J. Pierrepont Finch (Robert Morse) is a humble window-washer that stumbles upon a book that answers all the burning questions that he’s been asking himself for years, mainly “how to succeed in business” – this quick guide to climbing the corporate ladder becomes a sacred text to the ambitious young upstart, who follows the rules of the guidelines to every last detail, weaselling his way into Worldwide Wicket, a major corporation, in which he is quickly noted for his promising qualities, which are all derived from his hard work in convincing those around him that he’s a good worker, rather than just an opportunist willing to take the credit for anything that gets his foot onto the next step of the corporate hierarchy. He catches the attention of JB Bigley (Rudy Vallee), the president of the company who takes notice of this young man whose commitment to his job is quite impressive, not realizing how his presence is only the result of a warped social experiment on the part of the new employee, who convinces everyone that he’s worthy of the rapidly-rising status he’s amassing. This extends to Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee), a secretary who finds herself falling madly in love with Finch, based on his determination to succeed, not aware that it’s all the result of not really trying all that hard.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is one of the more interesting stage musicals to have been produced in the mid-twentieth century – a subversive piece that combined the energy of the traditional musical with the more innovative stylings of the more cynical post-war generation, its a piece that looks deeply into the fabric of society, being a wickedly funny and devilishly clever piece of alternative storytelling, that has somehow come to be seen as a firm constituent of the establishment, both due to its occurrence at a time when musicals were undergoing a considerable change, and because it has persisted as one of the more resonant theatrical works. The film adaptation of Frank Loesser’s incredibly potent satire is certainly a faithful translation of many of these themes, assembling much of the same cast and placing them on a much larger stage, allowing them to explore the many fascinating quirks embedded in this outrageous story. David Swift adapts the production with remarkable ease, exercising a restraint almost unprecedented for a newcomer put in charge of such an audacious piece, and the result is an outrageous, hilariously irreverent satire that approaches the story with its own beautifully outlandish conception of reality, turning it into one of the most enduring film musicals of the 1960s, and a thoroughly engrossing piece of theatrical anarchy that is rarely ever committed to film with such precise dedication.

What makes How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying so interesting, as we’ve mentioned, is that it seems to be aligned with two fundamentally different sub-genres of the musical – its caught between the traditional portrayal of excess and joyful chaos, in which logic is disregarded, and the more subversive form that came about in the decades after the war, where the intention wasn’t to merely entertain, but also to incite some serious thought into the minds of the viewers, without presenting them with anything that could be considered too heavily overwrought. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a deeply modern film, which is remarkable considering how it was produced with the mentality that existed half a century ago – the material that underlies this film remains resonant, and it can easily be applied to a more contemporary context, which is why Swift’s adaptation is such a delight, as it not only preserves this terrific piece by giving the original stars a chance to commit their mesmerizing performances to screen but also the opportunity for future audiences to take advantage of this biting satire told through some of the most gorgeously upbeat music ever written for the stage. It’s a film with a lot of depth, offering fascinating insights into the human condition, not content with merely being outrageous, but clearly intending to provide some deeper commentary on the more serious themes it’s based on, while still hearkening back to the exuberant nature of past musicals. By today’s standards, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying might be perceived as nothing more than a twee, satirical send-up of the business world – but look deeper, and you’re likely to find something a lot more profound.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a production that is very much driven by its performances, as they anchor the film and give it nuance. The role of Finch is one of the most interesting in musical history, mainly because he occupies a central position in the story, one normally reserved for more heroic characters while being the complete antithesis of what a protagonist should be. A shameless opportunist, the film just follows him rapidly navigating the system and playing the corporate game in a very cunning way. Robert Morse originated the character, and reprises the role here, as he was the most suitable person to bring Finch to the screen. Morse is a magnetic screen presence – his fascinating talents work in conjunction with the shrewd traits of Finch, with the actor bringing a sycophantic charm to a role that is intentionally not all that likeable. What separates Morse from other interpretations of the character is that he brings out the nastiness in a role that doesn’t only benefit from a more subversive characterization, but requires it. Finch is not supposed to be charming – he’s a wily corporate carpetbagger that thrives on his astute perceptions of those around him, and his recklessly brilliant ability to take advantage of them. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying has a terrific ensemble – Michele Lee and Rudy Vallee are both terrific – but its Morse that commands the screen from start to finish, with this film becoming entirely focused around him, where no one else can distract from the bewitching brilliance of his performance, and rightly so.

Any musical film that included Bob Fosse in its opening credits is already ahead of others in the genre, so it’s not difficult to see why How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is one of the most interesting musical films of its time, both on how the narrative is carried over from the stage, and how it is visually realized. Swift puts together a film that hearkens back to the bold and lavish stage production, while extending on it in a way that the original charm isn’t lost, but only bolstered. Colourful, brimming with visual splendour and immense detail, the film is composed with the exact kind of exuberance that is required from a production like this, albeit not ever neglecting the underlying sincerity that is absolutely vital to the story. The charm that comes about as this terrific time capsule of a story is contrasted with the beautifully-composed stylistic decision brought to this film. In many ways, Swift was a fascinating choice to adapt the material, only because a more innovative director may have approached How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as something that should be improved upon, while Swift rather draws upon the qualities that made the original musical so beloved. Assimilating the sharply-written acidic dialogue to an extravagant visual palette that clearly has its roots in theatre is indicative of this era of musical filmmaking, and it works splendidly.

The overall style of this musical, in being a relatively faithful adaptation that borrows heavily from its theatrical counterpart, is the most appropriate way to approach the material, and results in a thoroughly entertaining journey into the underlying roots of corporate America, told with wit and only a touch of sarcastic irony that makes this such a buoyant foray into the somewhat serious themes that it subverts with such reckless abandon. A well-meaning comedy that satirizes the corporate world with elegance and eccentric humour is always going to be something worth watching, and combining a fascinating storyline, a vigorous visual style and an ensemble of terrific performers that give themselves fully to these wonderfully bizarre characters is more than enough to qualify  How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as a terrific entry into a genre that was already starting to wane in popularity, injecting it with an enormous dose of energy and pathos, creating an unforgettably funny, heartwarming and enrapturing comedy musical that doesn’t take itself too seriously, bounding between effervescent musical numbers and providing some potent commentary along the way.