Labor Day offers workers a chance to unwind, barbeque, or visit with family and friends. In my book, any vacation day is perfect for watching a movie, so here are five films centered around working to appreciate during your day off!
“9 to 5” (1980) – Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton starred in the second highest-grossing movie of 1980, $103 million and second only to “The Empire Strikes Back”, as three women use figurative laser cannons and lightsabers to smash an unjust workplace in amusing and empowering fashions. Judy (Fonda), Violet (Tomlin), and Doralee (Parton) plot against their boss, Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman), after his repeated sexist slights, and the triad winds up running the company while keeping Mr. Hart indisposed. All three leads are especially likable, and Fonda offers the biggest surprise with her understated performance. Arriving in theatres during the height of the women’s liberation movement, the film – and Parton’s song - struck a chord with audiences, especially with women impacted by discriminating office environments. One can imagine packed 1980 movie theatres bursting out in laughter and emotional release when Doralee threatens Mr. Hart by saying, “I’m gonna get that gun of mine and change you from a rooster to a hen in one shot.”
“Clerks” (1994) - Working behind the register of a New Jersey convenience store would appear to be a stress-free job, but no one warned Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) about his upcoming day in writer/director Kevin Smith’s hilarious first feature, one filmed in black and white on a shoestring budget. Dante deals with a constant stream of oddballs looking to buy cigarettes, candy, and milk while his ex-girlfriend drops by and two harmless drug dealers loiter outside. Highly conversational, Smith’s picture paints the struggles of directionless 20-somethings, as Dante and his best friend, Randal (Jeff Anderson), opine about the original “Star Wars” trilogy and pornography, and they plan a street hockey adventure too. No, Dante’s work is not overly laborious, but he was “not even supposed to be here today.”
“Night Shift” (1982) – Michael Keaton, while playing Bruce Wayne in “Batman” (1989), famously uttered, “Come on. Let’s get nuts!” Well, Keaton’s breakout performance as a New York City morgue driver, Bill Blazejowski, in director Ron Howard’s “Night Shift” is delightfully over-the-top and nutty. Bill is a loose cannon, a self-proclaimed idea man, who wears sunglasses inside, repeatedly sings “Jumping Jack Flash”, and convinces his morgue partner, Chuck Lumley (Henry Winkler), into running a prostitution ring from their place of business during the – you guessed it – night shift. They aren’t pimps but “love brokers,” as Bill declares. Winkler’s mild-mannered, soft-spoken take on Chuck is nowhere near the self-confident Arthur Fonzarelli from “Happy Days” (1974 – 1984), and Henry and Michael enjoy straight-man-versus-zany-lunatic comedic chemistry while overseeing the “oldest profession” in a new locale. The main plot thread features Chuck’s hopeful journey towards gaining his self-assurance and potentially finding romance with Belinda (Shelley Long), but Keaton’s star-making turn lights up the day, swing, and night shifts!
“Norma Rae” (1979) – Sally Field won her first Best Actress Oscar by playing the title role in director Martin Ritt’s picture about a single mom toiling in a North Carolina cotton factory. Persistent and altruistic, Norma Rae Webster (Field) fights for workers’ rights against unfair conditions. She’s a leader, and the words “stand up” can be taken literally when Norma Rae raises a “UNION” sign above her head. All eyes - on-screen and in the audience - focus on her. It’s an iconic cinematic image, Field’s grandest moment, one that topped her on-screen mischief as a California teen in “Gidget” (1965-1966) and her act as an airborne philanthropist in “The Flying Nun” (1967-1970). The movie – nominated for three other Oscars, including Best Picture – is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Sutton.
“Two Days, One Night” (2014) – In writer/directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne’s emotional roller-coaster, Sandra (Marion Cotillard) takes a temporary leave of absence from her job at a Belgian solar panel company due to depression and anxiety. Still, the higher-ups might permanently remove her from the company payroll to cut expenses when they offer the other employees a choice: keep your bonus or keep Sandra employed. In a fascinating look at the human condition, Sandra approaches each of her coworkers over a weekend to ask for their vote of confidence, and her colleagues respond in various – heartbreaking and sobering – ways. The Academy rightfully nominated Cotillard for a Best Actress Oscar, as she masterfully captures the internal churn of potential downsizing while her character attempts to discover her self-worth.
