How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a 1967 American romantic musical comedy-drama film based on the 1961 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book. The film was produced by United Artists and directed by David Swift, with original staging by Bob Fosse. The cast includes Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee and Michele Lee all reprising their Broadway roles; as well as Anthony Teague, and Maureen Arthur. The film marks the movie debut of Lee. Robert Osborne, who was an actor at this time, was given a small uncredited role as an office employee. Plot J. Pierrepont Finch (Robert Morse) buys the book How to Succeed in Business, describing in step-by-step fashion how to rise in the business world. The ambitious young window cleaner follows its advice carefully. He joins the "World-Wide Wicket Company" and begins work in the mail room. Soon, thanks to the ethically questionable advice in the book, he rises to vice president of advertising by having each person above him either fired or moved or transferred within the company. Finch begins to fall in love with Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee), a secretary at the company. Finch finds out that J.B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee), the president of the company, has made advances towards Hedy LaRue (Maureen Arthur), a beautiful but incompetent woman the company has hired. Finch uses this information to assist his climb on the corporate ladder.