Hubbry Logo
Working GirlWorking GirlMain
Open search
Working Girl
Community hub
Working Girl
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Working Girl
Working Girl
Working Girl
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Working Girl
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMike Nichols
Written byKevin Wade
Produced byDouglas Wick
Starring
CinematographyMichael Ballhaus
Edited bySam O'Steen
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • December 21, 1988 (1988-12-21)
Running time
113 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$28 million
Box office$103 million

Working Girl is a 1988 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Mike Nichols, written by Kevin Wade, and starring Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, and Melanie Griffith. Its plot follows an ambitious secretary from Staten Island working in mergers and acquisitions. The secretary, who has been going to business night school, pitches a profitable idea, only to have her new boss attempt to take credit. When her boss is laid up with a broken leg, she secretly takes over her boss's role to prove her capabilities in the corporate world.

The film's opening sequence follows Manhattan-bound commuters on the Staten Island Ferry accompanied by Carly Simon's song "Let the River Run", for which she received the Academy Award for Best Original Song[1] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song,[2] and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television,[3] making her the first artist to win this trio of awards for a song composed and written, as well as performed, entirely by a single artist.[4] The film was met with critical acclaim, and was a major box office success, grossing a worldwide total of $103 million.[5]

Working Girl was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Griffith, while both Weaver and Joan Cusack were nominated for Best Supporting Actress.[1] The film won four Golden Globes (from six nominations), including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress – Musical or Comedy for Griffith, and Best Supporting Actress for Weaver.[2] It also received three BAFTA nominations: Best Actress for Griffith, Best Supporting Actress for Weaver, and Best Original Score for Simon.[6]

Plot

[edit]

Tess McGill is a working-class woman from Staten Island who dreams of climbing the corporate ladder to an executive position. Despite her holding a business degree earned through evening classes, her boss and male co-workers at the stockbroker firm in lower Manhattan where she works as a secretary treat her like a bimbo, even though they benefit from her intelligence and business instincts. After reaching her limit with her boss's humiliations, Tess dramatically quits.

Tess then lands a job as an administrative assistant to Katharine Parker, an associate partner at mergers and acquisitions firm Petty Marsh. At first, Katharine seems supportive of Tess, encouraging her to share ideas, but eventually tells Tess her proposed purchase of a radio network by Trask Industries would not work out.

When Katharine breaks her leg skiing, she asks Tess to house-sit. While there, Tess discovers meeting notes that reveal Katharine plans to pass off the Trask Industries idea as her own. She later returns home to find her live-in boyfriend having sex with another woman. He later attempts to reconcile and proposes marriage, but she responds ambivalently, and they end things. With her boss away, Tess decides to use Katharine's connections and clothes to move ahead with her proposal for Trask. With the help of her friend Cyn, Tess cuts her hair and borrows Katherine's stylish clothing to look more professional.

Tess schedules a meeting with Jack Trainer, a mergers and acquisitions associate from another company. The night before, she attends on Katharine's behalf a dinner hosted by Trainer's firm, in an attempt to get to know him prior to their meeting. Trainer is attracted to and approaches Tess at the bar but does not reveal his name, even after she inquires whether he knows a Jack Trainer. Tess eventually leaves, and he follows, taking her back to his apartment after she passes out in a cab from a combination of Valium and alcohol.

Tess leaves early the next day, believing that they slept together, to attend her meeting with Trainer and is surprised to see he is the man from the previous night. They both feign non-recognition. Although Tess leaves the meeting with Trainer and his associates thinking it was a failure, Jack soon arrives at her office, telling her they did not sleep together and that he wants to move forward with her idea. Together, they prepare the financials for the merger proposal and present them to Trask. After the successful presentation, they give in to their attraction, ending up in bed. But when Tess is tempted to confess the truth about her position and the idea's origins, she demurs after discovering Jack has been involved with Katharine and planned to break up with her before her injury.

Katharine returns home on the day of the merger meeting, and while Tess is helping her get settled, Katharine brings up the Trask merger, saying she was intending to take it to Jack and give Tess credit eventually. But she says Jack's strict ethical code prevents him from looking at another's ideas without verifying the source, after being accused of stealing himself. Jack arrives in response to a call from Katharine, who unsuccessfully tries to seduce him. Tess avoids running into Jack at Katharine's apartment but accidentally leaves her notebook there before departing for the meeting. Katharine finds the book, which includes Jack's phone numbers and the scheduled merger meeting, and discovers Tess's deception.

At the meeting, Tess asks Jack whether he has such an ethical code, and he denies this or that he was ever accused of stealing. Katharine arrives and confronts Tess during the meeting, outing her as her secretary and accusing her of stealing the idea. Tess feels she cannot defend herself and leaves, apologizing profusely. A few days later, Tess return to Petty Marsh to clear out her desk and on the way out encounters Jack, Katharine, Trask and members of the team. Jack sticks up for Tess, who points out a news item that presents a possible risk to the merger's success. She explains to Trask how she came up with the idea for the radio acquisition. Trask then confronts Katharine, who is unable to explain where she got the idea, and promises to have her fired for her actions.

Trask offers Tess an entry-level job with Trask Industries, and she moves in with Jack. On her first day at Trask, Tess meets a colleague named Alice, who she initially assumes will be her boss but finds is actually her own secretary. Tess insists they work together as colleagues, showing she will be very different from Katharine. Finally, Tess calls her friend Cyn from her own office to tell her that she has made it.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

Screenwriter Kevin Wade was inspired to write the screenplay after visiting New York City in 1984 and witnessing throngs of career women walking through the streets in tennis shoes while carrying their high-heels.[7]

Casting

[edit]

Melanie Griffith read the screenplay for Working Girl over a year before the production began, and expressed interest in playing the role of Tess McGill.[7] Approximately a year later, Mike Nichols agreed to direct the film after reading the screenplay while shooting his film Biloxi Blues in Arkansas.[7] Following Nichols's attachment, Griffith had a formal audition for the role.[7] Molly Ringwald auditioned but was deemed "too young."[8] Nichols was so determined for Griffith to have the part that he threatened to drop out of the production if the studio, 20th Century Fox, would not hire her.[7]

Following the casting of Sigourney Weaver and Harrison Ford—both major stars at that point—the studio agreed to cast Griffith, as they felt Weaver and Ford's involvement gave them a higher chance of box-office success.[7]

Filming

[edit]

Principal photography of Working Girl began on February 16, 1988, in New York City.[7] Many scenes were shot in the New Brighton section of Staten Island in New York City. One half-day of shooting to complete the skiing accident scene took place in New Jersey.[7] Four different buildings portrayed the offices of Petty Marsh—1 State Street Plaza; the Midday Club, which served as the company's club room; the lobby of 7 World Trade Center (one of the buildings destroyed in the September 11 attacks); and the reading floor of the L. F. Rothschild Building.[7] One Chase Manhattan Plaza was featured at the end of the film as the Trask Industries building.[7] Filming completed on April 27, 1988, with the final sequence being shot on the Staten Island Ferry.[7]

Throughout the shoot, Griffith was in the midst of struggling with a years-long alcohol and cocaine addiction, which at times interfered with the shoot.[9] "There were a lot of things that happened on Working Girl that I did that were not right," Griffith recalled in 2019. "It was the late '80s. There was a lot going on party-wise in New York. There was a lot of cocaine. There was a lot of temptation."[10] After Nichols realized that Griffith had arrived on set high on cocaine, the shoot was temporarily shut down for 24 hours.[11] Griffith elaborated on the experience:

Mike got so mad at me, he wouldn't talk to me. Mike Haley, the first [assistant director], just came up and said, "We're shutting down. Go home", and I knew I was in so much trouble. … The next morning he (Nichols) took me to breakfast and said, "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to pay for last night out of your pocket. We're not going to report you to the studio, but you have to pay for what it cost", and it was $80,000. They wanted to get my attention and they really did. It was a very humbling, embarrassing experience, but I learned a lot from it.[11]

Three weeks after filming was completed, Griffith entered a rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for her addiction.[12] Ironically, according to the biography Mike Nichols: A Life, written by Mark Harris, Nichols had been battling a cocaine addiction of his own around the same time.[13]

Music

[edit]
Main article: Working Girl (soundtrack)

The film's main theme "Let the River Run" was written, arranged, and performed by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, and won her an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Grammy Award for Best Original Song,[14] making Simon the first artist to win this trio of awards for a song written, as well as performed, entirely by a single artist.[15] As a single, "Let the River Run" reached No. 49 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in early 1989.[16]

The film's additional soundtrack was scored by Simon and Rob Mounsey. The soundtrack album was released by Arista Records on August 29, 1989, and peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200.[17]

Release

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The film was released in the United States and Canada on December 21, 1988, in 601 theaters before expanding to 608 theaters on Friday, December 23; 1,046 theaters on Christmas Day; and 1,051 on Monday, December 26.[7][18] It grossed $4.7 million in its opening four-day weekend and $5.6 million in its first 6 days.[5][19] It went on to gross $63.8 million in the United States and Canda and $39.2 million in the rest of the world for a worldwide total of $103 million.[5]

Home media

[edit]

Working Girl was released on VHS and Laserdisc in 1989 by CBS/Fox Video; "Family Portrait", one of the shorts from The Tracey Ullman Show featuring The Simpsons, was included before the movie on the VHS release. The film was released on DVD on April 17, 2001, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.[20] Special features included two theatrical trailers and three TV spots. The film was released on Blu-ray on January 6, 2015.[20][21] The special features from the DVD release were carried over for the Blu-ray release.[22]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Working Girl received critical acclaim upon release. It has an 83% "Fresh" rating as of 2025 on Rotten Tomatoes[23] based on 48 reviews, and an average score of 7/10. The site's consensus is; "A buoyant corporate Cinderella story, Working Girl has the right cast, right story, and right director to make it all come together." The film also has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 at Metacritic based on reviews from 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[25]

Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, "The plot of Working Girl is put together like clockwork. It carries you along while you're watching it, but reconstruct it later and you'll see the craftsmanship".[26] In her review for the Washington Post, Rita Kempley described Melanie Griffith as "luminous as Marilyn Monroe, as adorable as one of Disney's singing mice. She clearly has the stuff of a megastar, and the movie glows from her".[27] Janet Maslin, in her review for The New York Times, wrote, "Mike Nichols, who directed Working Girl, also displays an uncharacteristically blunt touch, and in its later stages the story remains lively but seldom has the perceptiveness or acuity of Mr. Nichols's best work".[28] In his review for Time, Richard Corliss wrote, "Kevin Wade shows this in his smart screenplay, which is full of the atmospheric pressures that allow stars to collide. Director Mike Nichols knows this in his bones. He encourages Weaver to play (brilliantly) an airy shrew. He gives Ford a boyish buoyancy and Griffith the chance to be a grownup mesmerizer".[29]

The February 2020 issue of New York Magazine lists Working Girl as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."[30]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Picture Douglas Wick Nominated [1]
Best Director Mike Nichols Nominated
Best Actress Melanie Griffith Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Joan Cusack Nominated
Sigourney Weaver Nominated
Best Original Song "Let the River Run"
Music and Lyrics by Carly Simon 		Won
American Comedy Awards Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Melanie Griffith Nominated [31]
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Joan Cusack Won
Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy Juliet Taylor Won [32]
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Actress Melanie Griffith Won [33]
Best Supporting Actress Joan Cusack (also for Married to the Mob and Stars and Bars) Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Melanie Griffith Nominated [6]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Sigourney Weaver Nominated
Best Original Film Score Carly Simon Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Sigourney Weaver Nominated [34]
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Mike Nichols Nominated [35]
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won [2]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Melanie Griffith Won
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Sigourney Weaver Won
Best Director – Motion Picture Mike Nichols Nominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Kevin Wade Nominated
Best Original Song – Motion Picture "Let the River Run"
Music and Lyrics by Carly Simon 		Won[a]
Grammy Awards Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television Won [3]
National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Actress Melanie Griffith 3rd Place [36]
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Runner-up [37]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen Kevin Wade Nominated [38]

Honors

[edit]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

In other media

[edit]

Television

[edit]
Main article: Working Girl (TV series)

Working Girl was also made into a short-lived NBC television series in 1990, starring Sandra Bullock as Tess McGill.[42] It lasted 12 episodes.

Theatre

[edit]

A Broadway musical version was in the works as of 2017, with a score to be written by Cyndi Lauper from Fox Stage Productions and Aged in Wood Productions. For Aged in Wood, the producers were Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler. Instead of a production company on Working Girl, the musical adaptation was switched to a license production by Aged in Wood Productions since Disney took over ownership of Fox Stage in 2019.[43]

Reboot

[edit]

In 2022 a reboot of Working Girl was reported to be in development at Hulu, with Ilana Peña adapting the script. Selena Gomez was in talks to produce.[44]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Carter, Ash; Kashner, Sam (2019). Life Isn't Everything: Mike Nichols, As Remembered By 150 of His Closest Friends. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-250-11286-6.
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Working Girl

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is a 1988 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by , written by Kevin Wade, and starring , , and . The film, released on December 21, 1988, by Fox, centers on Tess McGill, a working-class secretary from aspiring to executive success in Manhattan's world. Griffith's portrayal of Tess, who seizes an opportunity to impersonate her scheming boss Katharine Parker (Weaver) after a injury, to pitch a innovative business merger to investor Jack Trainer (Ford), earned her widespread acclaim for embodying 1980s ambition and resilience. Produced with a budget of $28 million, Working Girl achieved commercial success, grossing $63.8 million domestically and over $100 million worldwide, reflecting strong audience appeal amid late-1980s economic optimism. Critically, it received praise for Nichols' direction, blending sharp of corporate with uplifting narrative drive, though some noted formulaic elements in its Cinderella-like ascent. The film garnered six Award nominations at the 61st ceremony, including Best Picture, Best Director for Nichols, for Griffith, and Best Supporting Actress for both Weaver and , ultimately winning Best Original Song for Carly Simon's "Let the River Run." This accolade underscored the film's cultural resonance, with its theme song becoming an for professional determination.

Synopsis

Plot Summary

Tess McGill, a 30-year-old secretary commuting from to a investment firm, Petty Marsh, dreams of advancing in despite her working-class roots and perceived lack of polish. Having completed a degree via night classes, she endures dismissive treatment from superiors, including a transfer after rejecting advances from a colleague who prioritizes personal favors over professional merit. Assigned to the mergers department under executive Katharine Parker, Tess pitches an innovative idea: leveraging Trask Industries' ownership of radio stations to facilitate a merger with a rival , bypassing antitrust issues. Katharine, recovering from a accident that hospitalizes her, secretly records Tess's proposal and plans to claim it as her own upon return. With Katharine sidelined, Tess assumes her boss's responsibilities, transforms her appearance and demeanor to project executive authority, and contacts investment broker Jack Trainer to advance the Trask deal. Their collaboration sparks mutual attraction, leading to a romantic involvement, while Tess navigates high-stakes negotiations and social events to maintain the ruse. Katharine discharges early and confronts Tess at a key meeting, exposing the impersonation and attempting to discredit her. Amid the fallout, the merger's strategic merits prevail, validated by Trask's interest, resulting in Tess securing an entry-level executive position at another firm and parting ways with her duplicitous former boss.

Background and Production

Development and Script Origins

The screenplay for Working Girl originated in 1984 when writer Kevin Wade, observing commuters emerging from Manhattan's subway stations and ferries in Battery Park, was struck by women changing from practical sneakers into high heels for their office jobs, viewing it as a contemporary of the immigrant tied to and the pursuit of the amid corporate barriers. Wade, a Westchester native whose off-Broadway play Key Exchange had succeeded in 1981, collaborated with producer to develop the concept into a pitch sold to 20th Century Fox executives Carol Baum and Marcia Nasatir. Early drafts portrayed protagonist Tess McGill with a dying mother and a male boss, initially leaning toward a thriller tone before evolving into a romantic comedy-drama focused on workplace ambition. The project languished at Fox for approximately two years amid multiple studio leadership changes and rejections dismissing it as a potential "TV movie," compounded by a real-life insider trading scandal involving that prompted initial director Jim Bridges to withdraw due to sensitivities around financial deal-making themes. Wade revised the script to feature a female superior for Tess, enhancing the narrative's exploration of gender dynamics in corporate culture, a change he later recalled as pivotal: "I've got a great idea... [Tess] should be working for a woman." In early 1987, Wade's agent delivered the screenplay to , who was filming Biloxi Blues in and agreed to direct almost immediately, drawn to its immigrant-outsider perspective resonant with his own background. Nichols refined the script during sessions at his townhouse, emphasizing authentic details like wardrobe transitions to capture the era's ethos, and advocated for its production despite budget concerns, stating he "loved the script." Wade's final draft earned nominations for a Golden and award, underscoring its polished execution.

Casting Decisions

Mike Nichols selected Melanie Griffith to portray Tess McGill, the ambitious secretary protagonist, after she auditioned and underwent a , despite initial studio reluctance due to her perceived lack of star power at the time. The studio preferred established television actress for the role, but Griffith's manager advocated using clips from her performance in Something Wild () to demonstrate her suitability, ultimately convincing producers of her fit for the character's transformation from working-class temp to corporate contender. For the male lead of Jack Trainer, Tess's love interest and business ally, Nichols cast , aiming to leverage the actor's established draw while allowing him to deviate from action-hero archetypes into a more nuanced romantic lead. Ford's involvement faced budget hurdles, as his salary demands initially strained the production, leading to considerations of alternatives like , who was originally eyed for Jack before being reassigned to the supporting role of Mick Dugan, Tess's ex-boyfriend. Nichols chose as the antagonist Katharine Parker, Tess's duplicitous boss, drawing on their prior collaboration in the 1984 play to ensure chemistry and reliability in portraying the role's blend of sophistication and ruthlessness. 's casting provided additional commercial "insurance" given her rising profile from Aliens (1986). In supporting roles, was cast as Tess's friend Cynthia, requiring dialect coaching to authentically capture inflections, while budget adjustments delayed Kevin Spacey's small part as a banker, nearly prompting his replacement by screenwriter Kevin Wade. Nichols' overall approach emphasized rehearsal, including studying Pygmalion for Griffith's character arc, to refine ensemble dynamics amid these casting shifts.

Filming Locations and Process

Principal photography for Working Girl took place primarily in from 16 February to 27 April 1988. The production utilized authentic urban settings to capture the film's contrast between working-class and Manhattan's corporate elite, with key interior scenes filmed at 1 State Street Plaza for the secretarial pool on the 21st floor, for lobby sequences, and the U.S. Customs House for Trask Industries offices. Exterior and transitional shots included the for the opening and closing sequences, Irving Place for Katharine Parker's brownstone, and mansions such as the Carnegie and Burden residences for wedding scenes. A single half-day shoot occurred in for the skiing sequence, marking the only location outside New York. To prepare for their roles, leads and shadowed female executives and secretaries at New York brokerage firms including & Co., Shearson, and Drexel, observing daily routines to inform authentic performances. Director conducted two weeks of rehearsals in a New York studio, emphasizing collaborative script readings and character immersion, often likening his approach to therapy by probing actors' personal experiences for emotional depth. Nichols prioritized precise details, such as wardrobe transformations inspired by Pygmalion for Griffith's character arc, and encouraged limited while maintaining script fidelity; production designer and costume designer sourced props and clothing from real outlets and international vendors for realism. Filming commenced with the sequence, shot illegally amid regular commuters to capture spontaneous energy, followed by night shoots in that accommodated actors' schedules, such as Nora Dunn's Saturday Night Live commitments. Editor reviewed dailies on set to guide reshoots, ensuring efficient pacing amid the urban logistics of in a bustling city environment. Despite challenges like studio skepticism over casting choices—resolved through —the process benefited from Nichols' experience, yielding a tight 110-minute runtime without reported major delays.

Music and Soundtrack Composition

The music for Working Girl was primarily composed by , who was commissioned by director in 1988 to create the film's score, drawing inspiration from the script's themes of ambition and in . Simon's contributions included the original theme song "," which she wrote, composed, and performed, featuring orchestral arrangements with choral elements from the St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys to evoke a sense of triumphant ascent mirroring the protagonist's journey. The song premiered in the film's on December 21, 1988, and its lyrics reference the and flowing rivers as metaphors for opportunity and resilience. "Let the River Run" received widespread acclaim for its composition, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the on April 9, 1989, presented by and , marking Simon as the sole winner for the film in that category. It also secured the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, tying with and Lamont Dozier's "Two Hearts" from Buster, and a Grammy for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television. This made it the first song entirely created by a single to achieve the triple crown of Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy recognition. The film's additional original score was developed collaboratively by Simon and arranger , incorporating instrumental cues such as "In Love (Instrumental)," "The Scar (Instrumental)," and an adaptation of "" featuring Mounsey on keyboards with musicians including Chip Jackson on bass and on drums. These pieces blended pop-orchestral elements with subtle influences to underscore emotional and transitional scenes, contrasting with licensed pop tracks like The Pointer Sisters' "" and Chris de Burgh's "The Lady in Red" used for diegetic and montage sequences. The official , released by on August 29, 1989, compiled Simon's original compositions alongside select licensed songs, peaking at No. 45 on the chart.

Release and Financial Performance

Premiere and Distribution

The film premiered on December 19, 1988, at 20th Century studios in with a Christmas-themed event organized by Fox executives. The premiere party, hosted by , then chairman of Fox, featured New York-style hot dogs, an ice-skating rink, and extensive alcohol service, which participants described as one of the most memorable studio launch events. It opened theatrically in the United States on December 21, 1988, in and New York, expanding nationwide shortly thereafter. Distributed domestically by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, the release targeted the holiday season for broader audience reach. International distribution followed in early 1989, with rollouts including on March 2, and on March 3, and subsequent markets across and , supported by promotional junkets in locations such as and .

Box Office Results

Working Girl premiered in limited release on December 21, 1988, before expanding wide on December 23, earning $4,718,485 from 1,051 theaters in its opening weekend, placing it at number four at the domestic box office. The film's strong word-of-mouth and holiday timing contributed to a multiplier of 8.69 times its debut weekend, reflecting sustained audience interest over 25 weeks in release. Domestically, it accumulated $63,779,477, ranking as the 13th highest-grossing film of in . International markets added approximately $39 million, bringing the worldwide total to $102,953,112 against a reported of $28 million. This performance marked a commercial success for 20th Century Fox, with the film recouping its costs multiple times over through theatrical earnings alone, excluding ancillary revenue streams.
MetricAmount
Production Budget$28,000,000
Opening Weekend (Domestic)$4,718,485
Domestic Gross$63,779,477
Worldwide Gross$102,953,112
The results underscored the appeal of ' direction and the star-driven cast in attracting audiences during a competitive year dominated by blockbusters like and .

Home Video and Subsequent Releases

The film was released on in the United States on October 5, 1989, distributed by CBS/Fox Video. A DVD edition followed on April 17, 2001, issued by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in widescreen format, featuring special content including two theatrical trailers and three television spots. A Blu-ray Disc version became available in the United States on January 6, 2015, also from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, retaining the DVD's special features alongside improved video and audio quality via a high-definition transfer. No major anniversary editions or remastered versions in 4K UHD have been issued as of 2025, though international Blu-ray releases continue, such as a Spanish edition on January 20, 2025. Digital distribution expanded access, with availability for purchase or rental on platforms like Amazon Video, Apple TV, and at Home by the early 2020s; it joined Disney+ for streaming on February 23, 2021.

Reception and Evaluation

Contemporary Critical Response

Working Girl received predominantly positive reviews upon its theatrical release on December 21, 1988, with critics commending its sharp portrayal of ambition and class dynamics in the cutthroat world of 1980s . The film's entertainment value was frequently attributed to Melanie Griffith's breakout performance as Tess McGill, a resourceful secretary from who impersonates her boss to pursue a . awarded it four out of four stars, praising the screenplay by Kevin Wade for its engaging focus on a determined to succeed financially, while noting the clever diversion through laughs and a melodramatic involving Tess's . Sigourney Weaver's depiction of the duplicitous executive Katharine Parker drew acclaim for its icy sophistication, often highlighted as a standout villainous turn that underscored workplace betrayal. Janet Maslin of The New York Times lauded director Mike Nichols for infusing the narrative with an uncharacteristically blunt edge, maintaining liveliness even as the plot escalated toward confrontation. Rita Kempley in The Washington Post described the film as a "delectable reworking of the ultimate girl's myth—a corporate Cinderella story with shades of a self-made Pygmalion," emphasizing Griffith's luminous, Monroe-esque charm that elevated the material. Trade publication Variety echoed this sentiment in its assessment, stating the film's appeal stemmed from the enjoyment of watching Griffith's "scrappy, sexy, unpredictable" character ascend from secretarial drudgery to deal-making prominence. While some reviewers, including Ebert, acknowledged contrived elements in the romantic and revenge-driven arcs, the consensus viewed Working Girl as a crowd-pleasing comedy that effectively captured the era's economic opportunism without descending into preachiness. Harrison Ford's restrained performance as Tess's ally Jack Trainer was generally seen as supportive rather than dominant, allowing the female leads to drive the narrative.

Audience Reception and Popularity

The film Working Girl enjoyed strong initial audience approval upon its December release, resonating particularly with viewers interested in themes of ambition and perseverance, as evidenced by its commercial performance and subsequent user-driven metrics. On , it holds a 6.8 out of 10 rating based on over 66,500 user votes, with many reviews praising its engaging plot, relatable , and lighthearted tone despite acknowledging its formulaic elements. User feedback often highlights Melanie Griffith's portrayal of Tess McGill as empathetic and aspirational, contributing to its appeal as an uplifting . Audience reception has endured, with the film maintaining relevance in discussions of dynamics and more than three decades later. Articles marking its anniversaries note its status as a "cultural " that inspired women through depictions of ingenuity overcoming class barriers, evidenced by ongoing citations in forums and personal testimonies of motivational impact. On platforms like , it averages 3.4 out of 5 stars, reflecting sustained viewership among newer audiences who appreciate its snapshot of culture. user approval stands at 75%, underscoring broad retrospective positivity without reliance on critical consensus. Its popularity extends to cultural references and reinterpretations, where it is frequently invoked as a benchmark for workplace comedies emphasizing merit over institutional favoritism. This enduring draw is apparent in analyses positioning it as a "rah-rah" of , distinct from more cynical modern portrayals, though some contemporary viewers its as period-specific. Overall, audience metrics and commentary affirm Working Girl as a populist favorite rather than an arthouse entry, with its driving repeat viewings across generations.

Awards Recognition

Working Girl garnered notable recognition at major awards ceremonies, particularly the and , reflecting acclaim for its performances, direction, and original song. At the held on January 28, 1989, the film secured four wins from six nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for , Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for , and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for Kevin Wade. The film's song "," composed and performed by , won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the on April 9, 1989. Working Girl received five additional Oscar nominations: Best Picture (producer ), Best Director (), Best Actress (), Best Supporting Actress (), and Best Supporting Actress ().
Academy Award CategoryRecipient(s)Result
Best PictureNominated
Best DirectorNominated
Best ActressNominated
Best Supporting ActressNominated
Best Supporting ActressNominated
Best Original Song ("Let the River Run")Won
Other accolades included nominations at the 42nd for () and Best Original Screenplay (Kevin Wade), though it won none there. The film also earned wins at the , such as Funniest Actress for .

Thematic Analysis and Interpretations

Meritocracy, Ambition, and Economic Realism

The film Working Girl portrays ambition as the primary engine of personal advancement in the deregulated financial sector of the , where Tess McGill transitions from a commuter and night-school student to a mergers-and-acquisitions executive through sheer determination and intellectual initiative. Tess's emphasizes , as she devises a viable involving the acquisition of a radio station chain by the fictional Trask Industries conglomerate, capitalizing on undervalued media assets amid the era's merger boom that saw U.S. deal volume surge from $34 billion in to over $200 billion by 1988. This narrative aligns with screenwriter Kevin Wade's inspiration from observing ambitious commuters on the , who viewed as a merit-based arena open to those with ingenuity, irrespective of socioeconomic origins. Economic realism permeates the depiction of corporate maneuvering, reflecting the hostile takeover environment post-1982 deregulation, where secretaries like Tess handled preliminary on deals involving leveraged buyouts and asset flips, often overshadowed by superiors who claimed credit via networks rather than origination. Tess's boss, Katharine Parker, exemplifies this disconnect, leveraging connections and European sabbaticals to appropriate subordinates' ideas, underscoring how relational capital frequently trumped raw competence in 1980s , where women comprised under 5% of managing directors by decade's end. The film's climax, involving a high-pressure pitch at a Trask executive's , mirrors real-time deal negotiations that prioritized execution over exhaustive vetting, as evidenced by the era's 1980s junk bond-fueled transactions averaging closure in weeks. Yet the story tempers meritocratic optimism with pragmatic acknowledgment of barriers, requiring Tess to impersonate Katharine after her injury to bypass gatekeeping, a ploy that succeeds only because her proposal's fundamentals—synergies between media and —prove empirically sound during scrutiny. Academic analyses critique this as perpetuating a "myth of class mobility," wherein upward trajectories demand moral purification (e.g., Tess shedding accent and habits) and individual cunning over collective reform, aligning with Reagan-era rhetoric that attributed economic gains to personal hustle amid widening income inequality, where the top 1% share rose from 8% to 15% of national income between 1980 and 1988. Ultimate validation comes via Jack Trainer's endorsement of Tess's acumen, affirming that in a functional , verifiable value creation—here, a multimillion-dollar deal—overrides pedigree, though the film's resolution idealizes rapid elevation improbable without initial subterfuge in a sector where entry-level roles demanded Ivy League credentials for 70% of hires. This blend critiques while endorsing ambition's rewards, portraying economic realism as a ladder scalable by the resourceful amid systemic favoritism toward elites.

Gender Roles and Workplace Dynamics

In Working Girl (1988), roles are depicted through the contrast between subordinate secretarial positions, often filled by women like Tess McGill, and executive roles dominated by men or elite women such as Katharine Parker. Tess, a [Staten Island](/page/Staten Island) native aspiring to , faces dismissal of her ideas due to her working-class background and clerical status, illustrating how women in the corporate environment were expected to prove competence amid skepticism rooted in and class hierarchies. This reflects empirical patterns in 1980s , where women's workforce participation rose—reaching 43% of financial sector employees by 1987—but they comprised only 5% of top executives, necessitating strategies like credential inflation and networked alliances to advance. Workplace dynamics emphasize cutthroat competition over solidarity, with Katharine Parker appropriating Tess's radio station merger idea after a injury, exemplifying intra-female where ambition leads to rather than . Tess counters by impersonating an executive, altering her appearance from teased hair and mini-skirts to tailored suits and subdued makeup, a transformation aligned with John Molloy's 1977 guidelines for "power dressing" that urged women to adopt androgynous attire to mitigate perceived as a liability in male-dominated boardrooms. Such tactics underscore causal realities of corporate ascent: personal ingenuity and deception often outweighed pure merit, as Tess's success hinges on exploiting Katharine's absence and forging a professional-romantic alliance with Jack Trainer, who validates her pitch only after romantic entanglement. The film's portrayal critiques how women's professional legitimacy intertwined with and heteronormative outcomes, as Tess's victory culminates in both career elevation and Trainer's proposal, suggesting ambition's fulfillment requires male endorsement amid persistent —like initial leers from colleagues. Analyses interpret this as post-feminist , where neoliberal shifts prioritized personal reinvention via (e.g., Tess's wardrobe overhaul) over collective challenges, enabling limited mobility for , middle-class women while reinforcing isolation from broader . Empirical data from the era supports this: despite second-wave gains, women executives reported higher instances of idea theft and relational sabotage from peers, with surveys indicating 60% faced -based undermining in high-stakes roles by the late .

Class Structures and Social Mobility

In Working Girl (1988), class structures are portrayed through the stark divide between working-class strivers and the entrenched financial elite of , exemplified by protagonist Tess McGill's origins in [Staten Island](/page/Staten Island) and her role in the temp secretarial pool at a firm. Tess embodies the outsider, marked by socioeconomic indicators such as her regional accent, voluminous hairstyle, inexpensive clothing, and reliance on makeshift organization like rubber bands on files, which contrast sharply with the polished demeanor of upper-class executives. These markers render her ideas routinely dismissed, highlighting how informal —networking savvy, linguistic fluency, and effortless displays of wealth—reinforces hierarchical barriers in a sector dominated by graduates and inherited privilege during the Reagan-era boom. Social mobility is depicted as attainable yet contingent on individual grit, strategic , and rare opportunities rather than systemic equality, with Tess investing five years in for business credentials and elocution training to mask her background. Her ascent hinges on exploiting her boss Katharine Parker's injury to impersonate an executive, partnering with investment banker Jack Trainer to pitch a hotel merger idea originally conceived by Tess but co-opted in intent by Katharine, revealing how class loyalty often overrides in professional betrayal. This maneuver temporarily grants access to elite spaces like luxury s and private jets, but exposure underscores the fragility of mobility without authentic elite validation. The film's resolution, where Tess secures a junior executive position through the validated merger deal, promotes a meritocratic ideal of upward mobility via personal ambition and resourcefulness amid economic , when female workforce participation surged with over half of married mothers employed. However, scholarly analyses critique this as perpetuating a myth that class transformation demands moral purification—framing Tess's success as earned through ethical —while downplaying structural impediments like limited access to capital and networks, aligning with neoliberal narratives that prioritize over addressing entrenched inequalities. In practice, the portrayal intersects class with dynamics, as Tess's class-based disadvantages amplify workplace , yet her triumph suggests that transcending origins requires not just ideas but performative assimilation into elite norms.

Criticisms and Controversies

Portrayals of Feminism and Gender

The film Working Girl depicts female ambition as an individual endeavor driven by intellect, persistence, and strategic adaptation within a competitive corporate environment, rather than through collective feminist advocacy or institutional support. Protagonist Tess McGill, a working-class secretary from Staten Island, demonstrates business savvy by devising a merger between Trask Industries and WIPO, a radio conglomerate, which she pitches after her superior steals the concept. Her success hinges on recognizing and exploiting opportunities, including impersonating her boss Katharine Parker to access elite networks, underscoring a merit-based ascent unencumbered by overt appeals to gender equity. Gender roles are portrayed through Tess's initial marginalization as a "girl" in a male-dominated Wall Street firm, where colleagues dismiss her ideas and proposition her sexually, reflecting real barriers like informal sexism documented in 1980s corporate culture. Yet the narrative prioritizes her agency: Tess studies independently, rejects a unambitious boyfriend who resents her drive, and transforms her appearance—from big hair and flashy outfits to conservative suits—to project authority, suggesting conformity to prevailing professional norms as a pragmatic path to advancement rather than systemic overhaul. This motif aligns with contemporaneous advice equating attire with credibility in business, balancing femininity with masculine-coded restraint. In contrast, Katharine Parker embodies a privileged, educated executive whose ambition manifests as exploitation, as she claims Tess's idea as her own while on maternity leave, exposing intra- over . Such dynamics have drawn critique for reinforcing of women as competitive or "catty," with Katharine deriding Tess as a "" upon discovery, and for pitting subordinates against superiors in zero-sum games that undermine broader progress. Academic analyses interpret this as post-feminist , where personal triumph supplants , culminating in Tess's isolation atop the corporate ladder without evident female alliances. Contemporary responses highlighted perceived reactionary elements, with one reviewer decrying the film as sexist for portraying ambitious women as reliant on sensuality—Tess's line "I have a head for and a bod for sin" cited as emblematic—and for resolving her arc through romance with male executive Jack Trainer, intertwining validation with heterosexual . These portrayals, while empowering individual agency in a of Reagan-era optimism, have been faulted in later for centering white, women's experiences and eliding intersectional challenges like race or class in favor of assimilationist success. The film's title itself evokes dual meanings of "working" as labor and , framing ambition through a lens of potential .

Depictions of Corporate Culture and Ethics

The film Working Girl depicts 1980s corporate culture in as a cutthroat arena characterized by hierarchical barriers, aggressive deal-making, and a premium on personal connections over pure merit. Secretaries function primarily as administrative aides, often overlooked for advancement despite demonstrated competence, reflecting the era's male-dominated where women comprised a minority in executive roles. This environment, fueled by Reagan-era and , emphasizes risk-taking and networking—such as Tess McGill leveraging a high-society to pitch her idea to media mogul Oren Trask—while portraying success as contingent on navigating privilege and opportunism rather than institutional equity. Ethical lapses are normalized as survival mechanisms in this competitive landscape, with idea theft presented as routine: Katharine Parker appropriates Tess's radio station merger concept during a client meeting, feigning while advancing her own status. Tess counters by impersonating Katharine, accessing her and credentials to secure the deal with investment banker Jack Trainer, illustrating deception as a pragmatic response to blocked mobility amid and , including overt advances from colleagues. The narrative resolves these acts selectively—Katharine's duplicity exposed and punished by , while Tess's ruse yields promotion and integration into the executive echelon—implying a causal link between "authentic" ambition and vindication, though professionals at the time critiqued such impersonation as implausible and crossing professional boundaries. This portrayal draws realism from contemporaneous excesses, including the 1986 Ivan Boesky scandal, which exposed widespread greed and ethical erosion in high-stakes finance, nearly derailing the film's production before director refocused on individual agency amid systemic flaws. emerges as a double-edged dynamic, with supportive figures like Trainer enabling breakthroughs but betrayals underscoring the fragility of trust in profit-driven hierarchies. Ultimately, the film critiques corporate ethics not through outright condemnation but by embedding them in causal realism: unethical shortcuts persist because they exploit structural incentives, yet the protagonist's triumph reinforces an optimistic meritocratic ideal tempered by the era's materialistic undercurrents.

Cultural and Historical Context Critiques

Working Girl, released in , depicts the late-1980s New York financial sector during a period of economic and merger activity under the Reagan administration, where leveraged buyouts and corporate consolidations proliferated, as exemplified by the film's plot involving a proposed merger between Trask Industries and a . This era saw a surge in deal-making, fueled by junk bonds and relaxed antitrust enforcement, with merger volumes reaching $252 billion in 1988 alone, reflecting the film's emphasis on ambitious deal-making as a path to success. However, critics have noted that the movie's portrayal glosses over the era's impending ethical collapses, such as insider trading scandals involving figures like , which nearly altered the film's release timing and highlighted the speculative excesses not fully captured in its optimistic narrative. The film's rags-to-riches arc for protagonist Tess McGill, a secretary ascending to executive status through personal initiative and deception, has been critiqued for overstating opportunities in America, where absolute income mobility—the probability that children out-earn their parents—had declined to around 50% by the decade's end, down from 90% in , primarily due to rising income inequality. Empirical data indicates that transitions from working-class roles to high-level corporate positions were rare, particularly for women; while women filled a of new jobs created between and (2.6 million versus 1.9 million for men), senior executive roles in remained disproportionately male-dominated, with women comprising only about 16% of such positions even as late as the early , suggesting the film's rapid ascent via individual merit ignores entrenched class and educational barriers. Gender dynamics in the film, including workplace and idea appropriation by superiors, mirror documented realities of the corporate environment, where women faced systemic obstacles like the "" and limited representation in top roles—evidenced by the rarity of exchange presidents until Rosemary McFadden's appointment in 1984. Yet, retrospective analyses argue that Working Girl promotes a limited form of centered on white, middle-class assimilation into male corporate power structures, sidelining broader intersections of race, class, and structural inequality, as the protagonist's success relies on emulating mannerisms rather than challenging systemic exploitation. This aligns with critiques viewing the narrative as emblematic of Reagan-era individualism, prioritizing personal cunning over collective reform amid growing income disparities, where between-class income gaps expanded by approximately 60% since the . Further scrutiny highlights the film's cultural encapsulation of 1980s yuppie aesthetics—power suits, networking parties, and Staten Island-to-Manhattan aspirations—as accurate to the era's class divides and commuter , but faulted for romanticizing cutthroat without addressing deindustrialization's toll on working-class stability or the decade's shift toward service-sector jobs that constrained upward trajectories for many. While some contemporary reviews praised its resonance with insiders for capturing merger frenzies and ambition-driven ethics, others contend it perpetuates a of meritocratic access, underplaying how , elite education, and inherited privilege often gated executive suites more than raw talent in an era of widening stratification.

Legacy and Adaptations

Cultural Influence and Enduring Impact

The film Working Girl (1988) popularized the "power perm" hairstyle, exemplified by Melanie Griffith's character Tess McGill, who declares, "If you want to be taken seriously, you need serious hair," symbolizing ambition in 1980s corporate culture. This voluminous, teased style, paired with padded-shoulder suits and bold accessories, influenced women's professional attire during the era's emphasis on assertive "power dressing" to navigate male-dominated offices. Carly Simon's theme song "," written specifically for the , achieved rare acclaim by winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song on April 9, 1989, the Golden Globe for Best Original Song on January 28, 1989, and the Grammy for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television on February 22, 1989, marking the first instance of a film theme sweeping these major honors. The track's uplifting and orchestral arrangement reinforced the movie's narrative of urban aspiration, becoming a staple in anthems and frequently licensed for media evoking New York City's skyline. The film's portrayal of workplace ambition and betrayal shaped subsequent depictions of female career climbers in cinema, serving as a benchmark for rom-coms that blended humor with economic realism amid Wall Street's boom. Retrospective analyses highlight its role in challenging class barriers through Tess's Staten Island-to-Manhattan arc, influencing narratives in films like The Devil Wears Prada (2006) by echoing cutthroat mentorship dynamics. Its box office success—grossing $64 million domestically against a $15 million —underscored audience resonance with merit-based upward mobility, sustaining viewership through and streaming into the 2020s. Enduring references in popular discourse, including anniversary retrospectives in 2013 and 2018, affirm its status as a touchstone for discussions on in corporate environments, with viewers citing it as motivational for real-world pivots despite dated elements like analog deal-making. The movie's critique of unethical idea-theft, drawn from co-writer Kevin Wade's observations of , continues to inform ethical debates in business media.

Stage and Television Versions

A television sitcom adaptation titled Working Girl aired on NBC from April 16 to July 30, 1990, consisting of 13 episodes and loosely inspired by the 1988 film. The series centered on the continued office exploits of secretary Tess McGill, portrayed initially by before took over the role. It retained elements of workplace ambition and humor from the original but shifted to a lighter comedic format, ultimately failing to attract sufficient viewership and concluding after one season. A stage musical adaptation of Working Girl was announced in June 2017, with music and lyrics by and an initial book by playwright Kim Rosenstock. Development continued over subsequent years, with credited as the book writer for the final version directed by Christopher Ashley. The production received its world premiere at in , , opening on October 28, 2025, as Ashley's farewell directorial effort before transitioning to New York-based projects. Featuring an original score emphasizing themes of ambition and corporate satire from the film, the musical has been positioned as a potential candidate for future Broadway transfer, though no such plans were confirmed as of the premiere.

Film Reboot Attempts

In August 2022, announced the development of a reboot of the 1988 film Working Girl, with singer and actress entering final negotiations to serve as . The project features a script adaptation by Ilana Peña, known for creating the Disney+ series , and is intended for streaming on . Specific details on casting, directing, or plot deviations from the original have not been disclosed, though the reboot aims to reimagine the story of ambition and workplace intrigue for contemporary audiences. Original cast member expressed enthusiasm for the project in October 2022, stating it was a "great, fantastic idea" and praising Gomez's instincts in an , while emphasizing the timeless appeal of the film's themes. No other reboot or efforts for Working Girl have been publicly reported prior to or following this announcement. As of late 2023, the project remained in early development stages without confirmed production timelines or additional updates.

References

  1. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/59163
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/plotsummary/
  3. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/working-girl-1988
  4. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Working-Girl
  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/awards/
  6. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/harrison-ford-melanie-griffith-working-girl-oral-history-1164247/
  7. http://flickeryflicks.blogspot.com/2021/08/manhattan-commuters-inspired-working.html
  8. https://www.slashfilm.com/946458/a-real-life-wall-street-scandal-changed-the-fate-of-working-girl/
  9. https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/Working_Girl
  10. https://www.walterfilm.com/shop/country-of-origin/usa/working-girl-1987-vintage-original-film-script/
  11. https://pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/working-girl-soundtrack/
  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv-0mmVnxPA
  13. https://www.facebook.com/groups/240098362684435/posts/10037334019627438/
  14. https://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/061-15/
  15. https://www.theawardsconnection.com/oscar-flashback/2016/8/2/1988-best-original-song-
  16. https://www.facebook.com/The80sMoviesSoundtracks/videos/oscar-for-best-original-song-1988-let-the-river-run-working-girl-1988/318166312384064/
  17. https://music.apple.com/us/album/working-girl/666064899
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/soundtrack/
  19. https://www.discogs.com/release/2118719-Various-Featuring-Music-By-Carly-Simon-Working-Girl-Original-Soundtrack-Album
  20. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/working_girl
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/releaseinfo/
  22. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0096463/
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/
  24. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1988/
  25. https://vhs-openings.fandom.com/wiki/Opening_and_Closing_to_Working_Girl_%281988%29_1990_VHS_%28Australia%29
  26. https://www.amazon.com/Working-Girl-Melanie-Griffith/dp/B000059HAK
  27. https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/3051/Working-Girl-%281988%29.html
  28. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Working-Girl-Blu-ray/48160/
  29. https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/14660/workinggirl.html
  30. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Working-Girl-Blu-ray/379439/
  31. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/3525-working-girl/releases?language=en-US
  32. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/working-girl
  33. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/21/movies/review-film-the-dress-for-success-story-of-a-secretary-from-staten-island.html
  34. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/12/21/movies-nichols-working-girl-solid-gold/63b2d7c1-6113-4e76-8db0-ca2b6a943eef/
  35. https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/working-girl-1117796468/
  36. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/17/working-girl-at-30-the-workplace-comedy-that-changed-the-game
  37. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/reviews/
  38. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/working-girl-film-inspiration_n_65e7cfa3e4b0170871fc0920
  39. https://www.facebook.com/groups/tcmfansite/posts/2451966518578280/
  40. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dinagachman/2013/03/13/lessons-from-working-girl-25-years-later/
  41. https://nypost.com/2018/12/04/working-girl-at-30-why-the-classic-rom-com-is-still-relevant/
  42. https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2020/05/08/working-girl/
  43. https://goldenglobes.com/film/working-girl/
  44. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/1989-musical-or-comedy-working-girl/
  45. https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/Search/GetResults?query=%257B%2522AwardCategory%2522:%255B%252219%2522%255D%2C%2522Sort%2522:%25223-Award%2520Category-Chron%2522%2C%2522Search%2522:%2522Basic%2522%257D
  46. https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1989/memorable-moments
  47. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233104254_Moralizing_Upward_Mobility_Investigating_the_Myth_of_Class_Mobility_in_Working_Girl
  48. https://the-projection-booth.com/working-girl-1988-mike-nichols/
  49. https://mightychroma.me/review/94c60b9d-f4ca-5417-8277-ed6ace2ccb1a
  50. https://repository.upenn.edu/bitstreams/c29ded51-5f9f-486d-86d6-0240ce99205b/download
  51. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1385&context=scripps_theses
  52. https://www.invisibleculturejournal.com/pub/deciphering-working-girl/download/pdf
  53. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2015.1025805
  54. https://www.widescreenings.com/working-girl-analysis-tess.html
  55. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-01-15-fi-628-story.html
  56. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-01-08-fi-149-story.html
  57. https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2014/nov/27/why-working-girl-offers-the-real-deal-mike-nichols-melanie-griffith
  58. https://opportunityinsights.org/paper/the-fading-american-dream/
  59. https://hbr.org/2018/02/what-the-data-says-about-women-in-management-between-1980-and-2010
  60. https://qz.com/121085/the-real-reason-women-are-opting-out-of-wall-street
  61. https://www.cnb.com/business-banking/insights/women-in-finance.html
  62. https://btchflcks.com/2015/04/working-girl-is-white-feminism-the-movie.html
  63. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4827781/
  64. https://serendipitousanachronisms.wordpress.com/2017/08/20/working-girl-1988/
  65. https://www.thecherrypicks.com/stories/working-girl-at-30-melanie-griffiths-big-shouldered-pluck
  66. https://digitalcommonplacebookblog.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/power-dressing-women-of-the-1980s/
  67. https://steady.substack.com/p/let-the-river-run
  68. https://mouse-flatworm-47y9.squarespace.com/s/LettheRiverRunJune2018programnotes.pdf
  69. https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a32010362/working-girl-better-together/
  70. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098951/
  71. https://deadline.com/2017/06/cyndi-lauper-working-girl-kim-rosenstock-broadway-musical-1202108586/
  72. https://playbill.com/article/cyndi-lauper-working-girl-musical-will-get-a-world-premiere-at-la-jolla-playhouse-in-2025
  73. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/10/18/la-jolla-playhouse-artistic-director-bowing-out-with-working-girl/
  74. https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/working-girl/
  75. https://deadline.com/2022/08/selena-gomez-20th-century-working-girl-1235082769/
  76. https://variety.com/2022/film/news/selena-gomez-working-girl-reboot-1235331485/
  77. https://collider.com/working-girl-reboot-selena-gomez-producing/
  78. https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/sigourney-weaver-selena-gomez-working-girl-reboot-1234773728/
  79. https://people.com/movies/selena-gomez-remaking-working-girl-melanie-griffith-harrison-ford-reports/
  80. https://www.joblo.com/working-girl-reboot/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.