The Rewatchables: ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson

Published 2025-06-10; 2:17:20 by the feed.

As extracted (engineer-sonnet-2026-10-13)

The extraction calls the show “The Rewatchables (The Ringer)” and the episode “'Working Girl' With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson”.

Hosts: Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Joanna Robinson. Guests: Craig (producer; surname not given).

Subject films: Working Girl (1988).

On the transcript: Auto-transcribed, no speaker labels, heavy crosstalk and some garbled names; speaker attributions are low-confidence guesses from context. Craig (a producer) speaks in the last half; Mallory Rubin and Chris Ryan are mentioned but absent.

Awards and segments (121)

Double feature

pick Baby Boom: Part of a triple feature of workplace-women comedies of the same era.
“I have a triple feature. I think this baby boom and broadcast news are like a very fun, you know, I have baby boom and broadcast news, but also morning glory.”
unknown · 2:04:42
pick Broadcast News: Part of the same triple feature of workplace-women comedies.
“I have a triple feature. I think this baby boom and broadcast news are like a very fun, you know, I have baby boom and broadcast news, but also morning glory.”
unknown · 2:04:42
pick Morning Glory: The modern third leg of the triple feature, with Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford.
“I have baby boom and broadcast news, but also morning glory.”
unknown · 2:04:43
pick Pretty Woman: Back to back it makes a double Cinderella night, and you can watch for everything Pretty Woman took from Working Girl.
“You could talk me in a working girl with Pretty Woman back to back. 1988, 1990 kind.”
unknown · 2:05:02
pick Witness: A double dose of hot Harrison Ford.
“There's also Witness as just double hot Harrison Ford.”
unknown · 2:05:13
pick The Devil Wears Prada: Another film that borrows more subtly from Working Girl, from a different era.
“Well, I think that there's a Devil Wears Prada cases.”
unknown · 2:05:16
pick Baby Boom: His number one of the options offered, because it is less seen and can be sold with Diane Keaton starting a baby food empire.
“If I were to pick from any of these great options. I think my number one would be Baby Boom because it's not as seen.”
Bill Simmons · 2:05:28

Most rewatchable scene

pick The opening credits: the Carly Simon song, the Statue of Liberty, New York, the Staten Island Ferry.
“Opening credits? I'm just throwing it out. Absolutely.”
Bill Simmons · 0:51:20
pick Bob from Arbitrage in the limo with Tess, the Kevin Spacey scene.
“Next one I have is Bob from Arbitrage in the limo with Tess.”
unknown · 0:52:12
pick Tess in Catherine's office: the German phone call and "I really don't think that's a variable."
“Uh, Tess and Sigourney's office.”
unknown · 0:52:56
pick Tess goes to the bar and meets Jack (Harrison Ford).
“So you got that, uh, test goes to the bar. I meet Harrison Ford. That's mean, obviously. That's my number one.”
unknown · 0:53:57
pick Nick and Tess fight at the party ("who died and made you Grace Kelly?").
“I don't maybe I might be alone on this for rewatchable scene, but I like the party when Nick and Tess get in the fight after.”
unknown · 0:55:53
pick The luau wedding party.
“Uh, I really love every single moment of the luau wedding party.”
unknown · 0:56:45
pick Jack changing his shirt at the office after Memphis while the women in the office cheer.
“When after he's come back from Memphis, and he's at the office, and he's on the phone, and so he's doing like the like gym class changed the shirt while the phone thing, you know?”
unknown · 0:58:28
pick The post-sex bed talk where Jack tells Tess where he got his scar.
“A couple more Jack telling her where he got his scar when you guys talked about that scene earlier.”
unknown · 0:58:19
pick Jack visits Catherine while Tess hides in the apartment.
“Jack visits Catherine with Tess hiding in the apartment.”
unknown · 0:59:30
pick The boardroom showdown.
“Um, the boardroom showdown, got that, the elevator showdown.”
unknown · 0:59:39
pick The elevator showdown.
“Um, the boardroom showdown, got that, the elevator showdown.”
unknown · 0:59:39
pick Tess meets her new assistant at the end ("I expect you to call me Tess").
“Yeah. And then, uh, I really like when she meets the new assistant at the end.”
unknown · 0:59:42
pick After the bar, Tess passes out from the Valium and Jack props her in a chair and offers her tea, a whole solo date.
“And then she passes out from the valium and he takes her home and props her up in the chair and then is doing like a whole solo date with her.”
unknown · 1:00:37
pick The farce of Tess pretending to be the boss with Joan Cusack pretending to be her secretary.
“I would like to add the farce of... Melanie Griffith pretending to be the boss, Joan Cusack pretending to be her secretary.”
unknown · 1:02:12
pick The elevator scene at the end.
“No, I picked the elevator at the end.”
Amanda Dobbins · 1:02:55
runner-up The opening, torn with the wedding and the elevators.
“I mean, I'm the opening, I think it's, I think the opening.”
Amanda Dobbins · 1:02:26
pick The meet cute at the bar.
“Uh, the meet cute at the bar.”
Joanna Robinson · 1:02:58

Ebert review · Reading Roger Ebert's review of the film.

pick Working Girl: Four stars.
“The plot of working girl is put together like clockwork, carries you along while you're watching it, but reconstruct it later and you'll see the craftsmanship.”
Bill Simmons · 0:50:16

Hottest Take · A hot take about the movie or its world.

pick Harrison Ford as Jack Trainor: Argues this is the hottest Harrison Ford has ever been, over Witness, in honor of Mallory Rubin.
“This is my hottest take. In honor of Mallory Rubin.”
Amanda Dobbins · 0:30:39
pick Working Girl: Working Girl should have won best picture over Rain Man.
“I had this should have won best picture of Rayman.”
Joanna Robinson · 1:27:25
pick I'm So Excited (The Pointer Sisters): Claims it is secretly the most important pop culture song of all time, after a run through movies, TV, and the NBA.
“The pointer sisters, I'm so excited. is secretly the most important pop culture song of all time.”
Bill Simmons · 1:27:40
pick Jack Trainor: A pseudo hot take: Jack comes on creepy in the first scenes, then softens by midway.
“I think he's a little creepy in the beginning of this film, and I know that everyone's in on it, and I like Harrison Ford.”
Craig Horlbeck · 1:41:58

Casting what-ifs · Who else was or could have been cast.

pick Michelle Pfeiffer as Tess: Too beautiful; you couldn't watch her bloom because she is already bloomed.
“Yeah, you know, casting what ifs, but Michelle Pfeiffer.”
unknown · 0:16:07
pick Alec Baldwin as Jack Trainor: Told as a story that Baldwin was given Ford's part first and then bumped down when Ford wanted it.
“They then give the role to Alec Baldwin. And then he goes, actually, I want the movie. then they bump Alec Baldwin down.”
unknown · 0:32:46
pick Demi Moore as Tess: Once attached under director Jim Bridges; the hosts can see it via her St. Elmo's Fire Jules.
“At one point, this movie was supposed to be directed by Jim Bridges, starring Demi Moore.”
unknown · 1:29:03
pick Molly Ringwald as Tess: Auditioned but judged too young.
“Molly Ringwald, apparently edition was deemed too young.”
unknown · 1:30:16
pick Madonna as Tess: Among those they thought about; they auditioned everybody.
“I mean, they auditioned everybody, including they thought about Michelle Pfeiffer and Madonna.”
unknown · 1:30:18
pick Shelley Long as Tess: The Fox head (named as Scott Ruden in the transcript) pushed for her.
“Scott Ruden was running Fox, which I don't think I knew and was really pushing for Shelley Long, who was red hot on shares.”
unknown · 1:30:23
pick Lorraine Bracco as Tess: She wrote in her memoir that she nailed the audition and didn't get the part.
“Lorraine Brocco wrote in her memoir that she thought she nailed the edition and didn't get it.”
unknown · 1:30:31
pick Melanie Griffith as Muriel: She was weighing the Accidental Tourist part (Muriel) against Working Girl and was told Working Girl would make her a star.
“Tells Melanie Griffith, whoever plays Muriel and accidental tourists could win the academy reward and whoever does working girl will be a star.”
unknown · 1:31:13
pick Whoopi Goldberg as Tess: Considered because Nichols had directed her stand-up show.
“would be Goldberg, was the one they were considering because Nichols did her, like, stand-up, uh, show, Goldie Hawn.”
unknown · 1:32:11
pick Goldie Hawn as Tess: Dismissed as too old by then.
“Goldie Hawn.”
unknown · 1:32:11
pick Meg Ryan as Tess: Doubtful she could pull off the accent, the baggage, or the sex appeal.
“Meg Ryan, maybe. I don't know if she could have pulled off the accent and the baggage part.”
unknown · 1:32:39
pick Cher as Tess: Too famous and too much of a presence to buy as Tess.
“She brings too much share.”
unknown · 1:33:03
pick Marisa Tomei as Doreen DiMucci: Floated as a young unknown, or a famous actress, in the Doreen part.
“Could we have gotten, could we have snuck, uh, like a young Marissa Tome in that part or could we have like an actual famous actress?”
unknown · 1:35:23
pick Mira Sorvino as Doreen DiMucci: Floated as a famous actress in the Doreen part.
“Yeah, Mira Sarino?”
unknown · 1:35:30

Best That Guy · The best "that guy" or "that gal" in the cast.

nominee Oliver Platt: Counts under Craig's rule that no one under 35 knows who he is, but is not the winner.
“Oliver Platt counts, according to Craig's rule, that just because we call him Oliver Platt, that doesn't mean anyone under 35 knows who Oliver Platt is.”
Bill Simmons · 1:33:33
nominee The bad guy from Beverly Hills Cop 3 (name not given): He doesn't know the actor's name, only "hey, it's the bad guy."
“It's either the bad guy from Beverly Hills Cop 3, who's one of the 2 people Trash.”
Bill Simmons · 1:33:43
nominee The actor from the evil law firm in Philadelphia (name not given): He can't even remember what part the actor plays in Working Girl, which he says makes him nearly the winner.
“That guy? So I almost feel like that makes him the winner because I don't even remember what party playing in this movie.”
Bill Simmons · 1:34:11
nominee Caroline Aaron: Identified as Dr. Marcia Fieldstone in Sleepless in Seattle and the mom on Mrs. Maisel.
“What about Caroline Aaron who plays Dr. Marcia Fieldstone in Sleepless in Seattle and is also the mom on the Marvelous Mrs. Maze?”
unknown · 1:34:19

Dion Waiters Award · A small role with a big impact.

nominee Joan Cusack: Eligibility questioned because she has more screen time than a typical pick, but called a classic Dion Waiters.
“I mean, Joan Cusack would be a classic Dion Waiters.”
unknown · 1:34:38
nominee Olympia Dukakis: One scene, the year after winning the Oscar.
“What about Olympia Ducaki?”
unknown · 1:34:45
nominee Robert Easton as Armister: The Colonel Sanders beard and accent man with one scene.
“Robert Easton, who plays Armister, who is the like, who is the guy in the deal with the like, Colonel Sanders beard and accent.”
unknown · 1:34:52
winner Nora Dunn: Frightening and very good at that specific kind of part.
“The member. I think the answer is probably Nora Dunn.”
unknown · 1:35:05

Most 1988 thing · The most 1988 thing about the movie.

winner The hair: The hair, and the eyeshadow and makeup; Bill agrees the hair is the answer.
“The eyeshadow? The hair.”
unknown · 1:03:13
nominee Shoulder pads showing through a translucent blouse
“The shoulder, when she's, when they have sex and they're undressing each other in his apartment and she's got like a translucent blouse on, but you can see the shoulder pads through the translucent bath.”
unknown · 1:03:23
nominee The powder blue ruffle tux look
“What about the powder blue ruffle tux, uh, look?”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:39
nominee The Twin Towers in the skyline
“The Twin Towers, sadly.”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:45
nominee Multiple women calling themselves secretary
“Uh, multiple women calling themselves secretary?”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:49
nominee Lark cigarettes
“Lark cigarettes?”
Bill Simmons · 1:04:00
winner Catherine's wooden exercise bike: His number one, other than the hair.
“But my number one other than the hair is Catherine's exercise bike.”
Bill Simmons · 1:04:15

What aged best · What has aged best in the movie.

pick Let the River Run (the song and the score): Described as rom-com gospel that should have failed but works.
“Let the river run. The song and the score.”
unknown · 1:06:31
pick Jack Trainor, the supportive work husband
“Supportive work husband Jack Trainor.”
unknown · 1:07:18
pick The round table meeting near the end: Reminds the speaker of The Ringer's own giant roundtable podcast.
“And I really love the round table that they have near the end of the movie.”
unknown · 1:08:10
pick Jack's gold tequila order: Tequila was a dangerous order in the 80s and is a go-to now.
“Jack's tequila gold order.”
unknown · 1:08:23
pick Harrison Ford as Jack Trainor: His suits, ties, overcoat, and scarf could be worn today, and the clothes fit.
“This will be my Harrison Ford contribution to whatever. Great clothes in this movie by him.”
unknown · 1:09:08
pick Tess, the hot mess, stealth smart, baby voice archetype: A character type the speaker is always in for.
“The Melanie Griffith, hot mess, stealth smart, baby voice archetype.”
unknown · 1:10:11
pick The line "never burn bridges, today's junior prick, tomorrow's senior partner"
“What stage the best, this quote, never burn bridges. Today's junior prick tomorrow's senior partner?”
unknown · 1:13:01

Big Kahuna Burger Award · Best use of food or drink in the film.

nominee Champagne with Spacey in the limo
“give you champagne on Spacey or the dim sum dumplings.”
Bill Simmons · 1:13:24
nominee The dim sum dumplings
“give you champagne on Spacey or the dim sum dumplings.”
Bill Simmons · 1:13:24
nominee Tequila shots
“Tequila shots, wedding drinks.”
unknown · 1:13:33
winner The luau wedding drinks
“wedding or the other one with hairs and for the wedding.”
unknown · 1:13:38

Best shot · The best shot in the film.

pick The opening credits
“the opening credits, right?”
unknown · 1:13:44
pick Tess's last shot: Said to add a lot of ideas to what you are meant to take from the movie.
“I was going to say the last shot.”
unknown · 1:13:45
pick Tess on the ferry in fog, then the helicopter shot into the night skyline
“I would say there's a after Baldwin cheats on her.”
unknown · 1:14:11

Best needle drop · The best use of a song in the film (Let the River Run not eligible).

nominee I'm So Excited (The Pointer Sisters)
“or the pointer sisters without so excited.”
Bill Simmons · 1:14:36
winner Lady in Red: Bill first put it up; the others agree it is definitely the pick, and note how long the movie milks the intro.
“Obviously, lady. It's definitely Lady in Red.”
unknown · 1:14:41

Best character name · The best character name in the film.

winner Doreen DiMucci
“Can I submit Doreen DiMucci?”
unknown · 1:15:43
nominee Trask
“Or Cask is a good runner-up.”
unknown · 1:15:48

The Amanda Dobbins Award for best piece of real estate · The best piece of real estate in the film.

nominee The townhouse: Beautiful, but the exterior shots put it on a busy avenue.
“So you would think that I would go for the townhouse and it is a beautiful townhouse.”
Amanda Dobbins · 1:16:01
winner Catherine Parker's corner office with the harbor view: Full harbor, Governor's Island, and the Statue of Liberty.
“The office. Catherine Parker's office with that with the view.”
Amanda Dobbins · 1:16:16

Vincent Chase Award · Are we sure this character was actually good at their job?

winner Every character in the movie except Tess: Cites Jack with no idea in ten years, Catherine on a ski vacation, Trask and the others, and Arbitrage.
“Which goes to literally every single person in this movie besides Tess.”
Amanda Dobbins · 1:16:51

Tom Cruise Which End Do I Light Award · Terrible onscreen smoking.

winner Sigourney Weaver as Catherine Parker: Never actually puts the cigarette in her mouth in her one smoking scene.
“goes to Sigourney in the office, doesn't actually put the cigarette in her mouth.”
unknown · 1:18:39

Butch's Girlfriend Award · The weak link of the film.

pick Doreen DiMucci: Her fake crying when caught is not believable.
“I mean, Doreen. Doreen DiMucci just having sex without Baldwin showing up at the party.”
unknown · 1:19:26
pick The premise: Tess pulling off the merger: Calls it 9.6 out of 10 on the no-way scale; the others defend absurd premises (Die Hard, Pretty Woman).
“This is an absolutely absurd premise for a movie.”
unknown · 1:20:10

What aged worst · What has aged worst in the movie.

pick Catherine's broken leg: she could do the job remotely in 2025
“You'd still be able to do your job in 2025 with a broken leg.”
unknown · 1:22:24
pick Everyone's hair except Harrison Ford
“I have just about everyone's hair except Harrison Ford.”
unknown · 1:23:00
pick How women were treated in the workplace
“How women were treated in the workplace is not age well.”
unknown · 1:23:06
pick Someone reading Motor Trend in bed
“Someone reading motor trend magazine in bed?”
unknown · 1:23:10
pick Sleeping together before you close the deal
“you know, Joe alluded to some of this, but sleeping together before you close the deal.”
unknown · 1:24:58
pick Plot built on the dictaphone and the day planner: Records that come back to bite everyone, which would not happen with phones and the cloud.
“The other the other thing I have is just like the concept of like, of, of, of making records of things, like whether the dictaphone or the day planner.”
unknown · 1:25:33
pick Jack taking Tess's dress off when she's passed out
“I really think he could have just left her dress on.”
unknown · 1:25:59

Vincent Hanna Award · Best overacting.

winner Kevin Spacey as Bob
“The Ruffalo Hannah Reuben approach is overacting word, clearly Kevin Space.”
Bill Simmons · 1:26:10

Jamie Lee Curtis Unnecessary Nudity Award · Nudity the movie didn't need, a flex category.

nominee Tess vacuuming topless: Contemplated and passed over; said to have been Melanie Griffith's own idea.
“Okay, I contemplated... The Jamie Lee Curtis unnecessary nudity award for the topless vacuuming, but it's such a...”
Joanna Robinson · 1:26:19

Okay, motherfucker moment (Joanna's flex) · The exact moment the movie goes up a notch.

winner Harrison Ford's entrance, 36 minutes 4 seconds in: His lopsided smile at Tess's legs.
“But I am going to get, actually, my actual word is the, uh, okay, motherfucker, exact moment when the movie goes up a notch and it's at 36 minutes and 4 seconds when Harrison Ford aims his lopsided smile at Melly Griffith's legs and enters the story.”
Joanna Robinson · 1:26:56

Apex Mountain · Whether this was the peak of a person's or thing's career.

winner Melanie Griffith as Tess: Her career goes downhill quickly after this.
“I going to say yes for Melanie Griffith.”
unknown · 1:37:04
nominee Harrison Ford
“I mean, me too, but, you know. Harrison Ford, no.”
unknown · 1:37:23
nominee Sigourney Weaver: Argues she never had more juice than in 1988, two years after Aliens and just before Ghostbusters 2.
“I think there's a Sigourney Weaver case.”
unknown · 1:37:28
nominee Mike Nichols: The group lands on The Graduate as his peak, not this film.
“Mike Nichols Apex Mountain? No. No. Graduate?”
unknown · 1:39:52
nominee Carly Simon: Her peak was the 70s with You're So Vain.
“Carly Simon, I'm going to say no.”
unknown · 1:40:04
winner The Staten Island Ferry
“It is, it is totally the Apex Mountain for Christmas. 100%.”
unknown · 1:40:27

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a film they love.

pick Tess says I love you within four days
“As always, the timelines are an issue here because they say I love you within 4 days.”
unknown · 1:42:32
pick Tess wears all white to the wedding
“Um, Tess wears all white to the wedding.”
unknown · 1:44:17
pick No one wonders why Tess is in the boss's office with the door closed
“I have, why didn't anyone wonder why Tesla was in her boss's office so much as number one?”
unknown · 1:44:59
pick Catherine's broken leg heals in three weeks
“Um, what kind of broken leg did Sigourney have where she's good in 3 weeks?”
unknown · 1:45:22
pick Catherine still goes on the trip after her boyfriend bails
“I guess, but do you not think it's weird that she was expecting Catherine was expecting to be proposed to on this trip?”
unknown · 1:47:26
pick Alec Baldwin sleeping with Doreen DiMucci: Calls it his biggest nitpick; he doesn't understand the scene.
“I don't understand the Alec Baldwin having sex with Dominic DiNucci, whatever her name was.”
unknown · 1:48:31

Sequel, prequel, prestige TV · Whether a sequel, prequel, or TV show should be made.

pick Working Girl: Untouchable; he notes there was a TV show anyway.
“Sequel, prequel, prestige, TV, all black cast are untouchable.”
Bill Simmons · 1:51:07

Oscar pick · Who should have won or been nominated.

winner Joan Cusack: Argues she doesn't get enough respect as the supporting actress pick.
“So I really don't think putting enough respect on Joan Cue second supporting.”
unknown · 1:51:50
nominee Susan Sarandon: Offered as someone for the nomination spots, for Bull Durham.
“Like, is Susan Saran and Bull Durham, like have, like...”
unknown · 1:52:30
nominee Melanie Griffith as Tess: Open to her winning, but leans toward another pick.
“Melanie Griffith.”
unknown · 1:52:39

Unanswerable questions · Questions the movie leaves unanswered.

pick What do the lyrics of Let the River Run mean?: Which river? The group jokes it's the Hudson and the lyrics were written on cocaine at 5 a.m.
“What do the lyrics of Let the River Run mean?”
unknown · 1:52:56
pick How did Jack and Catherine go from sex to a corporate arrangement?
“Okay, it's not what did Jack ever see in Catherine Parker? Because it's Sigourney Weaver, but how did that ever progress beyond just like we have sex a couple times into... corporate arrangement.”
Joanna Robinson · 1:54:00
pick Do dim sum dumplings work at an office party?: Concludes they can, but not hot piping-hot ones; the party food talk goes on to pigs in a blanket.
“Um, Dim some dumplings at an office party.”
Bill Simmons · 1:55:24
pick Does Harrison Ford ever actually have sex in movies?: The group lands on Presumed Innocent as the only one.
“Does Harrison Ford ever actually have sex in movies?”
Bill Simmons · 1:57:53
pick Are we sure Tess isn't the villain?: The others (Craig, Joanna, Amanda) disagree; Bill defends Catherine in a chat about Cobra Kai flips.
“Are we sure Tess isn't the villain of this movie?”
Bill Simmons · 1:59:14

Memorabilia · A prop or piece of memorabilia they'd want (or not want) from the movie.

pick The Sigourney Warhols
“The Sigourney Warhols.”
unknown · 2:03:27
pick Tess's dress from the party: $6,000 in the movie, estimated around $16,000 today.
“I want the dress.”
unknown · 2:03:31
pick The bunny Tess brings to the office
“The bunny she brings to the office?”
unknown · 2:03:47
pick Catherine's gorilla
“Catherine's gorilla?”
unknown · 2:03:55
pick The two tall luau wedding glasses with straws
“What about the 2 tall Harrison Ford Luau wedding glasses with the straws, movie used glasses.”
unknown · 2:04:07

Coach Finstock Award · The best life lesson in the film.

winner You don't get anywhere by waiting for what you want to come to you; make it happen
“You don't get anywhere in this world by waiting for what you want to come to.”
unknown · 2:04:22
nominee Check the milligrams: The Valium lesson.
“Uh, check the milligrams.”
unknown · 2:04:30

Who won the movie · Who came out on top in the film.

winner Melanie Griffith as Tess: Backed by Ebert's line that it is her movie like The Graduate belonged to Dustin Hoffman.
“Roger Ebert, our guy, wrote, this is Melanie Griffith's movie in the same way the graduate belonged to Dustin Hoffman.”
Bill Simmons · 2:06:15

Films that came up

Claims (93)

theme (theme): Working Girl → Younger. The pretending-to-be-someone-else-at-work premise is like the TV show Younger.
“Oh, well, that's like the TV show Younger, essentially.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:08:19 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Working Girl → Pretty Woman. Pretty Woman borrows openly from Working Girl's Cinderella story.
“It openly steal shit from this movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:08:48 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Baby Boom. One of the late-80s female-empowerment workplace comedies the 1980s produced alongside Working Girl.
“the female empowerment workplace comedy stuff that is like, for the 80s, because you have baby boom here, too.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:08:50 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Broadcast News. Grouped with Working Girl as part of the era of the professional woman on screen.
“broadcast news in like a slightly different way.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:08:59 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → Fatal Attraction. Fatal Attraction is the reverse: the professional woman pays for it with the home she lacks.
“Fatal attraction is also like the reverse of it, right?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:09:07 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Nine to Five. One of the few 80s movies with the same workplace-sexism theme.
“Nine to five.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:11:19 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Harrison Ford → Raiders of the Lost Ark. It may have been a big deal that Indiana Jones was doing a romantic comedy; this is his first rom-com.
“I wonder if it was a big deal that Indiana Jones was doing sort of like a romantic comedy.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:12:02 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Melanie Griffith → Meryl Streep. Griffith plays the lead by receding, not raising her voice, like Streep in Prada.
“And they're, and they recede a little and they don't always raise the voice, Meryl Streep and Deborah, where's Prada being the other one?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:13:14 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Working Girl → The Devil Wears Prada. Working Girl sprinkled its DNA over later beloved movies, Pretty Woman and Devil Wears Prada chief among them.
“And it's just sprinkling DNA over all these beloved movies over the next 40 years, but those were Pretty Woman and Devil wears Prada were the 2 that I was like, oh, yeah.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:13:35 · Joanna Robinson (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Melanie Griffith → Jodie Foster. Comparing the two Best Actress performances, Griffith's might be the harder one.
“I actually think this one might be harder in some ways.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:15:34 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Melanie Griffith → Michelle Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer was too beautiful already; you could not watch her bloom.
“You couldn't, you couldn't like watch her bloom into something because she's pre-bloomed.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:16:15 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Michelle Pfeiffer → Married to the Mob. Pfeiffer in Married to the Mob or Baker Boys shows the kind of character she could have played.
“I can almost see it with Michelle Pfeiffer with, like, married to the mob or the fabulous Baker Boys”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:16:48 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Melanie Griffith → Pacific Heights. Speakers call Pacific Heights near her peak; Bill likes it.
“Although, if you look at our IMDb, this is probably the peak in Pacific Heights.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:20:51 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Don Johnson → Miami Vice. Don Johnson reconciled with Griffith in the Miami Vice ponytail year; his hitman amnesia arc.
“But Don Johnson is on Miami Vice.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:21:22 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Melanie Griffith → Night Moves. Griffith appears nude as a young teenager in Night Moves with Gene Hackman.
“she was in night moves with Gene Hackman.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:21:57 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Melanie Griffith → The Drowning Pool. Griffith plays a 15-year-old seductress opposite Paul Newman.
“I saw a drowning pool recently for the 1st time with Paul Newman, where she's like a 15 year old seductress.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:22:22 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Melanie Griffith → One on One. Griffith plays a hitchhiker who steals from Robbie Benson.
“She's also, she plays a hitchhiker in the Robbie Benson basketball classic one-on-one movie I've seen over a 100 times.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:22:38 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
career (career): Melanie Griffith → Body Double. Body Double was the first time a real director saw something more in Griffith.
“That's the 1st time, like a real director is like, no, no, there's something more here.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:23:03 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Melanie Griffith → Julia Roberts. Roberts would not have been as comfortable getting dressed on screen.
“I don't know if a lot of, like, Julia Roberts, I don't think would have been, oh, I'm just going to get dressed in 3 different scenes.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:23:46 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Sigourney Weaver → Gorillas in the Mist. Her mid-80s run: Ghostbusters, Aliens, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, Ghostbusters II, all in a row.
“Ghostbusters, aliens, gorillas in the mist, working girl, Ghostbusters, two, basically all in a row.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:24:43 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Kathleen Turner → Working Girl. Putting Kathleen Turner in the Katharine Parker role in the mid-80s.
“Like if you put Kathleen Turner in this role in the mid 80s.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:26:12 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Sigourney Weaver → Alien. Both the Working Girl role and the Alien role were originally written for a man.
“the screenwriter said that her role was originally written as a man, which is true for her role in alien as well.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:27:04 · Joanna Robinson (0.60 sure it was them)
career (career): Sigourney Weaver → Dave. Weaver's Dave is a favorite of hers besides Alien and Aliens, and a mirror image of her Working Girl character.
“I think that's my favorite Sigourney Weaver other than alien and aliens.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:28:10 · Amanda Dobbins (0.60 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Sigourney Weaver → Alien Resurrection. Her height is why the basket shot in Alien Resurrection is believable.
“this is why it's believable when she lands that basket, an alien resurrection.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:30:00 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Harrison Ford → Witness. Mallory Rubin thinks Witness is the most attractive Ford has ever been.
“Her, she thinks the most attractive Harrison Ford has ever been is in Witness canonically.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:30:32 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Harrison Ford → Jimmy Stewart. Ford's goofy, open side in this movie has a little Jimmy Stewart in it.
“There's like almost little Jimmy Stewart in him”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:32:03 · Joanna Robinson (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Harrison Ford → Alec Baldwin. Reportedly Baldwin was given Jack's part, then Ford decided he wanted the movie and Baldwin was bumped down.
“They then give the role to Alec Baldwin.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:32:46 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Mike Nichols → Alec Baldwin. Nichols wanted Baldwin for Jack, but the studio said Griffith and Baldwin were not enough names.
“that Nichols did want Baldwin, and then the studio was like, Melanie Griffith and Alec Gildwin, Baldwin aren't enough names.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:33:04 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Harrison Ford → Blade Runner. Ford's 80s run: two Raiders movies, two Star Wars, Blade Runner, Witness, Mosquito Coast, Frantic, then this.
“Blade Runner, Witness, Mosquito Coast, frantic.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:34:52 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Harrison Ford → Regarding Henry. The recurring Regarding Henry bit; one speaker defends it and says Ford goes new places and is sweet.
“He is like he goes some new places, you know?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:35:34 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Harrison Ford → Tom Hanks. Ford has a higher Q rating than even Tom Hanks.
“a higher Q rating than even like a Tom Hanks genuinely.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:36:18 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
career (career): Mike Nichols → Silkwood. His 83-89 run: Silkwood, Heartburn, Biloxi Blues, Working Girl, Postcards from the Edge, then Regarding Henry.
“his run in the 80s, just from 83 to 89 was Sokwood, Harburn, Bilaxi Blues, working girl, postcards from the Edge, and then regarding Henry 91”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:38:05 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Mike Nichols → Elaine May. He began as a comedian in Nichols and May, then theater, then film with Virginia Woolf and The Graduate.
“famously a comedian, part of, um, Nichols and May.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:38:26 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Mike Nichols → Working Girl. Theater background makes him good at believable people talking.
“because he has so much theater work, he's just, he's like really good at people talking and characters and people being believable”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:38:47 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Mike Nichols → Working Girl. His movies are about ordinary people trying to get something in life, people you recognize.
“Mike Nichols types of movies where people are just trying to get something in life and being people and they are people that you recognize.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:39:06 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Mike Nichols → Diane Sawyer. He met the love of his life Diane Sawyer while making this love story.
“this is when he gets together with Diane Sawyer, who, you know, he considers the love of his life.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:39:18 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Mike Nichols → Nora Ephron. A New York power circle of creative friends: Nichols, Ephron, Sawyer, Gray Carter, Lorne Michaels.
“friends with Nora Efron, Mary Diane Sawyer, like has a house in Connecticut”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:39:48 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Mike Nichols → Working Girl. Tess the outsider reaching for the finer things relates to Nichols, a German immigrant.
“the biography pointed out like, the test character is relates to him.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:40:10 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Mike Nichols → Regarding Henry. In the 90s Nichols took money-grab projects, but Regarding Henry is called a masterpiece.
“But also the masterpiece regarding Henry, so.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:41:28 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
people (people): Mike Nichols → Meryl Streep. Nichols worked with Streep three times and wrote strong women.
“works with Meryl Streep 3 times.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:42:27 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Carly Simon → Philadelphia. Only Let the River Run and Springsteen's Philadelphia song took the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe.
“Only this and Bruce Springsteen's Philadelphia.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:43:57 · Joanna Robinson (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Carly Simon → Gilmore Girls. The humming of Let the River Run feels like Gilmore Girls (Carole King vibe).
“the way that she hums throughout the movie is very Gilmore Girls to me.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:44:27 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Carly Simon → Working Girl. Carly Simon first wrote several songs that narrated the plot, which were cut in favor of 'Let the River Run'.
“originally she wrote a bunch of songs for this movie and they were all very explicitly telling you what was happening in the plot.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:44:54 · Joanna Robinson (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Working Girl → Rain Man. The speakers would give Best Picture to Working Girl over Rain Man.
“but I would give it to working girl over Rain Man.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:45:13 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Working Girl → Dangerous Liaisons. One speaker would give Best Picture to Dangerous Liaisons; Glenn Close is incredible in it.
“Glenn Close is in there for dangerous liasets, which is a fucking incredible performance.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:46:06 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): John Malkovich → Dangerous Liaisons. Malkovich going un-nominated for Dangerous Liaisons is the Oscar year's worst snub.
“What the fuck are we doing?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:48:31 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → Die Hard. Die Hard would not be nominated the way Working Girl was with six Oscar nominations.
“Die Hard's not going to get nominated for something, but working girl is such an improbable.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:48:40 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Roger Ebert → Working Girl. Ebert gave Working Girl four stars and praised its clockwork craftsmanship.
“The plot of working girl is put together like clockwork, carries you along while you're watching it, but reconstruct it later and you'll see the craftsmanship.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:50:16 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Roger Ebert → Biloxi Blues. Ebert said Working Girl was Nichols returning to the top of his form; the panel notes they did not like Biloxi Blues much.
“Working girl is Nichols returning to the top of his form.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:50:29 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Melanie Griffith → Dakota Johnson. Craig names Dakota Johnson, Griffith's daughter, as the modern equivalent, with shared smile and hair.
“I mean, Dakota Johnson?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:50:51 · Craig Horlbeck (0.70 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Anne Roth → Working Girl. Roth said she cheated with Tess's dress because it would be too short for Weaver.
“I cheated with that dress.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:55:25 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Carly Simon → Working Girl. Simon's 'Let the River Run' and the score give the film a church-like rom-com gospel feel, best in the chandelier scene.
“it's just like the organ, like you're in a church, but it's let the river run”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:06:36 · Joanna Robinson (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Anne Roth → Working Girl. Anne Roth's costumes make the characters: Tess's makeover communicates who she is trying to be, and Weaver's closet is spot on.
“once Tess has her makeover, it's like really communicating something, both like very 80s, but very different about who that character is or who that character is trying to be.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:09:29 · Amanda Dobbins (0.35 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Harrison Ford → Richard Gere. Like Gere in Pretty Woman, the rich rom-com guy's clothes have to work and fit.
“Richard Gere and Pretty Woman also, great clothes.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:09:54 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → The Princess Diaries. The hot mess, stealth-smart, underestimated heroine archetype recurs in Princess Diaries and Prada.
“Princess Diaries.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:10:37 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → Working Girl (1990 NBC series). Working Girl became a 1990 NBC series, with Sandra Bullock as Tess.
“Working Girl became an NBC series in 1990”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:11:10 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
career (career): Sandra Bullock → Working Girl. Bullock played Tess in 12 episodes of the NBC series.
“12 episodes of working girl.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:12:35 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Working Girl → An Officer and a Gentleman. The kiss-and-secretaries-cheer moment is an Officer and a Gentleman homage.
“And then I had the officer and a gentleman homage when they're kissing and one of the secretaries says, way to go.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:13:08 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (music): Carly Simon → The Eagles. The opening was first cut to the Eagles' Witchy Woman; Simon objected and 'Let the River Run' replaced it.
“that they 1st cut the opening to the Eagles witchy woman?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:15:13 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Die Hard. Another absurd-premise movie that works; used to defend Working Girl's far-fetched merger plot.
“So is Die Hard.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:20:17 · unknown (0.50 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Pretty Woman. Both have absurd premises that work because the human emotion works.
“Pretty woman's absurd.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:21:02 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Working Girl → Rain Man. Joanna's hot take: Working Girl should have won Best Picture over Rain Man.
“I had this should have won best picture of Rayman.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:27:23 · Joanna Robinson (0.70 sure it was them)
craft (music): The Pointer Sisters → National Lampoon's Vacation. 'I'm So Excited' also appears in Vacation (Christie Brinkley scene), Beverly Hills Cop, Miami Vice and NBA ads.
“It's in National Lampoon's vacation, in a pivotal Christie Brinkley scene.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:27:47 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
craft (music): Working Girl → Beverly Hills Cop. 'I'm So Excited' is in Working Girl and Beverly Hills Cop: a ten-year pop-culture run.
“It's in Beverly Hills Cop.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:27:52 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Demi Moore → St. Elmo's Fire. Demi Moore as Jules in St. Elmo's Fire shows how she might have played Tess, raspy and puffy from the night before.
“Demi Moore, if she's Jules and St. Elmo's Fire.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:29:07 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Shelley Long → Working Girl. Scott Rudin, running Fox, pushed for Shelley Long, who was hot from Cheers.
“Scott Ruden was running Fox, which I don't think I knew and was really pushing for Shelley Long, who was red hot on shares.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:30:23 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Lorraine Bracco → Working Girl. Bracco wrote in her memoir that she nailed the audition; she was in Someone to Watch Over Me then.
“Lorraine Brocco wrote in her memoir that she thought she nailed the edition and didn't get it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:30:31 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Geena Davis → The Accidental Tourist. Rudin said if Griffith tested for The Accidental Tourist she was out of Working Girl; Davis won the Oscar for it.
“Scott Ruden says, if she tests for another movie, she's out for working girl.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:31:04 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Whoopi Goldberg → Working Girl. Nichols considered Whoopi Goldberg because he had done her stand-up show.
“would be Goldberg, was the one they were considering because Nichols did her, like, stand-up, uh, show”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:32:11 · Joanna Robinson (0.60 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Meg Ryan → Working Girl. Ryan might not have managed the accent, the baggage, or the sex appeal.
“I don't know if she could have pulled off the accent and the baggage part.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:32:40 · Joanna Robinson (0.60 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Cher → Working Girl. Cher was too famous to buy as Tess.
“I just wouldn't buy her as tests.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:33:30 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Marisa Tomei → Working Girl. Doreen DiMucci could have been a young Marisa Tomei instead of an unknown.
“Could we have gotten, could we have snuck, uh, like a young Marissa Tome in that part or could we have like an actual famous actress?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:35:23 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Sigourney Weaver → Aliens. 1988 was her peak juice, two years after Aliens and just before Ghostbusters II.
“It's 2 years after aliens.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:37:31 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Mike Nichols → The Graduate. Nichols directed The Graduate; Ebert later said Working Girl belonged to Griffith the way The Graduate did to Hoffman.
“he made the graduate.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:39:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Tom Hanks → Working Girl. For Jack Trainor it has to be Hanks; Cruise was too powerful in the 80s.
“The height thing that you mentioned earlier, but cruise is just too powerful in 80s.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:43:37 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → The Wolf of Wall Street. Wall Street/Wolf of Wall Street was done by the show and is a very different movie.
“It's a very different movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:43:57 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Philip Seymour Hoffman → Working Girl. Hoffman would have played the Spacey part, or Oliver Platt's.
“What role would Philip Seymour Hoffman have played probably Spacey.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:44:05 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → Presumed Innocent. Harrison Ford rarely does sex scenes; Presumed Innocent is the only time he really does.
“Just presumed innocent.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:57:57 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Harrison Ford → Michael Douglas. Ford never plays the Basic Instinct cop; Douglas built a career on that kind of role.
“But Carrison Ford's never going to be the cop in basic instinct.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:59:00 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → The Karate Kid. Flipping the villain's perspective as with Cobra Kai: Catherine as a victim of her assistant.
“Karate Kid, when they made the Cobra Kai, and they were like, we're flipping this.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:01:42 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → The Devil Wears Prada. Prada knows its heroine becomes a bad person; Working Girl is not written that way.
“But I but the movie knows that and is written that way.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:02:25 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → Morning Glory. Morning Glory is a triple-feature pick; Rachel McAdams as the working girl with Harrison Ford.
“Rachel McAdams working girl.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:04:54 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → Pretty Woman. Pairing Working Girl and Pretty Woman as a Cinderella double feature to see what Pretty Woman took.
“It double Cinderella and then you're watching Purdue Woman seeing all the things they took.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:05:09 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → Witness. Witness is the double feature for double Harrison Ford.
“There's also Witness as just double hot Harrison Ford.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:05:13 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → The Devil Wears Prada. Pairing Prada is suggested as a 1988-2006 double feature.
“Well, I think that there's a Devil Wears Prada cases.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:05:16 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Working Girl → Baby Boom. Baby Boom is the top double-feature pick because it is less seen.
“I think my number one would be Baby Boom because it's not as seen.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:05:30 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)
people (people): Harrison Ford → Baby Boom. Sam Shepard in Baby Boom is the same type of man women love as Ford.
“And they are like of a of a type.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:06:00 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Roger Ebert → The Graduate. Ebert: this is Melanie Griffith's movie the way The Graduate belonged to Dustin Hoffman.
“this is Melanie Griffith's movie in the same way the graduate belonged to Dustin Hoffman.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:06:15 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Working Girl → Anyone but You. Old rom-coms like Working Girl are edgier; Anyone but You has a glossy safeness.
“And these have, no one's really bland.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:07:20 · Craig Horlbeck (0.70 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Working Girl → You've Got Mail. You've Got Mail is a remake of an old story, showing remakes can work.
“that's a story that had already been made like 3 other times before it was made for the AOL era.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:11:42 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): About Last Night → When Harry Met Sally. About Last Night paved the way for When Harry Met Sally and other R-rated rom-coms.
“which I don't think it's enough credit for 80s kind of paving the way for when Harry Met Sally and some of these other ones.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:14:05 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): About Last Night → Kevin Hart remake of About Last Night. About Last Night was remade with Kevin Hart.
“They remade it with Kevin Hart and Michael Healey.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:14:23 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Working Girl → Picture Perfect. Another rom-com where somebody is pretending.
“That's another one where somebody's pretending.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:15:22 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Fun items (27)

fun, about Working Girl: Griffith is billed third behind Weaver and Ford even though it is her movie, which mirrors the story.
“Griffith Billing is 3rd behind Sigourney Weaver, the boss, and then Harrison Ford.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:06:44 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Melanie Griffith: Production shut down for a day because she was out until 4:30 and flying; Nichols made her pay for the shoot day.
“He made her pay for the whole day shoot.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:18:35 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Melanie Griffith: Griffith's red eyes and rough nights show in HD; spotting which scenes followed a late night is a game you can win.
“there's a couple scenes where she's just got like completely red eyes for no reason.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:19:27 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Melanie Griffith: Her ex Don Johnson, Miami Vice, ponytail year: she got back with him after rehab, three weeks after filming.
“So she went in rehab 3 weeks after filming and then, um, got back together with Don Johnson, my guy.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:21:00 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Sigourney Weaver: Her ski-trip hospital bed lingerie and thigh highs: a character that would not exist in a movie anymore.
“This is like a character that would not exist in a movie anymore.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:24:51 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Harrison Ford: Hottest moment in the movie: the shirtless office change as the women cheer; Ford plays a nothing role with charm.
“He's just there to like be handsome and support her and he does it with such charm”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:31:32 · Amanda Dobbins (0.60 sure it was them)
fun, about Kevin Spacey: New award invented: Kevin Spacey doing cocaine and harassing Tess in the limo wins craziest foreshadowing of a real-life event.
“craziest foreshadowing of a real life event.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:52:26 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Harrison Ford: Ford at the bar: the meet-cute where he never gives his name; Joanna's most rewatchable scene.
“The guy not saying who he is when he meets our lead character is just like that works 98% of the time.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:55:13 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Final rewatchable pick: the end scene with the new assistant, 'I don't expect you to fetch me coffee.'
“I don't expect you to fetch me coffee unless you're getting some for yourself.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 0:59:57 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Harrison Ford: Ford props up the passed-out Tess and offers her herbal tea; it is very funny physical comedy.
“And good physical comedy.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:02:10 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Rewatchables category 'most 1988 thing': hair, eyeshadow, shoulder pads through the blouse, the Twin Towers, Lark cigarettes, Catherine's wooden exercise bike.
“But my number one other than the hair is Catherine's exercise bike.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:04:15 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Tequila gold as the dangerous 80s order; the table jokes tequila was basically cocaine back then.
“In the 80s, people were afraid of tequila.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:08:43 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Opening cut used the Eagles' Witchy Woman; Carly Simon objected, and Nichols promised to use hers at the end.
“That absolutely ruins the movie if it's Witchy Woman.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:15:25 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Best real estate: Catherine Parker's corner office with harbor and Statue of Liberty view; Amanda's award.
“Catherine Parker's office with that with the view.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:16:18 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Weak link of the film: Doreen DiMucci's fake crying when caught with Baldwin.
“But, like, her fake crying as she is... Alec Baldwin?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:19:43 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: The hot dog crumb on Jack's mouth that Tess does not wipe off: a nice touch showing they are not there yet.
“you can't let her guard down yet.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:24:44 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Melanie Griffith: The topless vacuuming scene was apparently Griffith's own idea; Nichols said sounds great.
“apparently it was Melanie Griffith's idea.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:26:30 · Joanna Robinson (0.60 sure it was them)
fun, about Harrison Ford: Ford walks in at 36:04 with a lopsided smile; Joanna's pick for the moment the movie goes up a notch.
“exact moment when the movie goes up a notch and it's at 36 minutes and 4 seconds when Harrison Ford aims his lopsided smile at Melly Griffith's legs and enters the story.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:26:56 · Joanna Robinson (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Melanie Griffith: She told a 2017 interview she repeatedly made passes at Alec Baldwin, who said no thanks.
“repeatedly made passes at Alec Baldwin and he said, no thanks”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:35:39 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: George H. W. Bush screened it in the White House his first week and warned guests it had dirty parts.
“he had heard that the film about a Wall Street Cinderella had some quote, dirty parts”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:36:29 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Apex Mountain: the Staten Island Ferry, never better, per Amanda.
“It is, it is totally the Apex Mountain for Christmas. 100%.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:40:27 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Alec Baldwin: Baldwin at the wedding and in the bar: the boat deal, 'I got the boatload.' What does he even do?
“It's like the arbitrage of boats.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:50:50 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: The Chick-fil-A party platter is Amanda's signature party move; pigs in a blanket are undefeated.
“pigs in blanket.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:56:49 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Harrison Ford: Does he ever actually have sex in movies? Only Presumed Innocent; speakers think it was an intentional choice from Han Solo on.
“I think it was a very intentional choice from the moment he was Han Solo on.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:58:21 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Is Tess the villain? Bill argues she stole Catherine's idea, boyfriend and job; the rest of the table disagrees.
“Are we sure Tess isn't the villain of this movie?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 1:59:14 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Memorabilia: Catherine's gorilla, the dress, the tall luau glasses.
“What about the gorilla?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:03:46 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Working Girl: Best life lesson: you don't get anywhere by waiting; also 'check the milligrams' for Valium after the 4 tequilas.
“You don't get anywhere in this world by waiting for what you want to come to.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson · 2:04:22 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Who's talking

Bill Simmons (host): Loves the pop-culture web of the 80s: songs, TV, sports ads and movie stars tied together, and reads Ebert and old press clippings. Will take a bold contrarian stance (Tess may be the villain) and invents award categories. Cannot stand an unexplained plot hole or a premise that ruins itself, but forgives absurdity when the emotion works.
Amanda Dobbins (host): Working Girl is her favorite movie and her dream Rewatchables pick; she loves it as a rom-com, a Cinderella story and a cultural artifact, and as how she learned the 80s and her parents. Sucker for the song and score, the Staten Island Ferry, big real estate and Harrison Ford's clothes. Defends Tess to the end.
Joanna Robinson (host): Calls Working Girl a top five 80s movie and loves the yuppie cinema of the late 80s, especially its women. Digs into casting history and biographies, loves Mike Nichols, and takes the practical-movie-detail view of what ages well or badly. A sucker for the meet-cute at the bar.
Craig Horlbeck (guest): A younger viewer (producer Craig) who loves rom-coms with edge and unpredictability and finds today's glossy ones bland; praises 80s and 90s rom-coms where nobody is bland. Likes Working Girl a lot (Liz, per Craig, called it the best movie ever made). Calls Jack Trainor a little creepy at the start.

The show's recurring bits

Apex Mountain: The moment a star peaks; where on the mountain a performance sits.
Who Won the Movie: The hosts name the person who came out of the film best off.
The Ebert review: Roger Ebert's original review and star rating read aloud. Ebert is cited, never on the show.
Casting what-ifs: Who was almost cast, or who should have been.
Most rewatchable scene: The scene each host would stop on while flipping channels.
Aged best / aged worst: What holds up and what does not.
Picking Nits: The little things in a film the hosts love that they don't think totally work: the nits.
Double feature: The film each host would pair it with; a programming pick.

Names the transcriber got wrong

Melody Griffith / Melanie Griffin / Melly Griffith = Melanie Griffith
Dukakus / Ducaki = Olympia Dukakis
Dakota fanning (a slip) = Dakota Johnson
Nick (Alec Baldwin's character) = likely Mick Dugan
Ribbon / Rubin = Mallory Rubin
Catherine Parker = Katharine Parker (Weaver's character)
Doreen DiMucci / Dori DiMucci / Dumucci = Doreen DiMucci
Ducovney / Duchovny = David Duchovny
Anne Roth = Ann Roth (costume designer)
Sokwood / Harburn / Bilaxi Blues = Silkwood / Heartburn / Biloxi Blues
Girls in the Mist = Gorillas in the Mist
Lorraine Brocco = Lorraine Bracco
Scott Ruden = Scott Rudin
Jim Bridges = James Bridges
Gary Marshore = Garry Marshall
Marissa Tome = Marisa Tomei
Mira Sarino/Servino = Mira Sorvino
Trask/Orin Trust = Trask (character)
Hannibal Elect = Hannibal Lecter
Susan Lucie = Susan Lucci
Carly Seven = Carly Simon
Jody Foster = Jodie Foster
Gina Davis = Geena Davis
Sam Cook = unclear (Sam Cooke?)
Chuck Clusterman = Chuck Klosterman
Christa Bird = Chris de Burgh (Lady in Red)
Ciara / CR = Chris Ryan (absent, mentioned)
Alzheimer / Swayze / Sweaty (various) = unclear crosstalk
Carrison Ford = Harrison Ford