HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (1967) C widescreen 121m dir: David Swift

w/Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee, Anthony Teague, Maureen Arthur, Murray Matheson, Kay Reynolds, Sammy Smith, John Myhers, Jeff DeBenning

From The Movie Guide: "David Swift produced, directed, adapted, and even played a small role in this scathing musical satire. The film is based on Shepherd Mead's novel which had been brought to the stage [in 1961] by [Frank] Loesser and [Abe] Burrows, who co-wrote the stage book with [Willie] Gilbert and [Jack] Weinstock.

"Morse is an elfin, yet aggressive, window washer who buys a copy of Mead's book on his way to work and decides to put it to work immediately. He walks into the office of World Wide Wickets, a huge conglomerate, and enchants Lee, a pretty secretary, who introduces him to the chief of personnel. That achieved, he convinces the man that he is a great pal of Vallee, who heads the company. This bit of trickery gets him as far as the mailroom. It isn't long before he finagles, cajoles, and charms his way into a junior executive position and endears himself to all the women in the company, but incurs the enmity of Teague, Vallee's insidious nephew. Soon after, Morse is made chief of an advertising department where many heads have rolled. Teague knows that Vallee absolutely despises television giveaway shows, so he tells Morse the opposite, thinking that when Morse presents the idea to Vallee, he will be rewarded with a pink slip.

"The film is cartoonlike, its characters caricatures, as befits the story. The lion's share of the acting kudos goes to Morse, in a role that is perfect for him, and Lee, a refreshing, attractive actress who went on to national fame. But Vallee's fussy boss is definitely memorable. Veteran television panelist Robert Q. Lewis plays a small role as an executive and proves to be a much better actor than anyone realized. Myhers does his usual hammy job, but it isn't out of place here. Producer-director-writer-actor Swift was the man responsible for one of television's most beloved early show, 'Mr. Peepers.' Good fun."