History Film / NineToFive

After Violet is denied another deserved promotion (to a man she trained, no less), she, Judy, and Doralee begin bonding over their hatred of their boss, sharing with one another their personal fantasies of bringing him down. HilarityEnsues when Violet accidentally puts rat poison into Hart's coffee; he finds out about it and tries to use the knowledge to blackmail Doralee, prompting the three women to kidnap him and hold him prisoner in his own house until they can figure out a way to fix the situation. In the meantime, they have to conceal Hart's absence and keep the office running as though he were still present...

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Frank Hart is revealed to be so disliked around the offices of Consolidated Companies (by male and female employees alike) that while the three female leads are holding him hostage in his own home (which the other employees don't realize), the only person to actually question Hart's absence is his administrative assistant, Roz, whom Violet (one of the three female leads) sends away on a multi-week training.

* ChainedToABed: Frank Hart's three leading lady secretaries (Violet Newstead, Doralee Rhodes, and Judy Bernly) go much further than just chaining him to a bed -- they install a restraining system that uses a garage door opener mechanism to keep Frank from harming any of the three secretaries should he try to make his escape. Judy's ex-husband Dick catches her in the bedroom with Frank attached to this security system and thinks that she's SleepingWithTheBoss [[CasualKink and into BDSM]]. Mrs. Hart comes home to find her husband attached to the system and later tells the story that it was some sort of exercise machine that he installed.

* ForgedMessage: The three ladies write corporate messages outlining changes in their policies, passing them off as signed by the boss' own hand ([[ChekhovsSkill actually Doralee's, who said she can sign his name better than he can]]).
** TruthInTelevision: Many secretaries are trained to do their boss' signature.

* INeedAFreakingDrink: All three leading ladies — Violet Newstead, Doralee Rhodes, and Judy Bernly — decide to leave work and head for Charlie's for a drink when faced with their individual work crises (Violet being passed over for a promotion, Doralee's advertised "affair with the boss", and Judy witnessing one of the co-workers being fired over a private discussion of wage differences). And [[RuleOfThree at each of their departures]], Margaret the alcoholic secretary simply says "Atta girl!"

* PoisonIsEvil: PlayedWith when Violet fantasizes about killing Mr. Hart. She imagines herself as Snow White, yet bumps him off by poisoning his coffee, to the general rejoicing of animated creatures and desk-chained employees. An animated vaporous skull-and-crossbones appears above the coffee cup when she pours in the toxin.

After Violet is denied a deserved promotion (since Hart doesn't promote women), she, Judy, and Doralee begin bonding over their hatred of their boss, sharing with one another their personal fantasies of bringing him down. HilarityEnsues when Violet accidentally puts rat poison into Hart's coffee; he finds out about it and tries to use the knowledge to blackmail Doralee, prompting the three women to kidnap him and hold him prisoner in his own house until they can figure out a way to fix the situation. In the meantime, they have to conceal Hart's absence and keep the office running as though he were still present...

* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Violet's son offers to roll her a joint to get her mind off her problems at work, which she initially refuses and argues against, but when her son asks how long she's been waiting for the promotion, Violet casually says, "Slip it in my purse." Later on, the joint gets shared with Doralee and Judy in an "old fashioned ladies' pot party" at Doarlee's house where they end up sharing their [[ImagineSpot revenge fantasies]].

* NiceHat: Judy's hat on her first day of work.
-->'''Violet:''' We're gonna need a special locker for the hat.

* SureLetsGoWithThat: After Judy's ex-husband discovers that she has Mr. Hart BoundAndGagged in the bedroom, Judy finds it easier to agree with his EntertaininglyWrong conclusion than to explain the real situation:

* UnfortunateItemSwap: Violet accidentally puts rat poison instead of non-dairy coffee creamer in Hart's coffee (they're packaged ridiculously similarly, not to mention ''why'' are they stored together in the first place?), and thinks she has poisoned her boss.

* DisneyCreaturesOfTheFarce: Violet's ImagineSpot (complete with Hart getting the DisneyVillainDeath). She's accompanied by the characters from ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood''.

* ShoutOut: Violet may be dressed as Snow White, but the animals are from ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood''.

** Doralee’s ability to sign Hart’s signature helps the me,so issued by “Hart” to look authentic.

* PointyHairedBoss: Evil variety. Also the straight-up incompetent sort, given that the performance of Hart's department ''drastically'' improves once the trio gets him and Roz out of the way (though how much of this is due to his actual incompetence and how much is because the protagonists have made the office a more enjoyable place to work isn't really determined).

* MediumBlending: The trio get stoned and fantasize about killing their boss. All three fit the ArtShift trope, as the fantasies are filmed in distinctly different styles from the rest of the movie, but Violet's features adorable animated wildlife surrounding her in the office kitchen as she poisons his coffee.

* MediumBlending: The trio get stoned and fantasize about killing their boss. All three fit the ArtShift trope, as the fantasies are filmed in distinctly different styles from the rest of the movie, but Vioelt's features adorable animated wildlife surrounding her in the office kitchen as she poisons his coffee.

* HumiliationConga: {{Inverted}}. Just as Mr. Hart is about to throw the heroines in jail for kidnapping him, the Boss of Bosses makes a surprise visit to his floor, to see all the innovations they have added in his name — plans Hart knows nothing about, and would have rejected. The ladies proceed to take the Big Boss on a tour of the floor, giving Hart all the credit for everything they themselves have actually done, as other employees showers him with praise. But Hart is being shown the truth — every idea he would have opposed worked, and the office actually runs better without him around. At the end, he's given a promotion... not to the top floor like he wanted, but to head their operations in Brazil. And he can't even take revenge on them; having them arrested would reveal the truth, making him a laughing stock.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Doralee is quite possibly the sweetest person in the office who tries to see the best in everyone and doesn't have a mean word to say to anyone, really. That is, of course, Hart. She threatens to shoot him with a gun she keeps in her purse and ends up hog-tying him using a telephone wire.

* {{Mondegreen}}: Dick accuses Judy of being into S&M. She ''hears'' it differently when she tries repeating it during her TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.

* AbortedArc: It is heavily suggested that Hart got his job through family connections: his wife is related to the company's board chairman, Mr. Tinsworthy. This never becomes a plot point, however, and it seems the only reason this is part of his backstory is to make him even more of a scumbag and undercut whatever natural talents he'd need to actually get and hold his position.

* AbortedArc: It is heavily suggested that Hart got his job through family connections: his wife is related to the Chairman of The Board. However this never comes into play, and it seems the only reason this is in the movie is to make Hart even more of a scumbag and undercut whatever natural talents he'd need to actually get and hold his position.

When her husband leaves her for his secretary, Judy Bernly (Fonda) starts a new job at Consolidated Companies. She is befriended by Violet Newstead (Tomlin), an office manager who advises her on the best way to navigate through daily office life. The office is run by Franklin Hart (Coleman), their vulgar, sexist, and somewhat incompetent boss who spends a good chunk of his time hitting on his unreceptive secretary Doralee Rhodes (Parton) and spreading rumors that they're sleeping together, which leads to her being ostracized by her co-workers.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Franklin M. Hart II is revealed to be so hated around the offices of Consolidated Companies (by male and female employees alike) that while the three female leads are holding him hostage in his own home (which the other employees don't realize), the only person to actually question Hart's absence is his administrative assistant, Roz, whom Violet (one of the three female leads) sends away on a multi-week training.

Upon release, the film was incredibly successful and was the highest-grossing comedy of that year. The movie was adapted into a television series that sporadically ran for five seasons. In 2008, it was also [[ScreenToStageAdaptation turned into a stage musical]].

* PeriodPiece: The 70's setting from the film is maintained; this is reinforced throughout the show with references to 1970s pop culture and technology, such as Violet's son wanting "Something called an [[UsefulNotes/Atari2600 Atari]]" for his birthday.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9_to_5_movie_poster_1980_1020340277.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''[[Music/DollyParton What a way to make a living!]]'']]

''Nine to Five'' is a 1980 comedy directed by Colin Higgins, starring Creator/LilyTomlin, Music/DollyParton, Creator/JaneFonda, and Creator/DabneyColeman.

When her husband leaves her for his secretary, Judy Bernly (Fonda) starts a new job at Consolidated Companies. She is befriended by Violet Newstead (Tomlin), an office manager who advises her on the best way to navigate through daily office life. The office is run by Franklin Hart (Coleman), their vulgar and somewhat incompetent boss. Hart spends a good chunk of his time hitting on his unreceptive secretary Doralee Rhodes (Parton) and spreading rumors that they are sleeping together. As a result, she is ostracized by her co-workers.

* UnfortunateItemSwap: Violet accidentally buys rat poison instead of non-dairy coffee creamer (they're packaged ridiculously similarly), and thinks she has poisoned her boss.

* AdaptationlSexuality: in the musical, Roz is mentioned in the epilogue to fall in love with Frank’s wife.

* BigBraToFill: Rare is the Broadway actress with the physique of Music/DollyParton. Most production's Doralee, including the original Broadway cast's [[{{Series/Smash}} Megan Hilty]], are noticeably less-endowed. Doralee is still implied to be extremely buxom, however, so most productions do what they can to pad the costumes and accentuate what the actress has.

* HumilationConga: {{Inverted}}. Just as Mr. Hart is about to throw the heroines in jail for kidnapping him, the Boss of Bosses makes a surprise visit to his floor, to see all the innovations they have added in his name — plans Hart knows nothing about, and would have rejected. The ladies proceed to take the Big Boss on a tour of the floor, giving Hart all the credit for everything they themselves have actually done, as other employees showers him with praise. But Hart is being shown the truth — every idea he would have opposed worked, and the office actually runs better without him around. At the end, he's given a promotion... not to the top floor like he wanted, but to head their operations in Brazil. And he can't even take revenge on them; having them arrested would reveal the truth, making him a laughing stock.

* TryingNoToCry: Maria is fired for privately discussing wage differences with another co-worker in the bathroom while Frank Hart's assistant is snooping on them. As she is busy packing up her things from her desk, she tells Judy, "I promised myself that I wouldn't cry!"

-->'''Judy:''' ''[stoned)]'' This is... this is... [[CaptainObvious really good pot]]!

->'''Hart:''' I'm not such a bad guy!
->'''Judy:''' You're a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot!
->'''Hart:''' So I have a few faults; who doesn't?

* ChekhovsSkill: Violet's ability to fix/install a garage door opener comes in handy when it is time to restrain Hart in his own house.

-->'''Judy:''' ''(stoned)'' This is... this is... [[CaptainObvious really good pot]]!

--->'''Rodeo announcer''': Let's see how long it takes her to rope this sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot!

--->'''Franklin Hart''': But why? Why?\\
'''Violet''': Why do ''you'' think?\\
'''Franklin Hart''': 'Cause I'm a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot?\\
'''Violet''': Bingo! ''([[DisneyVillainDeath ejects him]] [[DestinationDefenestration out his office window]])''

-->'''Doralee''': I never realized how unpopular Hart is. Nobody wants to see him face to face.

-->'''Violet:''' What are you, a man or a mouse? ''({{beat}})'' Or a woman or a wouse? ''(giggles)''

-->'''Judy:''' ...and if I want to play sex games or do M&M's, you can't stop me.
-->'''Dick:''' [[NoodleImplements M&M's?!]]

-->'''Hart:''' ... ''shit''.

-->'''Hart:''' ... ''Brazil?!''

-->'''Hart:''' [[OhCrap Brazil?]]

-->'''Eddie:''' Eddie: How am I supposed to get out of this mailroom prison if they keep hiring people from the outside? ''(to Judy)'' Lady, you're gonna ''hate'' it, here.

-->'''Violet:''' We couldn't have done it without you, Joe!
-->'''Joe:''' [[LampshadeHanging Yes you could]].