Exploring the quasi-genre of job-related films

If you’re musing over what to do with that college degree, you can always take a trip to the… If you’re musing over what to do with that college degree, you can always take a trip to the video store after stopping by Career Services. Whether employees are taking a stance or taking crap, there are plenty of cinematic classics to illuminate the ins and outs of life in the work force.

1. “Metropolis” (1927)

In director Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” the skewed angles and exaggeration of German Expressionism foresee the dystopian future of a capitalistic society. The upper class shoves the proles underground to operate the gears running Metropolis until angelic Maria (Brigitte Helm) and born-again socialist Freder (Gustav Frohlich) unite the hands of the workers with the minds of the aristocrats. The message may be a bit melodramatic, but Lang stunningly depicts men melding into machines and the chaos of the city crashing down.

2. “His Girl Friday” (1940)

Howard Hawks’ screwball comedy, “His Girl Friday,” tests how rapidly journalists Walter (Cary Grant) and Hildy (Rosalind Russell) can clash their wit. Fingers fly across the typewriters of their newsroom as fast as the jokes pile atop one another, as the divorced duo taunts their former relationship and covers a breaking news story. Hawks doesn’t stick purely to fun and games, however, as Hildy investigates the unfortunate story of a mentally ill man on death row.

3. “Norma Rae” (1979)

In “Norma Rae,” director Martin Ritt takes a less fantastical approach to promoting workers’ rights than the laborers of “Metropolis.” A small-town Alabama textile factory finds its foundation shaken when Norma Rae Webster (Sally Field) experiences the miserable working conditions firsthand. With the help of a labor organizer, she instigates the unionization of her factory and demonstrates the power of worker solidarity.

4. “Wall Street” (1987)

On the complete opposite end of the greed spectrum, Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street” demonstrates the suspension of morality in favor of getting rich quick. A young stockbroker, Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), learns the tricks of illegal insider trading from heartless scrooge Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). Given the current political climate, “Wall Street” may be singularly timely, but not exactly the smartest set of work ethics to live by.

5. “Disclosure” (1994)

The underrepresented phenomenon of female-unto-male sexual harassment in the workplace finds its voice loud and clear in director Barry Levinson’s “Disclosure.” When computer specialist Tom Sanders (Michael Douglas) refuses the violent advances of his boss, Meredith Johnson (Demi Moore), he finds himself on the receiving end of the sexual harassment lawsuit. Don’t expect a legitimate court battle, however – both sides dip into the arsenal of underhanded trickery in this thriller.

6. “Office Space” (1999)

If forming unions doesn’t quash worker’s angst, you can always try pummeling the copy machine. Directed by Mike Judge, “Office Space” pits the calculated fury of programmers Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), Michael Bolton (David Herman) and Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) against the quintessential “annoying boss.” Even if company execs doubt your ability to conjure up a money-stealing virus, you need never fear that those familiar with this flick will steal your stapler.

Job-related movies, while not always the best guides to coping in the workplace, aren’t without their place. They’re not particularly enlightening, but the quasi-genre features a wide array of tableaus as well as a disproportionate amount of Michael Douglas.