But alas, I can't change what's been written. I'm not the Doctor. [insert troll smiley face here.]

Overall, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is an absolute firecracker. It takes me back to the times that were considered great without having to actually work hard to make those moments great. See what I did there? It also tempts me to buy a copy of the book How to Succeed in Business and follow to simple steps to enter the business world just for fun. Of course, that would be ridiculous...


P.S. Robert Morse and Nick Jonas as Finch. Just, wow.