Happy Labor Day my fellow American & Canadian friends!
Hope you are enjoying your day off, but if you somehow have to work today, well hats off to you and I hope you are well-compensated for it! 😀 In honor of labor day, I thought I’d post a couple of soundtracks from two workplace movies from the 80s. I’m sure there are a whole bunch of 80s/90s workplace movie out there, but I just picked these two movies as the soundtrack are quite memorable.
Working Girl (1988)
Just a year after Gordon Gekko professed that ‘greed is good‘ in 1987’s Oliver Stone’s film, comes Mike Nichol’s comedy/drama on what it takes for an ambitious woman to get ahead in a man’s world in Manhattan. If you could get past the 80s fashion of big shoulder pads and big bouffant — not to mention Melanie Griffith’s little girl voice — the movie is really quite enjoyable. It’s a Cinderella story set in Wall Street, with a boss from hell (scenery-chewing Sigourney Weaver) as her wicked stepmother and a handsome radio executive Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford) as her dashing prince.
One of the most memorable part of this movie is the rousing anthem from Carly Simon, Let The River Run. The song, which was also written by Simon, won an Oscar for Best Original Song. I always think of the Staten Island ferry with the Manhattan skyline every time this music is played.
I also like the instrumental version, the beat is just so catchy. Nice touch having Carly humming the theme and the subtle choir in the background.
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The Secret of My Success (1987)
I used to LOVE this movie growing up. Even a couple of years ago when I was in a hotel and the movie was playing on TV, I couldn’t help but watch it. It’s a comedy satire about a kid from a small time in Kansas who’ve always dreamed of making it big in The Big Apple. 80s ‘it boy’ Michael J. Fox is just perfect as Brantley Foster, I really can’t imagine anyone else in this role and all his antics pretending to be an executive under the name Carlton Whitfield yields a lot of laughs. But it’s Margaret Whitton as her lustful auntie Vera who steals the show, whilst doe-eyed Helen Slater is relegated to nothing more than eye candy as Brantley’s love interest.
Being a massive David Foster fan throughout high school, of course I LOVE his score, especially his Golden-Globe nominated theme Water Fountain. I used to listen to David Foster’s CDs constantly and I think this is one of my favorites. This music and the movie is just pure 80s nostalgia.
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Happy Labor Day everyone! Have you seen either one of these movies?
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Fine set of film and music, Ruth. Perfect for this holiday.
This is uncanny! I think I was just leaving you a comment on your blog. Thanks Michael, I knew you’d enjoy these 🙂
Two great films Ruth! Love them both. Ive always like Weaver’s performance in Working Girl though, never thought she was over doing it. Of course, Micheal J Fox is an absolute delight in Secret of my Success! He’s making a comeback next year which is great news!!
Oh Weaver’s scenery chewing is fun to watch, that’s not meant to be a derision 🙂 Yeah, that’s great about J Fox, I also commend him for all he’s doing for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Have a nice day off Ruth!! Great post as always
Thanks matey, enjoy your day too!
Didn’t know it was Labor Day over there. Its May 1st where I live.
Secret Of My Success, I freaking love that film!! I used to have it on VHS and could remember it verbatim. The entire soundtrack is great too and yes it is typical 80s. Although it doesn’t appear on the soundtrack, the film also introduced my to “Walking On Sunshine”
Hi Asrap, you’re right the entire soundtrack is great. I LOVE 80s music, I mean I grew up with it 🙂
oh, I adored both films, together with RUTHLESS PEOPLE with Bette Middler and Danny De Vitto,those were my fave then 🙂
Glad to hear Dezzy! There are a lot of 80s movies I enjoyed, it’s fun to see the crazy fashion back then, ahah.
I saw both of those films but can’t remember much about them, I was very young when I saw them. I think it’s on TV or something. So of course I don’t know much about the music from those films.
I do like another 80s comedy that deals with corporate world, Big. Cheesy but fun.
He..he.. these aren’t exactly your cup of tea, Ted, I’m surprised you actually saw them! 🙂
I really enjoyed Working Girl, and “Let The River Run” is very catchy. That instrumental version is wonderful. “Water Fountain” is very 80s, indeed, but it’s great. I still need to see The Secret of My Success.
I think the song Water Fountain is better than the movie, Josh, The Secret of My Success is more of a guilty pleasure for me, ahah.
Great post, I really need to rewatch Working Girl sometime, haven’t seen this movie in ages. Hope you’re having good day!
Thanks Sati. I might rewatch it again just to see Harrison Ford, he’s kind of like the ‘boy toy’ in this movie, ahah.
Hope you enjoyed your day off, Ruth. And I’ve always want to see ‘Working Girl’, love ’80s stuff
Working Girl is quintessentially 80s, Andina, definitely worth a watch at any decade though.
Love this post! I too was obsessed with Secret of My Success when I was younger – so much so that for several birthday parties in a row during my grade school days I forced all my friends to watch it.
Brantley/Whitfield. Whitfield/Brantley.
Yay Nick! Ahah, that introduction is a hoot. Don’t you just love that aunt Vera? She was relentless!
Nice post, Ruth! Hadn’t heard about The Secret of My Success before, but listening to Water Fountain, it’s amazing! Funny that you mention being a David Foster fan. I saw him from afar at a Michael Bublé concert. Michael proceeded to say hi to David and sang his “Best of Me”. It was incredibly beautiful. His voice sounded perfect and for a huge arena show, it felt very intimate.
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