Editing Working Girl

{{Short description|1988 film by Mike Nichols}}
{{About|the 1988 film|other uses|Working Girl (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Working Girl
| image          = Working Girl film poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Mike Nichols]]
| writer         = [[Kevin Wade]]
| producer       = [[Douglas Wick]]
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Harrison Ford]]
* [[Sigourney Weaver]]
* [[Melanie Griffith]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Michael Ballhaus]]
| editing        = [[Sam O'Steen]]
| music          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Carly Simon]]
* [[Rob Mounsey]] (score)
}}
| studio         = [[20th Century Fox]]
| distributor    = 20th Century Fox
| released       = {{Film date|1988|12|21}}
| runtime        = 113 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $28&nbsp;million
| gross          = $103&nbsp;million
}}
'''''Working Girl''''' is a 1988 American [[romance film|romantic]] [[comedy drama]] film directed by [[Mike Nichols]], written by [[Kevin Wade]], and starring [[Harrison Ford]], [[Sigourney Weaver]] and [[Melanie Griffith]]. Its plot follows an ambitious secretary from [[Staten Island]] working in [[mergers and acquisitions]]. The secretary, who has been going to business night school, pitches a profitable idea, only to have her new boss attempt to take credit. When her boss is laid up with a broken leg, she secretly takes over her boss's role to prove her capabilities in the corporate world. 

The film's opening sequence follows [[Manhattan]]-bound commuters on the [[Staten Island Ferry]] accompanied by [[Carly Simon]]'s song "[[Let the River Run]]", for which she received the [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]]<ref name="61stAcAwards">{{cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1989 |title=The 61st Academy Awards (1989) Nominees and Winners |date=October 5, 2014 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=July 15, 2021}}</ref> and the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song]],<ref name=46thGoldenGlobes>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/working-girl |title=Working Girl |publisher=[[Golden Globe Awards]] |access-date=July 10, 2021}}</ref> and the [[Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media|Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television]],<ref name="grammys">{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/32nd-annual-grammy-awards |title=32nd Annual GRAMMY Awards |publisher=[[Grammy Awards]] |access-date=May 1, 2011}}</ref> making her the first artist to win this trio of awards for a song composed and written, as well as performed, entirely by a single artist.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers]] |url=https://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2012/founders_award.aspx |title=Carly Simon – ASCAP Founders Award |access-date=September 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044750/https://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2012/founders_award.aspx |archive-date=September 1, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The film was met with critical acclaim, and was a major box office success, grossing a worldwide total of $103&nbsp;million.<ref name="boxoffice">{{Cite web|title=Working Girl|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl175801857/weekend/|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>

''Working Girl'' was nominated for six [[61st Academy Awards|Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], and [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] for Griffith, while both Weaver and [[Joan Cusack]] were nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]].<ref name="61stAcAwards"/> The film won four [[46th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globes]] (from six nominations), including [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical|Best Actress – Musical or Comedy]] for Griffith, and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress]] for Weaver.<ref name=46thGoldenGlobes/> It also received three [[43rd British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA]] nominations: [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress]] for Griffith, [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actress]] for Weaver, and [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Music|Best Original Score]] for Simon.<ref name="bafta">{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1990/film |title=BAFTA Awards: Film in 1990 |publisher=[[British Academy Film Awards]] |access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref>

==Plot==
Tess McGill is a working-class [[Irish Americans|Irish-American]] woman from [[Staten Island]] who dreams of climbing the [[Career ladder|corporate ladder]] to an executive position. Despite holding a business degree earned through evening classes, her boss and male co-workers at the [[Stockbroker|stockbroker firm]] in [[lower Manhattan]] where she works as a secretary treat her like a [[bimbo]], even though they benefit from her intelligence and business instincts. After reaching her limit with her boss's humiliations, Tess dramatically quits.

Tess then lands a job as an administrative assistant to Katharine Parker, a young associate at Penny Marsh, a mergers and acquisitions firm. At first, Katharine seems supportive of Tess, encouraging her to share ideas, but eventually tells Tess her proposed purchase of a radio network by Trask Industries would not work out.

When Katharine breaks her leg skiing, she asks Tess to house-sit. While there, Tess discovers meeting notes that reveal Katharine plans to pass off the Trask Industries idea as her own. She later returns home to find her live-in boyfriend having sex with another woman. He attempts to reconcile and proposes marriage, but she responds ambivalently, and they end things. With her boss away, Tess decides to use Katharine's connections and clothes to move ahead with her merger plans. With the help of her friend Cyn, Tess cuts her hair and borrows Katherine's stylish clothing to look more professional. Tess schedules a meeting with Jack Trainer, a mergers and acquisitions associate from another company. The night before, she attends a dinner on Katharine's behalf, hosted by Trainer's firm in an attempt to say hello prior to their meeting. Trainer is attracted to and approaches Tess at the bar but does not reveal his name, even after she inquires whether he knows a Jack Trainer. Tess eventually leaves and he follows, taking her back to his apartment after she passes out in a cab from a combination of Valium and alcohol.

Tess leaves early the next morning, believing them to have slept together, to attend her meeting with Trainer and is surprised to see he is the man from the previous night. They both feign non-recognition. Although Tess lacks confidence during the meeting with Trainer and his associates and leaves thinking it was a failure, Jack soon arrives at her office, telling her they did not sleep together and that he wants to move forward with her idea. Together, they prepare the financials for the merger proposal, and they give in to their attraction, ending up in bed. However, Tess is tempted to confess the truth about the idea's origins, but she demurs after discovering Jack is also involved with Katharine, whom he planned to break up with before her injury.

Katharine returns home on the day of the merger meeting, and while Tess is helping her get settled, Katharine brings up the Trask merger, saying she was intending to take it to Jack and give Tess credit eventually, but was restricted due to Jack's strict ethical code preventing him from looking at other's work without verifying the source after being accused of stealing himself. Jack eventually arrives to end things with Katharine. Tess accidentally leaves her appointment book in Katharine's apartment before leaving for the same meeting, leading to Katharine discovering Tess's deception.

At the meeting, Tess asks Jack whether he has such an ethical code, and he denies this or that he was ever accused of stealing. Katharine confronts Tess during the meeting, outing her as her secretary and accusing her of stealing the idea. Tess feels she cannot defend herself and leaves, apologizing profusely. Days later, Tess is offered an entry-level job with Trask Industries after Trask confronts Katharine, who is unable to explain where she got the merger idea and promises to have her fired for her actions. Jack and Tess embrace and start a relationship.

On her first day at Trask, Tess meets a colleague named Alice, who Tess initially assumes will be her new boss but who she then realizes is actually her (Tess's) secretary. Tess insists they work together as colleagues, showing she will be very different from Katharine. Finally, Tess calls her friend Cyn from her own office to tell her that she has made it.

==Cast==
<!--- Cast per tombstone opening credits order, roles per closing credits scroll --->
{{Cast listing|
* [[Melanie Griffith]] as Tess McGill
* [[Harrison Ford]] as Jack Trainer
* [[Sigourney Weaver]] as Katharine Parker
* [[Alec Baldwin]] as Mick Dugan
* [[Joan Cusack]] as Cynthia
* [[Philip Bosco]] as Oren Trask
* [[Zach Grenier]] as Jim
* [[Nora Dunn]] as Ginny, a colleague of Katharine's
* [[Oliver Platt]] as David Lutz, Tess's first boss
* James Lally as Turkel
* [[Kevin Spacey]] as Bob Speck, a cokehead arbitrageur
* [[Robert Easton (actor)|Robert Easton]] as Armbrister
* [[Amy Aquino]] as Alice Baxter, Tess's secretary
* [[Olympia Dukakis]] as personnel director
* [[Ricki Lake]] as Bridesmaid
}}

==Production==

===Development===
Screenwriter [[Kevin Wade]] was inspired to write the screenplay after visiting New York City in 1984 and witnessing throngs of career women walking through the streets in tennis shoes while carrying their high-heels.<ref name=afi/>

===Casting===
Melanie Griffith read the screenplay for ''Working Girl'' over a year before the production began, and expressed interest in playing the role of Tess McGill.<ref name=afi/> Approximately a year later, [[Mike Nichols]] agreed to direct the film after reading the screenplay while shooting his film ''[[Biloxi Blues (film)|Biloxi Blues]]'' in [[Arkansas]].<ref name=afi/> Following Nichols's attachment, Griffith had a formal audition for the role.<ref name=afi/> [[Molly Ringwald]] auditioned but was deemed "too young."<ref>[https://variety.com/2024/film/actors/molly-ringwald-brat-pack-the-bear-feud-creative-vanguard-award-1235957763/ Molly Ringwald Felt Limited by ‘Brat Pack’ Label, But ‘The Bear’ and ‘Feud’ Roles Excite Her for What’s Next]</ref> Nichols was so determined for Griffith to have the part that he threatened to drop out of the production if the studio, [[20th Century Fox]], would not hire her.<ref name=afi/>

Following the casting of Sigourney Weaver and Harrison Ford—both major stars at that point—the studio agreed to cast Griffith, as they felt Weaver and Ford's involvement gave them a higher chance of box-office success.<ref name=afi/>

===Filming===
[[Principal photography]] of ''Working Girl'' began on February 16, 1988, in New York City.<ref name=afi/> Many scenes were shot in the [[New Brighton, Staten Island|New Brighton]] section of Staten Island in New York City. One half-day of shooting to complete the skiing accident scene took place in [[New Jersey]].<ref name=afi/> Four different buildings portrayed the offices of Petty Marsh—1 State Street Plaza; the Midday Club, which served as the company's club room; the lobby of [[7 World Trade Center (1987–2001)|7 World Trade Center]] (one of the buildings destroyed in the [[September 11 attacks]]); and the reading floor of the L. F. Rothschild Building.<ref name=afi/> [[One Chase Manhattan Plaza]] was featured at the end of the film as the Trask Industries building.<ref name=afi/> Filming completed on April 27, 1988, with the final sequence being shot on the [[Staten Island Ferry]].<ref name=afi/>

Throughout the shoot, Griffith was in the midst of struggling with a years-long alcohol and [[cocaine]] addiction, which at times interfered with the shoot.{{sfn|Carter|Kashner|2019|pages=206–210}} "There were a lot of things that happened on ''Working Girl'' that I did that were not right," Griffith recalled in 2019. "It was the late '80s. There was a lot going on party-wise in New York. There was a lot of cocaine. There was a lot of temptation."{{sfn|Carter|Kashner|2019|p=211}} After Nichols realized that Griffith had arrived on set high on cocaine, the shoot was temporarily shut down for 24 hours.{{sfn|Carter|Kashner|2019|p=212}} Griffith elaborated on the experience:

{{Blockquote|Mike got so mad at me, he wouldn't talk to me. Mike Haley, the first [assistant director], just came up and said, "We're shutting down. Go home", and I knew I was in so much trouble. … The next morning he (Nichols) took me to breakfast and said, "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to pay for last night out of your pocket. We're not going to report you to the studio, but you have to pay for what it cost", and it was $80,000. They wanted to get my attention and they really did. It was a very humbling, embarrassing experience, but I learned a lot from it.{{Sfn|Carter|Kashner|2019|p=212}}}}

Three weeks after filming was completed, Griffith entered a rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for her addiction.<ref name=biography>{{Cite web|work=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography]]|title='Working Girl' Was Melanie Griffith's Big Break — and Helped Her Get Sober|last=Bertram|first=Colin|date=February 4, 2020|url=https://www.biography.com/news/melanie-griffith-working-girl-movie}}</ref> Ironically, according to the biography ''Mike Nichols: A Life'', written by [[Mark Harris (journalist)|Mark Harris]], Nichols had been battling a cocaine addiction of his own around the same time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Nichols: The Last Director Who Knew Everyone and Did Everything|url=https://www.gq.com/story/mike-nichols-biography|last=Tashjian|first=Rachel|magazine=[[GQ]]|date=February 9, 2021}}</ref>

===Music===
{{Main|Working Girl (soundtrack)}}

The film's main theme "[[Let the River Run]]" was written, arranged, and performed by American singer-songwriter [[Carly Simon]], and won her an [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Academy Award]], a [[Golden Globe Award]], and a [[Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media|Grammy Award]] for Best Original Song,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carlysimon.com/timeline/Awards.shtml|title=Carly Simon Official Website – Awards|accessdate=March 29, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019020216/http://www.carlysimon.com/timeline/Awards.shtml|archivedate=October 19, 2007}}</ref> making Simon the first artist to win this trio of awards for a song written, as well as performed, entirely by a single artist.<ref>{{cite web|website=ASCAP.com|url=https://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2012/founders_award.aspx|title=Carly Simon - ASCAP Founders Award|access-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044750/https://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2012/founders_award.aspx|archive-date=September 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> As a single, "Let the River Run" reached No. 49 on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and No. 11 on the [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary]] chart in early 1989.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/carly-simon/chart-history|title=Carly Simon Chart History|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref>

The film's additional soundtrack was scored by Simon and [[Rob Mounsey]]. The [[Working Girl (Original Soundtrack Album)|soundtrack album]] was released by [[Arista Records]] on August 29, 1989, and peaked at No. 45 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/working-girl-mw0000198985/awards|title=Awards|website=AllMusic.com |accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Release==

===Box office===
The film was released in the United States and Canada on December 21, 1988, in 601 theaters before expanding to 608 theaters on Friday, December 23; 1,046 theaters on [[Christmas Day]]; and 1,051 on Monday, December 26.<ref name=afi>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/59163|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|title=Working Girl|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title='Twins,' 'Rain Man' bouyant at b.o. ; 'Working Girl,' 'Hellbound' strong|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 28, 1988|page=5|first=Todd|last=McCarthy|author-link=Todd McCarthy}}</ref> It grossed $4.7&nbsp;million in its opening four-day weekend and $5.6 million in its first 6 days.<ref name=boxoffice/><ref name=varchart>{{cite magazine|title=Weekend Box Office Report|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 28, 1988|page=6}}</ref> It went on to gross $63.8&nbsp;million in the United States and Canda and $39.2&nbsp;million in the rest of the world for a worldwide total of $103&nbsp;million.<ref name=boxoffice/>

===Home media===
''Working Girl'' was released on VHS and Laserdisc in 1989 by [[CBS/Fox Video]]; "Family Portrait", [[The Simpsons shorts|one of the shorts]] from ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' featuring ''[[The Simpsons]]'', was included before the movie on the VHS release. The film was released on DVD on April 17, 2001, by [[20th Century Studios Home Entertainment|20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]].<ref name="DVDReleaseDates">{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/3051/Working-Girl-(1988).html|title=Working Girl|publisher=dvdrleasedates.com|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> Special features included two theatrical trailers and three TV spots. The film was released on [[Blu-ray]] on January 6, 2015.<ref name="DVDReleaseDates"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Amazon.com: Working Girl [Blu-ray]: Movies & TV| website=Amazon | date=January 6, 2015 |url=https://www.amazon.com/Working-Girl-Blu-ray-Harrison-Ford/dp/B00OTADGKS/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1420827387&sr=1-1&keywords=Working+Girl|accessdate=July 15, 2021|location=United States}}</ref> The special features from the DVD release were carried over for the Blu-ray release.<ref>{{cite web|work=High Def Digest|url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/14660/workinggirl.html|title=Working Girl Blu-ray Review|last=Nutt|first=Shannon|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
''Working Girl'' received critical acclaim upon release. It has an 83% "Fresh" rating {{as of|2024|lc=y}} on [[Rotten Tomatoes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/working_girl|title=Working Girl|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Flixster]]|accessdate=August 8, 2022}}</ref> based on 48 reviews, and an average score of 7/10. The site's consensus is; "A buoyant corporate Cinderella story, ''Working Girl'' has the right cast, right story, and right director to make it all come together." The film also has a [[weighted average]] score of 73 out of 100 at [[Metacritic]] based on reviews from 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/working-girl|title=Working Girl|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[CinemaScore]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' film critic [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, "The plot of ''Working Girl'' is put together like clockwork. It carries you along while you're watching it, but reconstruct it later and you'll see the craftsmanship".<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|authorlink=Roger Ebert|title=Working Girl|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=December 21, 1988|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/working-girl-1988|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> In her review for the ''[[Washington Post]]'', Rita Kempley described Melanie Griffith as "luminous as [[Marilyn Monroe]], as adorable as one of [[Disney]]'s singing mice. She clearly has the stuff of a megastar, and the movie glows from her".<ref>{{cite news|last=Kempley|first=Rita|title=Working Girl|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=December 21, 1988|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/workinggirlrkempley_a0c9d9.htm|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]], in her review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', wrote, "Mike Nichols, who directed ''Working Girl'', also displays an uncharacteristically blunt touch, and in its later stages the story remains lively but seldom has the perceptiveness or acuity of Mr. Nichols's best work".<ref>{{cite news|last=Maslin|first=Janet|title=The Dress-for-Success Story Of a Secretary From Staten Island|authorlink=Janet Maslin|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 21, 1988|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/21/movies/review-film-the-dress-for-success-story-of-a-secretary-from-staten-island.html|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> In his review for ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', Richard Corliss wrote, "Kevin Wade shows this in his smart screenplay, which is full of the atmospheric pressures that allow stars to collide. Director Mike Nichols knows this in his bones. He encourages Weaver to play (brilliantly) an airy shrew. He gives Ford a boyish buoyancy and Griffith the chance to be a grownup mesmerizer".<ref>{{cite news|last=Corliss|first=Richard|title=Two Out of Five Ain't Bad|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=December 19, 1988|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,148288,00.html}}</ref>

The February 2020 issue of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' lists ''Working Girl'' as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."<ref>{{cite news|title=The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html|magazine=[[New York Magazine]]|access-date=March 17, 2025}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="6"| [[61st Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
| [[Douglas Wick]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref name="61stAcAwards"/>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| [[Mike Nichols]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Melanie Griffith]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Joan Cusack]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Sigourney Weaver]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]]
| "[[Let the River Run]]" <br> Music and Lyrics by [[Carly Simon]]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[American Comedy Awards#1989 awards|American Comedy Awards]]
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)
| Melanie Griffith
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000019/1989/1?ref_=ttawd_ev_3 |title=American Comedy Awards, USA 1989 |publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=July 10, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
| Joan Cusack
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Casting Society of America#Artios Awards|Artios Awards]]
| [[Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature (Comedy)|Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy]]
| [[Juliet Taylor]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1989 |title=1989 Artios Awards |publisher=[[Casting Society of America]] |access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 1988|Boston Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Melanie Griffith
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://bostonfilmcritics.org/past-winners-1980s/ |title=BSFC Winners: 1980s |publisher=[[Boston Society of Film Critics]] |date=July 27, 2018 |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Joan Cusack {{small|(also for ''[[Married to the Mob]]'' and ''[[Stars and Bars (1988 film)|Stars and Bars]]'')}}
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[43rd British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress in a Leading Role]]
| Melanie Griffith
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="3" align="center"| <ref name="bafta"/>
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role|Best Actress in a Supporting Role]]
| Sigourney Weaver
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Music|Best Original Film Score]]
| Carly Simon
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1988|Chicago Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| Sigourney Weaver
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/1988-97|title=Chicago Film Critics Awards – 1988–97 |publisher=[[Chicago Film Critics Association]] |access-date=July 21, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422075211/http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/1988-97 |archive-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref>
|-
| [[41st Directors Guild of America Awards|Directors Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - Feature Film|Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures]]
| Mike Nichols
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1980s/1988.aspx?value=1988 |title=The 41st Annual DGA Awards |publisher=[[Directors Guild of America Awards]] |access-date=July 10, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="6"| [[46th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| {{won}}
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref name=46thGoldenGlobes/>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| Melanie Griffith
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture]]
| Sigourney Weaver
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director – Motion Picture]]
| Mike Nichols
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Motion Picture]]
| [[Kevin Wade]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song – Motion Picture]]
| rowspan="2"| "Let the River Run" <br> Music and Lyrics by Carly Simon
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Phil Collins]] and [[Lamont Dozier]] for "[[Two Hearts (Phil Collins song)|Two Hearts]]".}}
|-
| [[32nd Annual Grammy Awards|Grammy Awards]]
| [[Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media|Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref name="grammys"/>
|-
| [[1988 National Society of Film Critics Awards|National Society of Film Critics Awards]]
| [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| rowspan="2"| Melanie Griffith
| {{draw|3rd Place}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about-2/ |title=Past Awards |publisher=[[National Society of Film Critics]] |date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[1988 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| {{Runner-up}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/nyfccas?year=1988 |title=1988 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |publisher=[[Mubi (streaming service)|Mubi]] |access-date=July 10, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[41st Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen]]
| Kevin Wade
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |title=Awards Winners |publisher=[[Writers Guild of America Awards]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=June 6, 2010}}</ref>
|}

===Honors===
The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
* 2002: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions]] – No. 91<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-passions/|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>
* 2004: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs]]:
** "[[Let the River Run]]" – No. 91<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-songs/?promo=29399|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>
* 2006: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers]] – No. 87<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers|url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-cheers/|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref>

==In other media==
===Television===
{{Main|Working Girl (TV series)}}
''[[Working Girl (TV series)|Working Girl]]'' was also made into a short-lived [[NBC]] television series in 1990, starring [[Sandra Bullock]] as Tess McGill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098951/|title=Working Girl (TV Series 1990–)|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=July 15, 2021}}</ref> It lasted 12 episodes.

===Theatre===
A Broadway musical version was in the works as of 2017, with a score to be written by [[Cyndi Lauper]] from [[Disney Theatrical Group#Buena Vista Theatrical|Fox Stage Productions]] and Aged in Wood Productions. For Aged in Wood, the producers were Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler.  Instead of a production company on ''Working Girl'', the musical adaptation was switched to a license production by Aged in Wood Productions since Disney took over ownership of Fox Stage in 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last=Caitlin|first=Huston|title=Fox Stage Productions to merge into Disney Theatrical|url=https://broadwaynews.com/2019/07/02/fox-stage-productions-to-merge-into-disney-theatrical-productions/|accessdate=July 15, 2021|work=Broadway News|publisher=Broadway Brands LLC|date=July 2, 2019}}</ref>

===Reboot===
In 2022 a reboot of ''Working Girl'' was reported to be in development at [[Hulu]], with [[Ilana Peña]] adapting the script. [[Selena Gomez]] was in talks to produce.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://deadline.com/2022/08/selena-gomez-20th-century-working-girl-1235082769/|title= Selena Gomez And 20th Century Developing 'Working Girl' Reboot|date= August 2, 2022|access-date= August 2, 2022|first= Justin|last= Kroll|work= Deadline}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Notelist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|last1=Carter|first1=Ash|last2=Kashner|first2=Sam|title=Life Isn't Everything: Mike Nichols, As Remembered By 150 of His Closest Friends|year=2019|publisher=Henry Holt and Company|location=New York|isbn= 978-1-250-11286-6}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/working-girl-am16527 ''Working Girl'' at AllMovie]
* {{AFI film}}
* {{TCMDb title}}

{{Mike Nichols}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestMotionPictureMusicalComedy 1981-2000}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1988 films]]
[[Category:1988 comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1988 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:1988 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]
[[Category:1980s business films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:1980s feminist films]]
[[Category:1980s romantic comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1980s screwball comedy films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American business films]]
[[Category:American feminist comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American screwball comedy films]]
[[Category:Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners]]
[[Category:Films about businesspeople]]
[[Category:Films about social class]]
[[Category:Films adapted into television shows]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mike Nichols]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe–winning performance]]
[[Category:Films produced by Douglas Wick]]
[[Category:Films set in offices]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Films shot in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]]
[[Category:Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Kevin Wade]]
[[Category:Workplace comedy films]]
[[Category:Women in New York City]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy-drama films]]