Tag: Jane Fonda

Comedies

9 to 5

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image: 9 to 5, 1980

As I continue to grieve beloved star Dolly Parton, it warms my heart to know that so many of us will be celebrating her on September 25th, in honor of her debut film 9 to 5 (Disc/Download). If you’re planning to toast her with a screening and a cold cocktail, Cinema Sips has you covered.

Starring Dolly, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin as a trio of disgruntled secretaries in a large corporate office, 9 to 5 shouldn’t still be progressive, and yet, it is. Their sexist, predatory boss is a type of man who probably still exists in offices all over the country (certainly, within the White House). Women are still fighting for common sense policies like flexible work hours, job-sharing, in-office childcare, and equal pay, and don’t even get me started on the battle for hybrid and remote work. Sometimes it seems like the whole system is orchestrated to return women to the home and kitchen, but in this movie, they fight back. 9 to 5 dabbles in fantasy with its fairy tale dream sequence and Dolly in her cute cowgirl outfit, and to be honest, the plot goes off the rails after the first thirty minutes. However, sometimes you need a bit of fantasy in order to communicate some very real problems in the workplace. If you think Dolly roping and barbecuing her boss is the most ludicrous thing you’ve ever seen, you obviously haven’t used Microsoft Teams.

My favorite thing about this movie is Dolly’s iconic theme song, “9 to 5”. It still bops! While you’re watching these ladies slip rat poison into the boss’s coffee, pour yourself a Cup of Ambition.

Cup of Ambition

1 oz coffee liqueur

1 oz rye whiskey

2 dashes orange bitters

Dried orange garnish

Add coffee liqueur, rye, and bitters to a shaker with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with a dried orange.

No shade to Jane and Lily, but Dolly is absolutely the best thing in this movie. She makes every scene funnier, and she brings her trademark wit and charm to what could have been another ditsy blonde stereotype. Through her performances, songs, and charitable legacy, this beautiful butterfly will live on, from 9 to 5, and beyond. Cheers!

Dramas

Klute

LizLockeLeave a comment

Klute
Image credit: Klute, 1971

Cinema Sips is exploring a set of films over the coming weeks which feature some incredible female performances.  The subject of sex workers is a complex one, but for the purposes of this blog, we’ll just be talking about the movie portrayals (while enjoying copious cocktails of course).  Kicking things off is Klute (Disc/Download), a 1970s thriller starring Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland.

Something I’ll never understand is the popularity of Fonda’s 70s haircut.  It’s almost as though her character Bree thinks this unflattering shag can protect her from even further mistreatment by the men in her life.  There’s the pimp, played by Roy Scheider, plying her with drugs and lies.  There’s the cop, played by Sutherland, who could maybe be a love interest, if he had any kind of personality or charm whatsoever. There’s the stalker, who likes to play tape recordings of their “session” and creep on her throughout the film. Honestly the only decent guy in this is the little old man who wants her to dress in a sparkly evening gown and drink wine.  Klute is an interesting time capsule of Manhattan in the 1970s, and you really feel Bree’s struggle as an actress and model, professions where success seems largely arbitrary.  At least with her other job, she has some control.

But let’s go back for a second to that scene with the sparkly evening gown.  In sequins poured over her body like a second glove, Jane Fonda looks fierce, formidable, and sexy as hell.  This is a woman of power.  Let’s celebrate her with this Ruby Manhattan.

Ruby Manhattan

2 oz Bourbon

3/4 oz Ruby Port

1 bar spoon Maple Syrup

Dash of Angostura Bitters

Luxardo Maraschino cherry

Combine first four ingredients in a mixing shaker with ice.  Stir until chilled and combined, then strain into a glass. Garnish with Luxardo Maraschino cherry.

Ruby Manhattan

Jane Fonda’s research with actual sex workers comes through in this Academy Award-winning performance, one full of both vulnerability and strength.  I’m still not sure why the film was called Klute; clearly it should have been Bree.  After all, it’s her world– the rest of us are just lucky to visit. Cheers!

Comedies · Uncategorized

California Suite

LizLockeLeave a comment

California Suite
Image credit: California Suite, 1978.

Well, I don’t know what to say about the Oscars this year except they’ve really mucked it up, haven’t they? From the host debacle, to the televised category back-and-forth, to the lack of female nominees, it’s enough to make even the most die-hard film fan skip the ceremony altogether. Me, I love a good train wreck.  But if you REALLY must skip,  I suggest watching California Suite (DVD/Download) instead. In this delightful gem of a film, Maggie Smith perfectly sums up the Academy Awards in one sentence: “I’ve been getting ready for this horseshit affair for THREE HOURS!!!!” I feel ya, Mags. All they have left are the dresses.

Adapted from a Neil Simon play, California Suite follows four couples who are all staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel. In these vignettes, we get to enjoy the following highlights: Maggie Smith, shit-faced after losing the Academy Award, arguing with her semi-closeted gay husband played by Michael Caine. Walter Matthau, waking up next to a sex worker he has to hide from his wife. Jane Fonda and Alan Arkin, bickering over custody of their daughter. Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby, playing tennis, wrestling, and showing us why it’s a bad idea to travel with friends. Shot on location at the Beverly Hills Hotel, this film is a vintage textile lover’s dream. That banana leaf wallpaper— SWOOOOON! I know I’ll never be Maggie Smith, and I know I’ll never be up for an Academy Award, but I can sure as hell get drunk in the hall and fondle that wallpaper. One might even say it’s on my bucket list.

While Maggie prepares to lose the Oscar, her fabulous husband is busy pouring the gin. As he says, “three gins, one tonic”. Sounds like the perfect ratio. You could make one strong drink, or you could join me during the red carpet coverage in trying ALL THE GINS, and a little bit of tonic. Cheers!

Gins and Tonic

We love to hate on this year’s Academy Awards broadcast, but California Suite proves that people have been hating on this damn dog-and-pony show since the 1970’s.  Probably even before.  Whether you watch this movie to mock the absurdity along with Maggie Smith (who incidentally, did win an Oscar for her role in this), or watch it for the wonderful slice-of-life script, just watch it. Preferably with three gins of course ;-). Cheers!