Patriarchal-Fueled Feminism: Character Analysis of 9 to 5

When many spectators hear the infamous upbeat tune of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, they are fueled with fond memories of the Fonda-Tomlin-Parton trifecta that makes up the film of the same name. 9 to 5 (1980) has always been regarded as one of the greatest films of the feminist genre, but when reflecting on the composition of the character dynamics in the story, it is evident that this film is yet another piece of patriarchal cinema. To understand why 9 to 5 does not work as a piece of feminist film, one must take into account the roles of Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton), Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin), and Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) in relation to the male presence. These women are unable to be fully-formed characters without the influence in which role they provide to the patriarchal society, each of which will be further examined individually.

To begin with, a dissection of the character of Doralee Rhodes, as played by Dolly Parton, will be essential. It isn’t difficult to conclude Doralee is the symbol of all sexual energy in the film, as we witness most conversations about her having the topic of sex soon follow. The only times in which the subjects of Doralee and sex are distanced are when Doralee is actually present. Her character is designed to be a translation of sex, as well as sexual harassment, and is continuously engaged with it, even without her acknowledgment. When Judy is getting lunch with Violet, other women at their table gossip and disregard Doralee as nothing more than an affair for Mr. Hart, making her an embodiment of a sexual presence within their workplace. The encounter reeks of internalized misogyny toward Parton’s character and conveys her victimization and defenselessness of the accusatory conversation, as she is unaware it is happening around her.

Similarly, Doralee acts completely ignorant of the advances of Mr. Hart, making her a representation of this specific relationship between female and male energy. She is always spoken in tandem with the topic of men and sex, making it impossible for her to exist in the perspective of the other characters without this association. Without the presence of male energy, Doralee’s existence within the world of 9 to 5 would not have been substantial enough to make her a main character, as she would have no conflicting force to act against. This provides us with an understanding as to how Doralee’s character is a product of the male presence rather than a feminine-powered archetype.

Photo: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection

The next character that is essential to investigate when comparing the divide in the male and female presence within the film 9 to 5 is Lily Tomlin’s character, Violet. While Violet is the strongest character out of the trio, this doesn’t come without a few faults in her character dynamic in relation to men as well. Because she is the embodiment of a strong feminine presence, she acts as a threat to the patriarchal system in place in the realm within the film, rather than being a resource. In her relationship with her children, she continues to lack being a provider, as her own teenage son gives her a marijuana joint so that she can relax from the stressors of work. Violet is both dependent on men, as well as a challenging force against them, yet in both forms of the relationship, she is incomplete without the male presence. This makes her the embodiment of the gender disparity within the workforce, as equal pay becomes a taboo discussion dispersed throughout the film, usually introduced in conversation by Violet.

The problem of unequal pay is still present in 2021, demonstrating how little the influence was in the 1980s to have the conversation. As Tara Murtha (2015) states;

“The gender pay gap was nearly the same in 1980 as it was in 1960. The gap narrowed in the Nineties, then stalled. If progress continues at the current rate, American women won’t achieve pay equity until 2059."

When considering this factor, it makes Violet’s threat level even more extreme, considering how early she had been promoting these ideas. It also provides us with a deeper understanding as to how women have the option to join the workforce, but often can not balance the work-life dynamic and usually depend on a second income, due to not being paid as much. For Violet to be an actively destructive force of the feminine dependence on men, the male ego is then threatened, as part of their gender role is at risk for extinction.

The last character that is essential for analyzing the gender dependence between men and women in the film 9 to 5 is Judy, who was brought to life by Jane Fonda. Judy is not presented as a mother, or a sexual object, leaving her to fulfill the last most common relationship between the male and female presence; the submissive woman to the dominant man. Judy is fresh out of a divorce when she gets the job in the office, and is still learning how to stand on her own. Because of this, it is easy to see how she falls under Violet’s wing, considering she has not lived without leadership, or at least cannot remember a time without it. This submission to the male presence is highlighted even further when Julie is faced with technical issues concerning the Xerox machine, and Mr. Hart reprimands her in the printing room. This causes her to burst into tears immediately after his departure, as she stands defenseless and traumatized by the interaction, in complete submission to the abusive patriarchal force. Julie is able to be a submissive counterpart to the male presence because she does not have the power of sexual objectification like Doralee, or the strong combative personality like Violet that works in conflict to men. This further supports the conclusion that these women would not be in existence without the influence of the male energy, or would at least not be regarded as material worthy for a dynamic trio without the conflicting force of a patriarchal society.

If we were to remove the character dynamics from the conversation altogether, it is easy to find evidence that 9 to 5 doesn’t work as a feminist film in its overall message as well. While it does address some key issues of gender politics within the workplace, it only does so from a white cisgender heterosexual perspective and doesn’t account for intersectional feminism in the way that is needed for it to be regarded as an essential filmic text to feminist theory. As Manohla Dargis (2020) states,

“I’d seen the film not long ago, and, despite its flat-footed direction, it seemed like an apt choice. But watching it again amid a national reckoning on race, all I could see — and think about — was how white (and straight) it is. It’s at once empowering and dispiriting, and less a call to revolution than another of the industry’s well-meaning liberal calls for playing nice with power."

If 9 to 5 could’ve addressed more diverse issues involving race and queer identity, it may have aided its defense as being a work of feminist film.

While 9 to 5 does have the common themes of sisterhood and oppression under a patriarchal force, the film cannot be read as a feminist film due to the lack of strength and development in the characters without the influence of men. If we were able to create this film in present-day 2021, hopefully, there would be a lot more attention on minority-related issues tackled within the film, including the lack of diversity in the workplace.

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References

Dargis, M., Scott, A.O. (2020, June 18). Punching the Clock (and the Boss) With Dolly, Lily and Jane. The New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2021 from https://d2l.pdx.edu/d2l/le/content/879075/viewContent/5864419/View

Franklin, D. (2020, November 29). Dreams he’ll never take away: The shaky feminism of ‘9 to 5’. Film Daily. Retrieved October 19, 2021 from https://filmdaily.co/obsessions/the-shaky-feminism-of-9-to-5/

Murtha, T. (2015, December 18). Why ‘9 to 5’ Is Still Radical Today. Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 19, 2021 from https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/9-to-5-turns-35-and-its-still-radical-today-50499/

Read, B. (2017, September 25). Does 9 to 5 Hold Up as a Feminist Classic? Vogue. Retrieved October 19, 2021 from ​​https://www.vogue.com/article/9-to-5-feminist-classic

Ryu, J. (2020, December 21). '9 to 5' turns 40: The feel-good 1980 comedy covers a depressing reality even in 2020. USA Today. Retrieved October 19, 2021 from https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/12/19/9-to-5-turns-40-themes-sexism-misogyny-more-relatable-than-ever/3899106001/