Independent Films, Film Profiles

The Secret of My Succe$s
by Herbert_Ross

The Secret of My Succe$s (also written The Secret of My Success) is a 1987 comedy film starring Michael J. Fox, produced and directed by the late Herbert Ross (Footloose). The screenplay is written by Jim Cash, who previously co-scripted Top Gun.Brantley Foster (Michael J. Fox) is a recent graduate of Kansas State University who moves to New York City where he has landed a job as a financier. Upon arriving, he discovers that the company for which he's supposed to work has been taken over by a rival corporation. As a result, Brantley is laid off before he even starts working.After several unsuccessful attempts to get another job, mostly because he's overqualified and has little experience, Brantley ends up working in the mailroom of Pemrose Incorporated, which is directed by his uncle, Howard Prescott (Richard Jordan). Pemrose was founded by Prescott's father-in-law; Howard received presidency of the company by marrying his boss's daughter, Vera Pemrose (Margaret Whitton).Upon inspecting company reports, Brantley realizes that Prescott and most of his fellow "suits" (executives) are making ineffective and/or non-beneficial decisions. After Brantley notices an empty office in the building, due to one of Howard's frequent firings, he assumes the identity of Carlton Whitfield, a new executive.While handling two jobs (switching between casual wear and business suits by stripping in the elevator), Brantley also falls head-over-heels for Christy Wills (Helen Slater), a fellow financial wizard who recently graduated from Harvard. At the same time, his Aunt Vera keeps hitting on him since they're not related by blood (Brantley's mother's cousin, before she was bit by a dog and died, was married to Howard Prescott's half-sister's nephew.) Brantley meets Vera after driving her home in a company limo not realizing it's her then after offering her a compliment he nervously drives her home. After arriving at her mansion and seducing Brantley, Howard Prescott come home to meet Vera. Brantley and Vera finally realize that they are related. Brantely then gets changed as fast as he can and leaves the mansion.Prescott, without Brantley's knowledge, is having an affair with Christy. When Howard asks her to spy on Carlton Whitfield, Christy falls head-over-heels for Carlton, not knowing he is actually Brantley. The Pemrose Corporation is preparing to merge with the infamous Davenport Corporation. Prescott, unaware that Whitfield and Brantley are one and the same person, suspects Carlton is a spy for uber-liquidator Donald Davenport (Fred Gwynne).In the end, Brantley and Vera raise enough cash, bonds, and stocks to wrest ownership of the Pemrose Corporation from Prescott, and to buy out the Davenport Corporation as well. Vera, already contemptuous of Howard for his counter-productive business practices, which were driving her father's empire into the ground, learns that Prescott has been cheating on her to boot. She promptly replaces him with Brantley. While security guards escort Howard and his aide, Art Thomas (Gerry Bamman), from the Pemrose Building, Brantley and Christy start planning their future together, personal as well as professional.