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A bit of musical theatre written by Abe Burrows, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, which was first staged in 1961. It's based on a book by Shepherd Mead, which had the subtitle "The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune". Obviously, it is a satire.
The story starts out with a kid named J. Pierpont Finch, a window-washer at the World Wide Wicket company (no, that's not a Stealth Pun, this was The Sixties). He's reading from the eponymous book, quotes from which are often provided by a disembodied Narrator. After a Crash Into Hello with the president of the company, Finch gets a proper job. Now, with only advice from the book, Indy Ploys and a Twinkle Smile to aid him, Finch must work his way up the corporate ladder, with the help and/or opposition of (amongst others): Bud Frump, nephew of WWW current president J.B. Biggley; Femme Fatale Hedy LaRue, who is having an affair with Biggley but causes instant attraction from just about any male character; Rosemary Pilkington, his Love Interest; and his own plans and schemes, which have a tendency to Go Horribly Right.
The Movie version starring Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee, and Sammy Smith (reprising their respective roles of Finch, Mr. Biggly, and Mr.Twimble/Wally Whomper from the Broadway original) came out in '67. The show was revived on Broadway in '95 with Matthew Broderick as Finch and Walter Cronkite reading the book, for which Broderick won a Lead Actor Tony. Its 50th-anniversary revival in 2011 starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. In what may be a Casting Gag, Radcliffe was replaced by Darren Criss, of Glee and A Very Potter Musical, in January 2012 for a two week run, to be replaced again by Nick Jonas.
How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying contains examples of the following tropes:[]
- All Musicals Are Adaptations
- Ambiguously Gay: Frump can come off as this, especially in the movie
- Given that Charles Nelson Reilly originated the part on Broadway, this shouldn't be a surprise.
- Anti-Hero: Finch, the protagonist, while thoroughly charming, is a conniving backstabber willing to do anything to climb the corporate ladder.
- Based on an Advice Book
- Beta Couple: Hedy and JB, who actually have more problems than the Official Couple.
- Betty and Veronica: Rosemary and Hedy for Finch
- Bob Fosse: Someone else was hired, but proved insufficient. Fosse did the work basically unacknowledged because taking credit would have imploded the other guy's career.
- Book Ends
- Brainless Beauty: Hedy LaRue
- Butt Monkey: Bud Frump, the CEO's nephew.
- Can Not Tell a Lie: Hedy
- Cloudcuckoolander: Rosemary
- Counterpoint Duet: "I Believe In You"
- Crowd Song
- Dance Line
- Delusions of Eloquence: "It is I whom am late."
- The Ditz: Hedy
- Double Vision: The parts of Mr. Twimble and Wally Whomper are usually played by the same actor.
- Dresses the Same: "Paris Original" takes this to its logical extent by having all the secretaries walk into a company party wearing the same gown.
- Favouritism Flip Flop
- "Faux To" Guide
- Femme Fatale: Hedy
- First Girl Wins: Rosemary
- Football Fight Song: "Grand Old Ivy"
- Gender Neutral Narrator
- Gold Digger: All of the women, as exemplified by "Cinderella, Darling"
- Gospel Revival Number: "Brotherhood Of Man"
- Grande Dame: Mr. Biggly's secretary, Miss Jones, has some affinities with the type.
- Guile Hero: Finch, Finch, Finch.
- Hello, Nurse!: Hedy
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Robert Morse, the original Ponty, plays Bert Cooper on the likewise business-oriented Mad Men.
- Informed Attractiveness: Hedy. Or not, depending on who's playing her.
- Lyndon Johnson: In the film version, when Rosemary tells Ponty that she doesn't care if he ends up as a window-washer or President of the United States, there is a quick cut to Ponty washing the windows of the White House, and leaning in to say (with a significant grin), "Good morning, Mr. President," to a Johnson-lookalike.
- Love Epiphany: "Rosemary". Strangely, Finch has this while kissing another woman.
- Male Gaze: Hedy inspires them.
- Manipulative Bastard: FINCH. And also Frump, but he's...not quite as sucessful.
- Meganekko: Smitty
- Mickey Mousing: "Gotta Stop That Man"
- Mirror Monologue: Finch sings "I Believe In You" to his reflection in the executive washroom mirror.
- The Musical
- Must Have Caffeine: "Coffee Break"
- Named After Somebody Famous
- Nepotism
- Non Actor Vehicle: both played straight and inverted. The role of Finch involves as much acting as singing, and skill in one can compensate for lack of ability in the other.
- The Quiet One: Miss Jones, until "Brotherhood of Man."
- Reassigned To Venuzuela: The fate of anyone whom Mr. Biggley finds with Hedy
- Repeat What You Just Said
- Rhythm Typewriter: "A Secretary Is Not A Toy"
- Role Association: The 2011 production. Go to this show and just listen to the crowd reaction when Harry Freakin' Potter first enters the stage.
- Running Gag: "I'm J. Pierpont Finch, F-I-N-C-H."
- Sexy Secretary
- Sexy Walk: Hedy's gets its own music cue.
- Shout-Out: Hedy Larue in the 2010 revivial looks quite a bit like another gorgeous redhead secretary from the same time period...
- Silly Love Songs: Every Broadway musical is required to include at least one, and this show's silly love is "I Believe In You"; it's sung twice, first by J. Pierpont Finch to himself, and then by Rosemary as a pep talk when it looks like everything has gone wrong and J. Pierpont is probably going to get fired.
- Stepford Smiler: Rosemary looks like she's going to become one (see her Establishing Character Moment, "Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm"). This is clearly played for laughs. It's a tongue and cheek portrayal of a 60's housewife.
- Sweater Girl: The book advises ladies in the office to use this rather than skin-baring clothes.
- Twinkle Smile