The Secret of My Succe$s

Infobox Film
name = The Secret of My Succe$s


caption = Theatrical Release Poster
director = Herbert Ross
producer = Herbert Ross
Nora Kaye
writer = A.J. Carothers (story)
Jim Cash (screenplay)
starring = Michael J. Fox
Helen Slater
Richard Jordan
Margaret Whitton
John Pankow
Fred Gwynne
music = Night Ranger
Roger Daltrey
Pat Benatar
cinematography = Carlo Di Palma
editing = Paul Hirsch
distributor = Universal Pictures
released = April 10, 1987
runtime = 111 min.
country = United States
language = English
budget = Unknown
amg_id = 1:43502
imdb_id = 0093936

"The Secret of My Succe$s" ( "The Secret of My Success") is a 1987 English language comedy film starring Michael J. Fox, produced and directed by the late Herbert Ross ("Footloose"). The screenplay is written by Jim Cash, who previously co-scripted "Top Gun".

Main cast

Plot summary

Brantley Foster (Michael J. Fox) is a recent graduate of Kansas State University who moves to New York City where he has landed a job as a financier. Upon arriving, he discovers that the company for which he's supposed to work has been taken over by a rival corporation. As a result, Brantley is laid off before he even starts working.

After several unsuccessful attempts to get another job (mostly because he's overqualified), Brantley ends up working in the mailroom of Pemrose Incorporated, which is directed by his uncle, Howard Prescott (Richard Jordan). Pemrose was founded by Prescott's father-in-law; Howard received presidency of the company by marrying his boss's daughter, Vera Pemrose (Margaret Whitton).

Upon inspecting company reports, Brantley realizes that Prescott and most of his fellow "suits" (executives) are making ineffective and/or non-beneficial decisions. After Brantley notices an empty office in the building, due to one of Howard's frequent firings, he assumes the identity of Carlton Whitfield, a new executive.

While handling two jobs (switch between casual wear and business suits by stripping in the elevator), Brantley also falls head-over-heels for Christy Wills (Helen Slater), a fellow financial wizard who recently graduated from Harvard. At the same time, his Aunt Vera keeps hitting on him since they're not related by blood (Brantley's mother's cousin, before she was bit by a dog and died, was married to Howard Prescott's half-sister's nephew.)

Prescott, without Brantley's knowledge, is having an affair with Christy. When Howard asks her to spy on Carlton Whitfield, Christy falls head-over-heels for Carlton, not knowing he is actually Brantley. The Pemrose Corporation is preparing to merge with the infamous Davenport Corporation. Prescott, unaware that Whitfield and Brantley are one and the same person, suspects Carlton is a spy for uber-liquidator Donald Davenport (Fred Gwynne).

In the end, Brantley and Vera raise enough cash, bonds, and stocks to wrest ownership of the Pemrose Corporation from Prescott, and to buy out the Davenport Corporation as well. Vera, already contemptuous of Howard for his counter-productive business practices, which were driving her father's empire into the ground, learns that Prescott has been cheating on her to boot. She promptly replaces him with Brantley. While security guards escort Howard and his aide, Art Thomas (Gerry Bamman), from the Pemrose Building, Brantley and Christy start planning their future together, personal as well as professional.

oundtrack

Infobox Album
Name = Secret of My Success Soundtrack
Type = Soundtrack
Artist = Various Artists


Cover size =
Released = April 10, 1987
Recorded =
Genre = Soundtrack
Length =
Label = MCA Records
Producer = David FosterThe soundtrack was released April 10, 1987 [ [http://www.amazon.com/Secret-My-Success-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B000002O59/ "The Secret Of My Success: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack" at Amazon.com] ] , though the compact disc release has long been out of print. It was produced by 1980s producer David Foster, who also contributes several instrumental tracks to the album.

Not all of the songs featured in the film are included on the soundtrack, or, at least not in the same version. The film version of"The Secret of My Success" is slightly different, and also features a mini-instrumental version. The film version of "I Burn for You" does not feature vocals, whereas the soundtrack version does. "The Restless Heart" track from the film has a different title and different lyrics than the soundtrack version.

Popular songs "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves and " Oh Yeah" by Yello are heard in the film but do not appear on the soundtrack.

"The Secret Of My Success: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack" peaked at #131 on The Billboard 200. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:knfyxqe5ldae~T3 "The Secret Of My Success: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack" Billboard 200] ]

Track listing

#"The Secret of my Success" (performed by Night Ranger)
#"Sometimes the Good Guys Finish First" (performed by Pat Benatar)
#"I Burn for You" (performed by Danny Peck and Nancy Shanks)
#"Riskin' a Romance" (performed by Bananarama)
#"Gazebo" (performed by David Foster)
#"The Price of Love" (performed by Roger Daltrey)
#"Water Fountain" (performed by David Foster)
#"Don't Ask the Reason Why" (performed by Restless Heart)
#"3 Themes" (performed by David Foster)
#"Heaven and the Heartaches" (performed by Taxxi)

Other

* John Pankow plays Brantley's mailroom colleague. Fred Gwynne plays Mr. Davenport. Cindy Crawford makes a fleeting cameo appearance in the opening credits.
* The film grossed $ 66,995,879 and domestically, became the 7th biggest grossing film of 1987.
* A 1965 film of the same title starred Shirley Jones.

References

External links

*
*

Box Office Leaders USA
before =
date = April 12
date2 = May 17
year = 1987
after = Ishtar