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The Secret of My Success

Name: The Secret of My Success
Director: Herbert Ross
Released: 1987
Duration: 111 min

Representation Score

2.3/10

Limited

1987

PG-13

Director

Herbert Ross

Runtime

111 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film presents a narrow demographic landscape, reflecting the homogeneous corporate culture of 1980s Manhattan. It lacks representation for LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities, while racial diversity remains minimal in positions of power. Despite these demographic gaps, the film succeeds in its cultural critique. It deconstructs the idea of meritocracy by showing how systemic manipulation and moral relativism drive success within a corrupt corporate hierarchy. Ultimately, the work functions more as a cynical satire of Western institutions than a diverse ensemble piece, prioritizing a critique of capitalism over social representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Secret of My Success have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight identities. The romantic subplot centers around a traditional heterosexual relationship.

How does The Secret of My Success portray gender?

Fair

Women hold professional corporate roles, offering a modest baseline of inclusion for the time. However, the story upholds traditional gender hierarchies and follows conventional romantic clichés.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Secret of My Success?

Limited

The Manhattan corporate setting is predominantly white and Anglo-Saxon. There is a noticeable lack of characters of color in positions where they play significant roles.

How does The Secret of My Success represent religion and culture?

Good

The film provides a nuanced critique of Western capitalist institutions. It depicts the pursuit of status through deceit and the manipulation of authority.

Does The Secret of My Success include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any visible or invisible disabilities. None of the characters have arcs centered around neurodivergence or physical impairment.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of Western capitalist institutions and corporate ethics.
Challenges the traditional hero's journey by replacing merit-based achievement with systemic manipulation.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and non-straight characters.
Fails to include characters of color in positions of ability to act or influence.
Does not portray characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
Maintains traditional gender hierarchies and conventional romantic clichés.

Official Synopsis

Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York City, but once there, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When he visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the mail room.

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